Real Housewives of Orange County returning star Heather Dubrow just sat down for a new interview, and she is answering all the burning questions. Heather talks about why she left the show in the first place and whether she will return. Plus, she sets the record straight on Jeff Lewis’ scathing words toward her.
Speaking to PeopleTV’s Reality Check, Heather explains her reasons for leaving five years ago and what inspired her return.
“I really just think the show was going in a different direction and so I just pulled myself away,” she said. “I was clearly not interested in sharing my life anymore.”
So why come back? Heather stated that she’s been up to so much the past five years, and she “laughed about it” when they asked her. However, she credits her daughter, Max, who came out as bisexual, and her other kids, who are different genders and sexualities, as her reason for returning.
Heather explained, “When [Max] came out as bisexual a couple years ago, you know, were flooded with supportive messages and also really tragic messages from people whose children, you know, didn’t have a safe way to come out.”
Heather continued, “And we thought, you know, this is a conversation that needs to happen in more households. So wouldn’t it be cool if we could show our version of what a normal family looks like and maybe start those conversations, maybe help some people.”
That being said, Heather didn’t miss the toll the show can “mentally” and “psychologically” take on a person.
“You know I had forgotten the psychological part of being on a show like this,” the RHOC star said. “It’s very —it’s exhausting mentally and physically.”
Heather also commented on newcomers Dr. Jen Armstrong and Noella Bergener and how she feels they meshed with her and the rest of the cast.
“I didn’t get to really know them for a while, especially Noella. Dr. Jen I got to know first because I had other girlfriends at the sushi party who were hanging out with her… So I actually reached out to her, and we started hanging out.”
As for Noella, Heather said she didn’t get to really know her until later due to Noella going through some “personal” issues in her life. However, once she did get to know Noella and her infamous sex dungeon, Heather had a pretty hilarious take on it. Though she herself doesn’t want or need one, she’d love to give Noella’s sex dungeon a “makeover.”
“It was like, so tame! It was like — looked like someone’s little spare bedroom, there was a red light,” she said. “And my first thought was, ‘wow, I want to remodel that for her.’”
Heather ended up teasing what to expect for the rest of the season, adding that there was someone she really thought she’d be friends with, but didn’t.
“We took a lot of trips,” she said. “I can’t wait for people to see all that stuff. Actually, all the trips were really good.”
She also added, “What I will say there is drama, some petty drama… But there’s also some really compelling personal stories. And I think the audience is going to really get reinvested in some people. And it ends in a way I’ve never ended a season before.”
In spicier news, Heather is responding to the shady remarks Jeff Lewis has recently made about her on his show and other news outlets. Jeff recently said he would never make amends with Heather, calling her “not a good person.”
“You know, Jeff seems to have a lot of hate in his heart,” Heather responded. “You know, in order to have a feud you really need two people to participate. I have no interest in participating in anything like that. But I will say about the comments — consider the source.”
As for making any kind of amends with Jeff, Heather isn’t that all interested.
“I just — I don’t even know where to go with that,” she said.
As for a return for another season of RHOC, Heather’s taking it “one step at a time.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County is currently airing Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.
Photos Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo