Founding 'RHOC' Star Vicki Gunvalson Reveals She Can't Be 'Inauthentic' As She Apologizes For Behavior On 'RHUGT'

The success of The Real Housewives franchise owes it all to Vicki Gunvalson, one of the founding members of The Real Housewives of Orange County, the show that started it all back in 2006.

During the opening day of BravoCon on Friday, October 14, she spoke exclusively to OK! about feeling the love over building one of the most successful reality series in history, regretting her behavior during Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Ex-Wives Club and staying authentic when cameras are rolling.

"It's incredible," Gunvalson says of the show's success and the star-studded convention. "The amount of people that are here, I think 36,000 people are coming. It's amazing, I really do feel the love [from the fans]."

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The OG of the OC, who departed the show after 14 seasons in 2020, made her return in the second season of the beloved Peacock spinoff. However, her glum demeanor — which was due to a sudden split from ex-fiancé Steve Lodge right before filming — caused tension with some of the other women.

"I wasn't in a good place in my life," Gunvalson reveals of the trip. "I was embarrassed. But that was my reality. I'll take the blame. I was sick and I had just split with the love of my life."

"I'm not gonna fake it and pretend everything is fine because it wasn't," the Coto insurance agent dishes. "I can't be inauthentic. I just don't know any other way. I can't lie and act like I'm happy when I'm not."

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On Sunday, October 16, Gunvalson made an interesting remark during Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Ex-Wives Club panel, alleging she has "proof" that her ex has been unfaithful to his new wife, Janis Carlson, whom he wed in April of this year.

“He’s out cheating on his wife, I’m sure,” the blonde beauty said of Lodge. “And I have proof he is. A cheater’s a cheater.”

Gunvalson, who has since moved on with a new man, did not go into further detail about what she knew about her former partner, whom she was engaged to for nearly two years before calling it quits.