Did a salary dispute lead to Tamra Judge‘s recent exit from The Real Housewives of Orange County cast?
Just one day after Tamra admitted to being offered a reduced role on the series’ upcoming 15th season, a report claims she was humiliated by the amount of money she would have been given if she agreed to return to the show for just three of its new episodes.
“Bravo bosses wanted Tamra to be bridge from the old cast to the new in season 15 and she refused,” a source told Radar Online on January 26. “Tamra got her pick up contract letter last, after the other ladies, and it had major conditions in it. She was even more than demoted to a friend role. She’d have very little camera time. And it meant she would earn next to nothing in reality TV terms.”
According to the report, Tamra, who first joined the RHOC cast in 2007 for the show’s third season, made $900,000 for season 14. But she was offered just $60,000 for a three-episode stint on season 15.
“She would go from $900,000 a season to $20,000 an episode for just three show appearances, which would add up to $60,000 total. It was humiliating… So Tamra walked away,” the insider explained.
Just last year, another source told Radar Online that Bravo wanted “to skew younger” with its RHOC cast.
Tamra’s exit came just one day after Vicki Gunvalson confirmed she would not be appearing on season 15.
“I will always be the OG of the OC, but it’s time to say goodbye to The Real Housewives of Orange County. It’s been an incredible ride for 14 years and I want thank all of you for your support, for your love and for ‘whooping it up’ with me along the way,” Vicki wrote on Instagram on Friday.
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