The Real Housewives of Orange County started a worldwide TV phenomenon when it launched in 2006, spawning series after series of car crash reality TV. Let's take a look at the many spin-offs that have been born from it...
Real life 'Desperate Housewives', that was how The Real Housewives of Orange County was described on its launch in 2006. The first of the Real Housewives franchise, the OC, is still going strong today.
Original cast: Vicki Gunvalson, Jeana Keough, Lauri Peterson, Jo De La Rosa, and Kimberly Bryant.
Current cast: Kelly Dodd, Shannon Beador, Vicki Gunvalson, Tamra Judge, Heather Dubrow and Meghan King Edmonds
RHOC has broadcast 10 successful series and season 11 is set to be no different. It’s lasted this long for good reason and arguably remains the most outrageous and entertaining of the ever-expanding franchise. One of its most memorable moments over the years was when Tamara chucked cease-and-desist papers followed by a glass of red wine in Jeana Keough’s face in season six.
In America, The Real Housewives of Orange County led to spin-off series in...
New York (2008)
Current Cast: Luann de Lesseps, Jules Wainstein, Bethenny Frankel, Carol Radziwill, Ramona Singer, Dorinda Medley and Sonja Morgan
Real Housewives of New York was the first spin-off and eight seasons later it’s showing no signs of stopping. Some of the highlights of the show include Ramona throwing a glass of wine at Kirsten’s face… literally the glass and who can forget Aviva Drescher throwing her artificial leg.
https://youtu.be/cHPXgsOOj4I
Atlanta (2008)
Current Cast: Kenya Moore, Cynthia Bailey, Kandi Burruss, Porsha Williams, Phaedra Parks Nida and Kim Fields
In 2008, the third instalment of the franchise was born, and The Real Housewives of Atlanta were just as rowdy as the previous two, between Porsha physically attacking Kenya at the reunion and Kim’s recording of the pop song Tardy for the Party.
New Jersey (2009)
Current cast: Dolores Catania, Siggy Flicker, Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga and Jacqueline Laurita
The Real Housewives of New Jersey was created in 2009 and has featured some shocking moments over the years. Teresa Giudice and her husband were sentenced to jail time for multiple fraud charges. While Danielle Staub (who has been engaged 19 times) was under the illusion that her co-stars where trying to kill her.
Washington DC (2010)
Current cast: Catherine Ommanney, Stacie Scott Turner, Mary Schmidt-Amons, Lynda Erkiletian and Michaele Salahi
The Washington DC version was a flop, starting and finishing in 2010 with only one season.
Beverley Hills (2010)
Current cast: Erika Jane, Eileen Davidson, Kyle Richards, Yolanda Hadid, Lisa Rinna, Lisa Vanderpump and Kathryn Edwards
The sixth instalment, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills began in 2010 and had much more success than the Washington DC version. Loose-lipped Brandi Glanville has been a part of some of the shows most memorable moments since joining in season three, an iconic quote from one of her fall-outs is: "At least I’m not doing crystal meth in the bathroom!"
Miami (2011)
Current cast: Joanna Krupa, Lisa Hochstein, Lea Black, Adrianna Moura and Alexia Echevarria
The Real Housewives of Miami was the second failure of the franchise, airing from February 2011 to November 2013.
Potomac (2016)
Current cast: Charisse Jackson Jordan, Robyn Dixon, Karen Huger, Gizelle Bryant, Katie Rost and Ashley Boalch Darby
The franchise got back on track this year with the introduction of The Real Housewives of Potomac, which first screened in January 2016 on Bravo. The eight episodes were a success, so it may well be back for more. Viewers were treated to a proposal in the season finale.
Dallas (2016)
Current cast: Cary Deuber, Brandi Redmond, Stephanie Hollman, Leanne Locken and Tiffany Hendri
The Real Housewives of Dallas premiered in April 2016 and they liked their wine. Party girls Brandi Redmond and Stephanie Hollman even gave it a nickname - Jesus Juice.
The Real Housewives franchise has now been picked up globally and has been adapted for Greece, Canada, Australia and even the UK.
The Real Housewives of Cheshire (2016)
Current cast: Stacey Forsey, Tanya Bardsley, Ampika Pickston, Dawn Ward, Missie Beqiri, Lauren Simon, Leanne Brown and Seema Malhotra
The Real Housewives of Cheshire will return to ITVBe for a fourth series in September.
The housewives have many qualities to admire, to laugh at and with, and although housewives come and go, life continues with births, marriages, deaths, fights, romances and tragically, suicide.
Some of the most dramatic storylines over the years include:
From Orange County: 2015, Housewife Vicki Gunvalson and boyfriend Brooks Ayers were involved in a cancer faking scandal.
Brooks and Vicki
From Beverley Hills: 2011, Housewife Camille Grammer was dumped by her husband, actor Kelsey Grammer, midway through the season.
Camille and Kelsey
In New York: 2014, upset Housewife Aviva Drescher threw her prosthetic leg at fellow housewives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCLnQB3qZwY
In New Jersey: 2011, Housewife Teresa had a heated argument at a Housewives dinner and flipped completely, upturning the dining table.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v346ckdrOyU
Love them or loathe them, it's ALWAYS entertaining to watch them.
