Could Tamra Judge, 54, return to The Real Housewives of Orange County? According to Heather Dubrow, 52, who’s returned to the series for Season 16, her former co-star almost came back for this season as well. While speaking with the New York native on our podcast, Pay Attention Puh-Lease, Heather revealed that her friendship with the RHOC alum could help in bringing her back.
“I love Tamra. I always call her my ‘housewife-maker.’ It’s kind of like in vampire movies when someone bites you you love them forever,” Heather laughed. “She’s [like that] because she brought me on the show, I did my first scene with her, so I just have always had a special relationship with her. I was hoping she was gonna make an appearance on the show. I actually invited her to a party but it didn’t work out.”
When our podcast hosts questioned if Tamra could maybe come back in the future, Heather simply replied, “You never know!”
As RHOC fans know, Tamra (along with OG Vicki Gunvalson) left the Bravo show ahead of Season 15. Heather, with whom Tamra became close when Heather joined for Season 7, announced her return to the series this summer after departing after Season 11. Fans often expressed their desire for Heather to make her return, and now that the podcaster is back, many have called for Tamra to also come back so the two can reunite as an OC team.
In addition to Heather’s tease, it also looks like Tamra may have dropped a hint, commenting on our podcast host and senior reporter Lanae Brody’s Instagram share of the interview. “❤️ C U Next Season 😂” Tamra wrote on the post.
Although nothing has been confirmed just yet, earlier this year, a source close to production EXCLUSIVELY revealed to HollywoodLife that Tamra would be “open” to returning to the show if she was asked to come back. “[The show] was such a huge part of her life for so long and she’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss it,” our source explained.
Tamra also “feels” like the show just isn’t the same without her, especially after watching that headline-making Season 15 reunion. “Tamra was a major player and such a huge contribution to why RHOC became the huge success it is today,” the insider spilled at the time, adding how she felt the show didn’t feel “the same” without other former cast members like Vicki and … Heather, who, in January, was not yet revealed to have rejoined the cast.
Tamra, who starred on RHOC for 12 seasons, apparently “watched the reunion like everyone else and couldn’t believe what a hot mess it was,” the source shared. “Like it or not, Tamra brought the drama in a way that kept people watching season after season. She knows that there were times that she may have stirred the pot and put her foot in her mouth, but who hasn’t?” they added, noting how the sometimes controversial reality star ultimately “held herself accountable” when she did something wrong and therefore still maintained a “huge fan base” because of it.
Similarly, fans often had their critiques of “fancy pants” Heather, but considering fan reactions to her triumphant return, it seems as though the Heather-Tamra duo could make a comeback next season!