Vicki Gunvalson Is Officially Out At ‘RHOC’ Because Bravo Is Looking For Younger Stars

Vicki Gunvalson has officially been demoted as a housewife on the Real Housewives of Orange County. After months of rumors, Bravo released a photo of the cast for the upcoming Season 14, and Vicki is noticeably absent from the line-up.

Us Weekly reports that the newest cast for the hit show has been revealed. It includes Kelly Dood, a newly-svelte Shannon Beador, OG Tamra Judge, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson and newcomer Braunwyn Windham-Burke. The outlet notes that Vicki will make an appearance throughout the season, but she wasn’t in the official cast photo, which means it will be as a friend and not a housewife. Bravo also noted that she wasn’t a housewife this season in the television network’s official press release.

Vicki has been scrambling to stay on the show. She reportedly urged boyfriend, Steve Lodge, to propose to her while filming in order to help goose up her storyline.

“She was never offered a full-time housewife position,” a source told Radar. “They told her she could prove herself, but just an engagement won’t save you. Although that’s what she pitched to them.”

As the original housewife, appearing on the first season of the show in 2006, she knows how to work the cameras. Apparently, it wasn’t enough. The network offered the original housewife less than she was expecting to stay on the show.

“She’s been demoted, but she hasn’t agreed to take the offer,” a source told Radar. “She finally did take what was offered and promised to amp up the drama during the season.”

Unsurprisingly, the 57-year-old was upset with the news.

The reason the network decided to ditch Vicki? It seems as if she is getting too old for the audience that Bravo hopes to attract, according to another report by Radar Online.

“The network wants to skew younger,” a source said.

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Vicki addressed her role on RHOC with an Instagram post, where she said that she will be back on the show, and hopes that people will enjoy the upcoming season, which airs August 6.

It sounds as if the demotion is a done deal. She won’t be making a return like Real Housewives of New York star Luann de Lesseps did when she came back after being demoted in Season 6 of the show.

“She will continue to appear on the show as a friend for seasons to come because she’s a household name. No one sees the network making her a main cast member again. Unless the season completely tanks,” the source added.