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'RHOC' star Alexis Bellino's fate on the show revealed after explosive drama: "I thought we had..."

Same story, different season—‘RHOC’ star Alexis Bellino gets the silent treatment after her bombshell drama in Season 18

Reality star Alexis Bellino has confirmed that she will not be returning to 'The Real Housewives of Orange County', marking her second departure from the Bravo hit series. The 47-year-old appeared on the podcast 'Going Rogue', where she let it be known that she would not be returning for Season 19 of the show. "I was not asked back next season," Bellino revealed during the candid conversation on the podcast. Her return to the series as a "friend of the 'Housewives'" in Season 18 had been highly publicized—especially after her controversial romance with Shannon Beador's ex-boyfriend John Janssen.

The drama involving Bellino's presence on the show was deep-layered. Her history with Beador was already muddled by a previous lawsuit involving Bellino's ex-husband Jim Bellino, who had filed a defamation suit against Beador in 2018. While a judge declared Beador the winner in October 2020, the financial blow of subsequent expenses reportedly left her taking a dig. Digging deeper, the tension ratcheted up when Bellino began dating and then became engaged to Janssen—and what would become one of the season's most incendiary storylines. The dynamics between the women really came to a head during a pivotal scene filmed after the reunion, where cast members Heather Dubrow and Tamra Judge confirmed Beador's suspicions about Janssen's involvement in her September DUI incident, as per Realityblurb.

Despite the drama, Bellino remained unusually pragmatic about her departure. "I can't say it came as a shock. It did not come as a shock," she mused on the podcast. "It was a hard conversation... I guess I wasn't really prepared. I didn't think contracts were coming out, like, I thought we had more time." The reality star's view on her departure appears to mirror her previous exit from the series after Season 8. "It was a little bit of a relief," Bellino admitted, "I mean nobody wants the rejection, and no one wants to hear you're not asked back. But it already happened to me. It happened to me in Season 8. I've been there, done that!"

Curiously enough, Bellino's presence on Season 18 contributed to a big boost in the ratings for the franchise. Nielsen data reveal that—for the season—it ran the gamut with an average of 3.1 million total viewers and the key demographic of 18-49, up 5% from the previous week's season. Such kinds of success have helped plant the show among 2024's Top 15 entertainment series in cable television's most coveted demographic, as per People.

Though she had made friends with new castmates Jennifer Pedranti and Katie Ginella, Bellino did admit it was hard to get into the groove of things, particularly after the explosive end of the season. "I didn't know after that scene, how do I fit in?" she wondered. "I still thought there might be a way they can make it work for everybody to come back. But you know, the cards played the way they did," as per E! News.

Taking to her Instagram to address the split, Bellino made sure to leave a hopeful message with her fans: "When one door closes, another one opens." It would seem, as Bellino's dust begins to clear after this chapter in reality television, she is surely looking to the future—some would say, to a wedding, especially an upcoming wedding to Janssen. Although the lineup for Season 19 is not confirmed, sources indicate filming will start in January, and the other housewives will also return to the show that has continued to serve drama and entertainment to its loyal following.