Gretchen Rossi is back on Bravo. The former orange holder is returning to Real Housewives of Orange County as a “friend of” for Season 19, taking Alexis Bellino’s place. Gretchen made her RHOC debut in 2008 when she was cast as a full-time housewife on Season 4. Fans were first introduced to her as the blonde bombshell with a fiancé 24 years her senior. She left the show after Season 8, following a difficult season. Now, she’s ready to give it another go. In honor of Gretchen’s return to RHOC, let’s take a look back at some of her most controversial moments on the show.
Gretchen Rossi’s RHOC feud with Tamra Judge, which continues in the new RHOC trailer
Gretchen and Tamra Judge have a long, complicated history. The two did not hit it off when Gretchen joined the cast in Season 4. Tamra disapproved of Gretchen’s relationship and made it known she thought the newbie was fake. Tamra even conducted an elaborate scheme to embarrass Gretchen at a dinner party with the help of her old confidant Vicki Gunvalson. But as time passed, the two grew closer and developed a friendship. Unfortunately, their on-and-off again friendship came to an end in Season 8 when the two cut ties for good. Gretchen made the cut deeper by talking about Tamra in the press.
It’s been twelve years since Season 8 aired but the feud persists. In the Season 19 trailer, Tamra yells at Gretchen, saying, “Twelve years you’ve been coming after me.”
Gretchen Rossi’s engagement to a man 23 years older than her
Gretchen’s introduction to Bravo was riddled with controversy. Her first storyline followed her engagement to a wealthy man 24 years older than her whose children did not approve of their relationship. Fans were suspicious of Gretchen’s intentions, accusing her of marrying him to inherit his wealth. It didn’t take long for infidelity allegations to surface, but Gretchen has always maintained the rumors are untrue. She even pursued legal action to clear her name. In 2010, she filed a lawsuit against her former acquaintance Jay Photoglou, claiming he lied about her being unfaithful to her fiancé, People reported. A jury sided with Gretchen, rewarding her with $523,250.
Gretchen Rossi’s controversial relationship with Slade Smiley
After losing Jeff to cancer, Gretchen moved on with Slade Smiley, who was previously engaged to her friend Jo De La Rosa. Gretchen’s relationship with Slade was a frequent topic of conversation on RHOC. Tamra and Vicki disliked Slade and took every opportunity to dig up dirt on the couple. The biggest controversy surrounding the couple was Slade’s unpaid child support. According to court documents obtained by People, Slade owed $152,655.27 as of February 2023.
Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley’s comedy show
Gretchen’s attempts to make nice with the women of RHOC were often derailed by Slade’s “jokes” about the women. In Season 7, Gretchen allowed Slade to perform a standup act at her variety show and it didn’t go so well. Slade used his stage time to trash Gretchen’s co-stars, further alienating her from the group. Gretchen made the situation worse by defending Slade in her blog, writing, “My loyalty is and will always be with Slade … I will always have his back, and I will always fight for him when necessary.” Yikes.
Gretchen Rossi’s falling out with RHOC alum Alexis Bellino
Gretchen and Alexis were once close friends, often teaming up against Vicki and Tamra in arguments, but their relationship changed in Season 7. The two began to drift apart once Gretchen got closer to Tamra. A series of petty arguments put the nail in the friendship coffin, and they were not able to repair the damage in Season 8. They even got in a public twitter argument while Season 8 was airing.
“She was my friend for 2 1/2 years & NEVER told me [she had an issue] til it was the cool thing to do,” Alexis wrote in a July 2013 tweet, Us Weekly reported.
“So not true,” Gretchen replied. “I tried to tell u in many different ways but u never listened, so I had to be a little more direct.” Later, she added: “I was ready to move on! But you couldn’t even recognize your wrongdoings as well or say you’re sorry. You weren’t all innocent in all this, A.”
Real Housewives of Orange County is available to stream on Peacock and Hayu in the UK and Ireland.
TELL US – ARE YOU EXCITED GRETCHEN ROSSI IS BACK ON REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY? WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE SEASON 19 TRAILER?
