These ‘RHOC’ Season 13 Casting Rumors Will Keep Fans On Their Toes

The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 12 wound down only a week and a half ago, and the RHOC Season 13 casting rumor mill has already begun churning out tittle-tattle about next season. According to Page Six, a source claims that Vicki Gunvalson and Tamra Judge may be done with RHOC. Yes, there is already a story about two of the biggest RHOC stars possibly handing over their oranges before Season 13 begins. Say what you will about the rumor mill, but it sure doesn't waste time. (Bustle reached out to a rep for RHOC about the rumors, but did not receive an immediate response.)

According to Page Six's source, Vicki apparently let the other OC Housewives know that she was through with the Bravo reality show while they were at the reunion. The source claimed,

“There have been quiet castings for new women. The Housewives franchise is thinking of new girls for the show and is asking around for new women for the next season. Vicki threatened to not come back at all if there’s a new cast.”

The source added that RHOC vet Tamra is “thinking of not coming back." Again, all of this is totally unconfirmed, but the mere suggestion of both Vicki and Tamra no longer being part of RHOC is enough to turn a fan's arm skin into a Brillo Pad of goosebumps. Tamra's been around since Season 3, Vicki's been around since the show's pilot, and they are two of the best Bravolebrities to ever grace the small screen. Would RHOC even feel like RHOC without those two hurling horrendous insults at one another before weeping and apologizing in each other's arms over and over again?

Before you spend too much time trying to imagine what RHOC without Tamra and Vicki would be like, go ahead and add the story to the ever-growing stack of RHOC-related hearsay. Earlier this week, Radar Online reported that former OC Housewife Gretchen Rossi is “deep in negotiations to return to the show that made her a star.” According to gossip site's source, Tamra and Vicki’s earth-shattering reconciliation at the reunion has supposedly prompted producers to consider asking Gretchen back.

Given Gretchen's deep-seated feud with Tamra, this comeback would most certainly, as Radar Online's insider claimed, “bring the drama.” Well, assuming Vicki and Tamra stick around, that is. Radar Online also reported that Peggy Sulahian and Lydia McLaughlin have supposedly been ousted from the cast. Zoinks.

To recap: Vicki, Gretchen, Peggy, and Lydia are all rumored to be done with the show, and Gretchen is supposedly making moves to return. If all of these things are true, that would be a Real Housewives overhaul for the ages.

Whatever the case may be, the current RHOC lineup probably would benefit from some sort of change. As funny and legendary as some of the scenes were (e.g., Vicki wearing a robe over her face as she was being carried out of a hotel on a stretcher, the Quiet Woman disaster, Kelly and Vicki's mid-colonic heart-to-heart), Season 12 was not the show’s best, and it was mostly due to the cast's strained dynamic. If there’s one thing to glean from the latest round of RHOC episodes, it’s that a fractured cast makes for a fractured season. Naturally, many fans have called for a cast shake-up. And by golly, a shake-up may be underway.

Sure, RHOC technically has not been renewed, and yeah, some might say all of this cast talk is putting the cart before the two-toned Lamborghini, but come on. RHOC will almost certainly get picked up. But as far as the Season 13 lineup is concerned? It's about as certain as that dinner at the Quiet Woman was quiet. Whew, it’s going to be several long, speculation-fueled months.