Lara Sophia 
Tamra Judge and Emily Simpson are opening up about Alexis Bellino’s return to RHOC for season 18 and her relationship with John Janssen.
Real Housewives of Orange County stars Emily Simpson and Tamra Judge are dishing on season 18 and Alexis Bellino’s highly anticipated return as a friend of the Housewives.
Emily appeared on the January 26 episode of Tamra Judge and Teddi Mellencamp’s Two Ts in a Pod podcast.
On the episode Tamra and Emily shared how they feel about Alexis’ return to RHOC as well as their feelings on her dating Shannon Beador’s ex-boyfriend, John Janssen.
“We’re only two weeks into production. So you know, the first couple of weeks, it’s only one crew – it’s slow. Then next week is when it really starts picking up,” Tamra explained.
“But I would say it’s not as slow as it normally is when you start out,” Emily added, noting, “We got a shitload of stuff going on already.”
Teddi then asked: “Are you guys happy about [Alexis’ return to RHOC?]”
“I think it’s great,” Emily admitted.
Tamra revealed that Alexis claimed she was hesitant to sign on for season 18 of RHOC because she didn’t want to “kick Shannon when she’s down.”
“In Alexis’ defense, I had a conversation with her and she said, ‘Listen, I don’t know if I want to sign because I don’t wanna kick Shannon when she’s down.’ When she said that to me I think, ‘You know what? You’re a cool chick.’”
“I think she knows that if she’s not only the show that relationship with John Janssen is probably limited,” Teddi quipped.
However, Tamra disagrees.
“For the record, she was being asked back before this John stuff was even because before she even met John,” Tamra said.
She then elaborated: “At the BravoCon after party, me, Andy [Cohen], and Alexis has like an hour conversation. And he was just so happy that we put things behind us. I mean, we never had anything major. It was stupid show shit.”
Teddi then asked about Alexis’s departure from RHOC, inquiring if she was fired or left on her own accord.
“I don’t think anybody really leaves but I think that she was under a lot of pressure in the marriage that she was in and I felt like she really couldn’t be herself. I think the one thing I’m really excited about is seeing her [as] her own person. Like the years that she was on she’s like ‘I came from my husband’s rib,’” Tamra explained.
Emily agreed, saying, “I think she was very suppressed and I think he was very controlling. I don’t think she ever had the opportunity to be herself.”
She continued, “Now she comes back on the show, and not only is she dating Johnny J but she also is this new Alexis that gets to be free, that gets to say what she wants, that gets to be what she wants. And that’s interesting.”
During the podcast episode, Tamra also reveals that she and Heather Dubrow are “on great terms” following their drama during season 17 of RHOC.
The Real Housewives of Orange County will return for season 18 in mid-to-late 2024.
