Return of the Tres Amigas? Shannon Beador opened up about the current state of her relationships with Tamra Judge and Vicki Gunvalson — and didn’t shut down the possibility of mending fences.
“There have been certain relationships with castmates where I have said, ‘I’m done, never again,’” Shannon, 56, told Us Weekly exclusively on Monday, October 12, ahead of the season 15 premiere of The Real Housewives of Orange County. “And you know, I’m friends with them, so … never say never. Who knows.”
Shannon, Tamra, 53, and Vicki, 58, were nearly inseparable on the Bravo reality series and dubbed themselves the Tres Amigas. During the 14th season, which aired from August to December 2019, Vicki and Tamra feuded with Kelly Dodd, who has since formed a close bond with Beador. In March, Shannon posted a photo of herself with Kelly, 45, on Instagram — and received a harsh reaction from her former BFFs, who unfollowed her on the social media platform soon after.
“There are certain situations on the show that you might not continue on with a friendship, but we have an ensemble cast and there are times where we all have to get together,” Shannon told Us on Monday of her reunion with Kelly. “So if there’s a way to try and make things where you can at least be cordial with someone, I would prefer that. I don’t like to fight with people. There’s just no need for all the negativity.”
Earlier this year, Tamra opened up about her decision to unfollow her former pal, telling Us that she “just didn’t want to see” Shannon and Kelly’s budding friendship on her timeline. Despite the shade that’s been thrown her way, Shannon is ready to take the “high road.”
“There have been a lot of untruths said about me,” she said on Monday. “It almost got to kind of a humorous level and I choose not to argue with anyone on social media or in the press, especially somebody that I considered to be my best friend. … I know what the truth is. I know what type of friend I am and she does too.”
Bravo confirmed in January that neither Tamra nor Vicki, an original cast member, would return for the upcoming 15th season. Four months later, Tamra hinted that her exit from the RHOC cast after 12 seasons had a role in the demise of her friendship with Shannon. “Vicki and I announced we were not coming back and she stopped communicating with us. End of story,” Tamra said in an Instagram Live. “There’s nothing more to be told. There was no falling out.”
While there might not have been a blowout fight between them, Shannon still viewed the end of her friendships with her former costars as a “devastating” loss.
“This has been going on for months,” she said of Tamra’s claims. “I have compassion for what both she and Vicki are going through and I wish them the best. I mean, to be a part of something for 12 and 14 years and then not to be involved in it anymore … that has to be difficult. I do have compassion. I did have compassion. … I have no idea what they’ve been thinking. I just know that I was there for them.”
Real Housewives of Orange County premieres on Bravo Wednesday, October 14, at 9 p.m. ET.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
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