‘RHOC’ Producer Reveals Bravo Is Looking for ‘New Faces’

With Meghan King Edmonds, Peggy Sulahian and Lydia McLaughlin gone from the next season of The Real Housewives of Orange County, fans have been wondering what’s in store for the remaining Housewives.

But it looks like Vicki Gunvalson, Tamra Judge, Shannon Beador and Kelly Dodd will be joined next season by some fresh faces.

Kathleen French, Senior Vice President for Current Production at Bravo, stopped by the network’s Daily Dish podcast to dish on the latest for the O.C. ladies Tuesday.

“There will be new faces on Orange County and I’m going to leave it at that,” French revealed.

“We always want to keep the shows fresh and we always want to introduce new friends,” French added.

But if you’re looking to become the next Housewife, you’re probably out of luck unless you’re already in the Housewives social group.

French said the network tries to find new Housewives by plumbing the depths of the already-existent cast member’s social circles.

“[We] always look for people who are organic to the group,” she said. “So the question when starting the next season is, ‘What are you doing now?’ ‘Who are you hanging with?’ ‘Anyone new in your life?’ … And that’s really where we’ll always look first.”

What’s the most important quality Bravo looks for when talking to possible new cast members? “You have to be ready, willing, and able to live your life in front of the camera,” French said.

Bravo fans will remember that King Edmonds, Sulahian and McLaughlin all turned in their orange after a snooze-worthy season of the long-running show amid rumors that they had been fired from the show.

King Edmonds, who is currently pregnant with twin boys, announced her departure on her blog in January.

“I knew that I was going to have a long pregnancy growing the twins and it would be next to impossible to film,” she said. “I could do it, but did I really want to? Twin pregnancies must be treated more delicately than a singleton pregnancy and are high-risk by default, so I also wanted to have a peaceful pregnancy with positive influences. Consistent positive influences are harder to find on RHOC!”

McLaughlin soon announced she was leaving in early February after returning for just one season.

“RHOC has given me a great platform and I’m grateful for that,” she said on her blog. “However, I feel like I can only handle this show one season at a time. I need a break! There is a lot of good that comes from the show, but also a lot of negativity. After a family vote, it was unanimous that I should take a break. Sometimes the people who love us the most see things even we don’t see. I trust my path and I’m excited for what the future holds.”

Sulahian was the final Housewife to say goodbye to the franchise after just one season a week after McLaughlin’s announcement.

“While I faced and conquered many challenges, I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my story and spread awareness of breast cancer,” she wrote on Instagram in early February. “Dealing with the disease and the passing of my father challenged me to reassess and reflect on my life, and I’ve realized what’s most important is leading a healthy and happy life, surrounded by people who care and love you. At this point, moving on seemed like the right thing to do. A few new ventures have availed themselves, and I look forward to sharing them with you soon!”

Photo credit: Bravo