‘RHOC’ Star Tamra Judge Opens Up on How She Forgave Alexis Bellino

‘RHOC’ Star Tamra Judge Opens Up on How She Forgave Alexis Bellino

Alexis Bellino’s return to The Real Housewives of Orange County has sparked some controversy, with many viewers feeling that her strong support for her boyfriend, John Janssen, has been off-putting.

The tension is heightened by the fact that John previously dated Shannon Beador, leading to friction between Alexis and Shannon. However, Alexis has found an ally in Tamra Judge.

Tamra recently reflected on her evolving relationship with Alexis, sharing her surprise at how far they’ve come. “If you told me years ago that Alexis Bellino and I would be friends one day, I would have told you you were absolutely f*cking nuts. But here we are!” Tamra told People.

Their reconciliation was partly facilitated by Bravo icon Andy Cohen. “The night of the Bravos, they had a big party for us afterwards back at the hotel. And at that point, I think they might have been talking to Alexis about coming back,” Tamra explained.

“I’m not completely sure—but I hadn’t seen her in years and suddenly there we were, with Andy literally standing over us as we talked!”

Although Alexis left RHOC after Season 8, lingering bitterness remained between the two women. In 2018, Alexis’s then-husband, Jim Bellino, sued Tamra for defamation, seeking $1 million in damages. The lawsuit was settled in 2021, but Tamra had held Alexis partially responsible.

“I really blamed Alexis for that just as much as I did Jim, but she stood there that day and she apologized to me and said, ‘I told Jim that was a bad idea. I don’t think he should have sued you,’” Tamra recounted.

Tamra’s perspective shifted as she learned about the challenges Alexis was facing, including a breakup with her fiancé and the recent passing of her mother.

“So I just felt a lot of compassion for her and told her right then and there that I forgave her, and I was sorry too, and that it was all in the past,” Tamra said. “We’ve moved past it. I apologized, she apologized—it was just time to start anew.”

Despite some speculation from fans that Tamra’s reconciliation with Alexis was motivated by a desire to spite Shannon, Tamra insists that wasn’t the case. “People have been like, ‘You’re just trying to get back at Shannon,’ and that really had nothing to do with it at all,” Tamra clarified.

She also mentioned that Alexis was initially hesitant about returning to the show. “She told me, ‘I don’t want to kick Shannon when she’s down.’ But I knew she was a single mom, and I really just encouraged her to do what she thought would be right for her for her own independence,” Tamra added.

Tamra expressed her enjoyment of having Alexis back on RHOC and shared her hope that Alexis will continue with the show next season.

The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Thursdays at 9/8c on Bravo.

 

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