Peggy Is Leaving ‘Real Housewives' & The OC Cast May Be Getting A Major Overhaul

It looks like a major overhaul may be taking place in the OC. Shortly after the announcement that both Lydia McLaughlin and Meghan King Edmonds are departing the series ahead of Season 13, Peggy Sulahian revealed she's leaving Real Housewives of Orange County after appearing on the show for just one season. Peggy opened up about her seemingly abrupt exit in a statement to the Daily Dish, explaining:

"What an exciting experience it was to be part of The Real Housewives of Orange County! It was an honor to be the 100th housewife and to be part of the Bravo family."

While citing her struggles with breast cancer, which were openly chronicled during her Season 12 stint, Peggy revealed that she's ready to move on to new opportunities. She continued,

"I am extremely proud of being the first Armenian-American Housewife and sharing my culture with the world. While I faced and conquered many challenges, I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my story and spread awareness of breast cancer. Dealing with the disease and the passing of my father challenged me to reassess and reflect on my life, and I’ve realized what’s most important is leading a healthy and happy life, surrounded by people who care and love you. At this point, moving on seemed like the right thing to do. A few new ventures have availed themselves, and I look forward to sharing them with you soon!"

Though the news may come as a bit of a shock to some, the departures of Lydia, Meghan, and now Peggy seem to align with circulating rumors that RHOC has been seeking out new talent to appear in its upcoming season.

A source for Page Six claimed in December 2017 that Vicki Gunvalson and Tamra Judge were also close to severing ties with the series. Page Six's insider added:

“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.”

However, neither of those star's exits have been confirmed. As for her departure, Lydia made the announcement in a post titled "Hanging Up The Orange" on her personal blog on Feb. 9. She wrote:

"RHOC has given me a great platform and I’m grateful for that. However, I feel like I can only handle this show one season at a time. I need a break! There is a lot of good that comes from the show, but also a lot of negativity. After a family vote, it was unanimous that I should take a break. Sometimes the people who love us the most see things even we don’t see. I trust my path and I’m excited for what the future holds."

Meghan, who also recently revealed that pregnant with twins, shared her news in a similar fashion, posting to her blog:

"Today is a bittersweet day for me. After three seasons of the rollercoaster that is The Real Housewives of Orange County I’ve decided to hang up my OC Housewife hat."

Last December, along with news that Lydia and Peggy would reportedly not be asked to come back, Radar Online reported that former OC Housewife Gretchen Rossi was “deep in negotiations to return to the show." The move to bring Gretchen back into the fold would certainly stir up the on-screen drama, given her longtime feud with Tamra. That is, if Tamra actually decides to sign on for another season in the OC. A source for Page Six claimed that she “is also thinking of not coming back."

With Peggy, Meghan, and Lydia now officially out, Vicki, Tamra, Shannon Beador, and Kelly Dodd remain the last women standing on the long-running Bravo franchise. The recently announced vacancies open up plenty of room for new addiction to the Orange County crew. It goes without saying that RHOC showrunners will not disappoint when it comes to bringing a brand new cast of drama for Season 13.