RHOC’s Jo De La Rosa Returns to Film 17 Years After Leaving Show
An OG cast member of the OC appears to be returning to The Real Housewives of Orange County for a very special guest appearance.
Tamra Judge seemingly confirmed that Jo De La Rosa was on hand as the show filmed its season 18 finale on Thursday, April 18.
“And that’s a wrap on Season 18! #RHOC,” Judge, 56, wrote via Instagram on Friday, April 19, while posing for a selfie with the special guest. “Jo’s back in the mix.”
De La Rosa, 43, added in the comments section, “So much fun last night! It was just like riding a bike like you said.”
Former ‘RHOC’ Stars: Where Are They Now?
When RHOC first premiered in March 2006, De La Rosa was one of the original cast members who documented her life for Bravo. In the first two seasons, cameras rolled as she navigated her relationship with Slade Smiley. Once the pair broke up, De La Rosa exited the series as a regular cast member in 2007 (but as fans know, Smiley, 50, stuck around for more seasons as he went on to date Gretchen Rossi).
After filming wrapped for Season 18 this week, De La Rosa and Judge enjoyed a celebratory dinner with fellow costars Heather Dubrow and Alexis Bellino at an undisclosed location. Shannon Beador, Emily Simpson, Gina Kirschenheiter and newly engaged Jennifer Pedranti are also expected to be cast members for the upcoming season.
While the cast has kept details about filming underwraps, Judge recently teased that new episodes will be nothing short of “epic.”
“I’ve never filmed a season like we’re filming this year,” she told Teddi Mellencamp on the April 11 episode of iHeartRadio’s “Two Ts In a Pod” podcast. “We could have stopped filming a month ago and had a full season. It’s crazy. We even said after the [cast] trip, ‘Can’t we just be done now?’ We only have a week of filming and in my mind, it’s done. It’s over with. I can’t even explain how good it is.”
Judge added, “With everything we have, I don’t know if us or any other Housewives franchise can top it.”
Real Housewives' Kids: Then and Now
As viewers wait for the return of De La Rosa, they may want to prepare for a few more familiar faces to show up in season 18. Back in March, Judge seemingly reunited with Jeana Keough and Tammy Knickerbocker for a day of filming.
“We love a blast from the past!” Judge wrote via Instagram at the time before referencing a memorable scene from season 6. “No red wine or cyst and deceased papers were thrown.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County is streaming now on Peacock. Season 18 is expected to premiere later this year on Bravo.
