--- title: "Tamra Judge and Emily Simpson Talk Alexis Bellino’s Return to RHOC and Why Alexis Was Hesitant to Sign On" url: https://allabouttrh.com/2024/01/29/tamra-emily-alexis-bellino-rhoc/ type: post date: 2024-01-29 modified: 2024-01-29 markdown_url: https://allabouttrh.com/2024/01/29/tamra-emily-alexis-bellino-rhoc.md author: "Lara Sophia" --- # Tamra Judge and Emily Simpson Talk Alexis Bellino’s Return to RHOC and Why Alexis Was Hesitant to Sign On ## Tamra Judge and Emily Simpson are opening up about Alexis Bellino's return to RHOC for season 18 and her relationship with John Janssen. *Real Housewives of Orange County* stars [Emily Simpson](https://allabouttrh.com/category/the-real-housewives-of-orange-county/emily-simpson/) and Tamra Judge are dishing on season 18 and [Alexis Bellino](https://allabouttrh.com/category/the-real-housewives-of-orange-county/alexis-bellino/)’s highly anticipated return as a friend of the Housewives. Emily appeared on the January 26 episode of [Tamra Judge](https://allabouttrh.com/category/the-real-housewives-of-orange-county/tamra-barney/) and [Teddi Mellencamp](https://allabouttrh.com/category/the-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills/teddi-mellencamp-arroyave/)’s*[Two Ts in a Pod](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/juggling-the-truth-with-emily-simpson/id1477524410?i=1000643125200)* podcast. On the episode Tamra and Emily shared how they feel about[Alexis’ return to RHOC](https://allabouttrh.com/2024/01/25/alexis-bellino-films-season-18-rhoc/)as well as their feelings on her dating [Shannon Beador](https://allabouttrh.com/category/the-real-housewives-of-orange-county/shannon-beador-rhoc/)’s ex-boyfriend, John Janssen. ***“We’re only two weeks into production. So you know, the first couple of weeks, it’s only one crew – it’s slow. Then next week is when it really starts picking up,”*** Tamra explained. ![Andy Cohen with the RHOC season 17 cast at the reunion](https://allabouttrh.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screen-Shot-2023-10-13-at-8.26.53-AM-1200x794.png)Andy Cohen poses for reunion photo with the RHOC season 17 cast. ***“But I would say it’s not as slow as it normally is when you start out,”*** Emily added, noting, ***“We got a shitload of stuff going on already.”*** Teddi then asked: ***“Are you guys happy about [Alexis’ return to RHOC?]”*** ***“I think it’s great,”*** Emily admitted. Tamra revealed that Alexis claimed she was hesitant to sign on for season 18 of RHOC because she didn’t want to ***“kick Shannon when she’s down.”*** ***“In Alexis’ defense, I had a conversation with her and she said, ‘Listen, I don’t know if I want to sign because I don’t wanna kick Shannon when she’s down.’ When she said that to me I think, ‘You know what? You’re a cool chick.’”*** ***“I think she knows that if she’s not only the show that relationship with [John Janssen](https://allabouttrh.com/2024/01/19/meghan-king-alexis-bellino-john/) is probably limited,”*** Teddi quipped. ![RHOC alum Alexis Bellino spotted out with Shannon Beador](https://allabouttrh.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-19-at-7.54.10-AM.png)RHOC alum Alexis Bellino spotted out with Shannon Beador's ex John Janssen However, Tamra disagrees. ***“For the record, she was being asked back before this John stuff was even because before she even met John,” ***Tamra said. She then elaborated: ***“At the [BravoCon](https://allabouttrh.com/category/bravocon/) after party, me,[Andy [Cohen]](https://allabouttrh.com/category/wwhl/andy-cohen/), and Alexis has like an hour conversation. And he was just so happy that we put things behind us. I mean, we never had anything major. It was stupid show shit.”*** Teddi then asked about Alexis’s departure from RHOC, inquiring if she was fired or left on her own accord. ***“I don’t think anybody really leaves but I think that she was under a lot of pressure in the marriage that she was in and I felt like she really couldn’t be herself. I think the one thing I’m really excited about is seeing her [as] her own person. Like the years that she was on she’s like ‘I came from my husband’s rib,’”*** Tamra explained. ![Alexis Bellino poses for her RHOC cast photo](https://allabouttrh.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Alexis-Bellino.jpg)Alexis Bellino poses for her RHOC cast photo Emily agreed, saying,*** “I think she was very suppressed and I think he was very controlling. I don’t think she ever had the opportunity to be herself.”*** She continued, ***“Now she comes back on the show, and not only is she dating Johnny J but she also is this new Alexis that gets to be free, that gets to say what she wants, that gets to be what she wants. And that’s interesting.”*** During the podcast episode, Tamra also reveals that she and [Heather Dubrow](https://allabouttrh.com/category/the-real-housewives-of-orange-county/heather-dubrow/) are ***"on great terms" ***following their drama during season 17 of RHOC. *The Real Housewives of Orange County *will return for season 18 in mid-to-late 2024. ## Thoughts on this all? Share your opinions below!