Tamra Judge posted an enigmatic message on Instagram, hinting at her departure from "The Real Housewives of Orange County." On the evening of Sunday, March 9th, the 57-year-old Judge shared via Instagram Story, "It's been a lengthy journey! When life presents you with genuine challenges, this reality nonsense just doesn't add up. Peace out… I'm bowing out." Us Weekly has reached out to Bravo for any official statement regarding her comments.
Judge has been a staple of the RHOC cast since its third season. Though she took a brief hiatus after season 14 in 2019, she returned as a full-fledged Housewife for season 17, which debuted in 2023. Over the weekend, social media was abuzz with photos and videos suggesting that the RHOC cast was filming a trip in New Orleans.
While Bravo has yet to announce the final cast lineup for the upcoming season, Judge was spotted in New Orleans alongside fellow cast members such as Shannon Beador, Heather Dubrow, Katie Ginella, Gina Kirschenheiter, Jennifer Pedranti, and Emily Simpson. Gretchen Rossi is also confirmed to rejoin RHOC as a "friend" of the group, having departed after season 8 in 2013.
Meanwhile, Judge has been offering her unwavering support to her friend and "Two Ts in a Pod" podcast co-host, Teddi Mellencamp, who has been grappling with recent health concerns. Mellencamp revealed on February 12th that she was scheduled to undergo surgery to remove brain tumors. In a tearful address on the February 12th episode of "Two Ts in a Pod," Judge, 57, shared, "Before we dive in, some of you may have seen Teddi's Instagram Stories. For those who haven't, Teddi will be taking a short break to focus on her health issues." She continued, "I'll let Teddi share her story when she returns, but you all know how passionate she is about this podcast and how much she wants us to keep recording while she concentrates on her health."
Following her successful surgery to remove the initial tumors, Mellencamp, 43, disclosed on Thursday, March 6th, that doctors had discovered five more tumors—three in her brain and two in her lungs. "Update from my scans today: I have three more tumors in my brain and two tumors on my lungs, all resulting from my melanoma," she wrote. Mellencamp added that she intended to have these tumors removed and expressed optimism about the outcome.
