Vicki Gunvalson Confirms Full-Time Return To ‘RHOC’ Season 14, Says She’ll Never Be A ‘Friend’

Vicki Gunvalson has been facing claims of an alleged demotion for months, but according to a new post on social media, the Real Housewives of Orange County star has not been put into a part-time role for the show’s upcoming Season 14.

According to a report shared by All About the Real Housewives on June 4, Gunvalson confirmed she would not be featured as a friend on the show via Instagram. A fan pointed out that recent rumors have claimed she would be seen only in a part-time position, and Gunvalson responded to this fan in short order.

“Stay tuned,” Gunvalson replied. “I’ll never be just a ‘friend.'”

Earlier this year, Jeff Lewis suggested — on his SiriusXM radio show, Jeff Lewis Live — that sources close to production had informed him that Gunvalson had been demoted from her full-time role. However, right away, Gunvalson took to her Twitter page to deny these claims.

Although rumors continued to swirl in regard to an alleged demotion, Gunvalson remained adamant that she would be reprising her full-time role on The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 14.

While filming did begin — without her — this past February, Gunvalson quickly reunited with her co-stars after a tropical vacation with her fiance, Steve Lodge. Ever since, she’s been spotted with her co-stars on a number of occasions.

In addition to her denial about her demotion, Gunvalson also shared a sweet birthday post to her boss, Andy Cohen, to Instagram earlier this week.

“Happy birthday @bravoandy. It’s been 15 years ago that we met with the start of the Housewives franchise. Thank you for believing in me and being part of changing my life forever. You deserve all the love there is. Don’t forget to ‘whoop it up,'” she wrote in the caption of a photo featuring the two of them.

Over the past few seasons, Gunvalson and her co-stars have butted heads frequently. Her friendships with Tamra Judge and Shannon Beador have likewise been quite tumultuous. Luckily, after a wild season with the ladies last year, Gunvalson was able to get to a better place with her co-stars — and now appears to be quite close with them. In fact, she’s shared a number of photos of the three of them together in recent months, and celebrated her engagement to Steve Lodge alongside them weeks ago.

Gunvalson and her co-stars will return to Bravo TV this summer for Season 14 of The Real Housewives of Orange County.