A new report is confirming that Vicki Gunvalson has indeed been demoted to a “Friend” role on the upcoming season of The Real Housewives of Orange County. Additionally, the ‘OG’ is reportedly unhappy after receiving a low-ball offer from Bravo, and isn’t taking the news well.
Days after Kelly Dodd revealed that “word on the street” suggested Vicki had been demoted, an insider is speaking out about the current state of Vicki’s negotiations with the network and the reason behind her downgraded position.
“She’s been demoted, but she hasn’t agreed to take the offer,” an insider close to production revealed to Radar Online on February 11. “[She] did not take the news well. Typically, the ladies are given a really short time, like five days, to either accept the offer from Bravo, or leave the show. There aren’t a lot of negations.”
According to the insider, Vicki’s shocking drug allegations against Kelly during the RHOC season 13 reunion played a role in her apparent demotion, in addition to the tension with some of her other co-stars.
“The cocaine allegations played a part, but there was no organic story with the remaining cast. No one wanted to shoot with her,” the insider said of the reason behind Vicki’s demotion.
The report went on to say that Vicki has been faced with a situation similar to the one Kenya Moore was in before she was left out of The Real Housewives of Atlanta‘s 11th season. As Real Housewives fans may have heard, Kenya was offered a low day rate to appear on the show sporadically but was ultimately unable to come to an agreement with Bravo TV.
“[Kenya] tried for more, she didn’t get it. And now she’s off the show,” the source explained.
The Real Housewives of Orange County cast began filming season 14 on Friday of last week without Vicki, who has been spending time with boyfriend Steve Lodge in The Bahamas.
“Thirteen years is a long time. She should want to enjoy her life at this point,” the insider added.
The report went on to add that Vicki is currently talking things over with her attorneys, as the deadline to accept Bravo’s ‘Friend’ offer is set to expire.
As Vicki continues to face claims of a demotion, she’s been denying any such thing on social media. Over the weekend, she shut down the claims by stating she was “still in negotiations” with Bravo, and most recently, the longtime reality star responded to a fan who suggested her previous denials of a demotion weren’t credible.
“Really?? Why not?!” Vicki tweeted. “I’m the only one who knows really what is going on.”
Really?? Why not?! I’m the only one who knows really what is going on
— Vicki Gunvalson (@vgunvalson) February 10, 2019
Another telling hint that the demotion news is true is the retweet of this message from a fan by Vicki on her Twitter page: “So tired of watching the new, hungry housewives replace the women that made us watch and love the shows!”
Season 14 of the RHOC will air on Bravo later this year.
Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo
TELL US – DO YOU THINK VICKI WILL ACCEPT THE ‘FRIEND’ OFFER OR QUIT THE SHOW?