Shannon Beador is speaking out about Alexis Bellino‘s departure from The Real Housewives of Orange County.
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Weeks after Alexis, 48, confirmed on the Going Rogue podcast that she was not “asked back” for season 19, Shannon, 60, who was faced with Alexis’ relationship with her ex-boyfriend, John Janssen, 62, throughout the 18th season, denied getting her fired as she looked back on the way she was impacted by the romance and admitted she’s come a long way in the year since.
“I have zero power with the network or production or anyone, and I would never want to interfere with someone’s livelihood,” Shannon told Us Weekly on January 19. “But, Alexis Bellino is a TV star, and she’s been a TV star for 15 years, so I’m sure she’ll get a new gig sometime very soon.”
Alexis was featured in a full-time role on RHOC for seasons five through eight, and she returned for season 18 in 2024 as a “friend” on the heels of the reveal of her relationship with John.
Then, after facing backlash for her treatment of Shannon amid season 18, and for her potential role in John’s since-settled $75,000 lawsuit against her, Alexis, who also threatened the release of videos taken of Shannon before her September 2023 DUI arrest, confirmed she would not be back.
“I was not asked back next season,” Alexis said. “I can’t say it came as a shock, it did not come as a shock. It was a hard conversation. … I guess I wasn’t really prepared [because] I didn’t think contracts were coming out — like, I thought we had more time. … [So] it was a shock when the call came, but I was never shocked about that information.”
As she prepares to return to RHOC for season 19 without her former nemesis, Shannon is continuing to work on herself after going through hard times ahead of season 18.
“I have a lot of work to do, and I’m grateful for all that happened in the last year because it brought me to where I am today,” Shannon said. “I spent a lot of time over the holidays reflecting on where I had been the year before. I was at a place where I [had] just seen [John give Alexis] a promise ring on social media, and I didn’t know who was going to be coming back to the show. I didn’t know if I had a single friend on the show.”
“It’s very overwhelming for me, because I look at where I am today, after a year, and I thought I was in a hole that I could not get out of, and it’s possible because I am, probably, in one of the best places that I’ve ever been. I’m so grateful to those close to me that have supported me and the fans that have supported me,” she added.
Also during the interview, Shannon, who co-organized a benefit to honor the Emergency Network LA with Katie Ginella, 40, to raise funds for those impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires, expressed devastation over the tragic events.
“If I were still living in Los Angeles, I would have been living in Pacific Palisades, and every friend that I have there lost their homes,” Shannon revealed. “When I was on a flight to New York, Katie texted me and said, ‘Would you be interested in doing a fundraiser for everything that’s going on in LA?’ and I said, ‘Absolutely.’ It’s been a week of planning, but I think we had a successful turnout tonight.”
“People need money, and so that’s what we wanted to try and do tonight,” she added.
No word yet on when The Real Housewives of Orange County cast will begin filming for season 19.
