In April 2005, The Real Housewives was ordered by American television network Bravo. It was renamed as The Real Housewives of Orange County in January 2006. Producer Scott Dunlop, said that it was originally planned to be set in a single gated community in Coto de Caza, California. The show was inspired by scripted soap operas Desperate Housewives and Peyton Place, and would document the lives of upper-class women who "lead glamorous lives in a Southern California gated community where the average home has a $1.6 million price tag and residents include CEOs and retired professional athletes."
The first season premiered on March 21, 2006, and starred Kimberly Bryant, Jo De La Rosa, Vicki Gunvalson, Jeana Keough and Lauri Waring. Bryant left after the first season. Tammy Knickerbocker joined the cast for the second season which premiered on January 16, 2007. Bryant appeared as a guest. After the second season, De La Rosa exited the series as a regular cast member. The third season premiered on November 6, 2007 which featured Tamra Judge (then Barney) as the latest housewife. While Quinn Fry joined the cast in the sixth episode. Bryant and De La Rosa returned as guests. Knickerbocker and Fry left the main cast after the third season.
Date My Ex: Jo & Slade became the first spin-off from The Real Housewives of Orange County; the dating game show documented De La Rosa as she began dating after moving to Los Angeles, where potential suitors were regularly surveyed by Smiley. It premiered on June 30, 2008 and ended on September 8, 2008 after broadcasting nine episodes during its first and only season.
The sixth season which premiered on March 6, 2011 introduced Peggy Tanous as the newest housewife and friend of the housewives Fernanda Rocha. Keough returned in a friend of the housewives status, while Curtin, Fry and Knickerbocker appeared as guests. Heather Dubrow joined the cast in the seventh season which premiered on February 7, 2012. Keough and Tanous appeared as a guest, while Sarah Winchester was featured as a friend of the housewives. On April 1, 2013, the eighth season premiered and the cast was joined by Lydia McLaughlin. Peterson also appeared as a friend of the housewives in the eighth season. Bellino, McLaughlin, Rossi and Peterson departed after the season.
After becoming engaged to Judge in February 2013, Barney was commissioned to star in the three-part spin-off special Tamra's OC Wedding. It highlighted the preparations for their nuptials and was broadcast from September 2, 2013 until September 16, 2013.
The ninth season premiered on April 14, 2014 and introduced Shannon Beador and Lizzie Rovsek as the new housewives. While Danielle Gregorio joined as friend of the housewives. The tenth season which premiered on June 8, 2015, saw Rovsek as a friend of the housewives, and Meghan King Edmonds joining the cast. Curtin, Keough and Knickerbocker made guest appearances in the season.
The eleventh season premiered on June 20, 2016. It featured Kelly Dodd joining the cast and Keough making a guest appearance. The season served as Dubrow's final season. McLaughlin returned for the show's twelfth season which premiered on July 10, 2017. Peggy Sulahian joined as the latest housewife. While Keough, Rossi and Rovsek made guest appearances. After the season concluded, King Edmonds, McLaughlin and Sulahian left the show.
In April 2018, the show was renewed for a thirteenth season.
