Lydia McLaughlin has spoken out on some of the things that went on behind the scenes during her time on The Real Housewives of Orange County.
‘Real Housewives of Orange County’: Lydia McLaughlin Opens Up On What Happens Behind The Scenes
The star had a turbulent time on the show, signified by the brevity of her appearances. She had initially joined on season 8, only to walk away on the following season. Although she would later return for another crack at the whip, Lydia could not deal with the drama of being associated with the franchise. In an interview on Us Weekly, Lydia stated how much control is exerted over the housewives.
She said: “They [producers] didn’t even show the drama…The producers said, ‘You still need to [act] like [a] Housewife and you can’t show so much of [people’s drama] that they can never recover.” With that in mind, she hit out at the two-faced nature of the show. While Lydia did not mention any specific people by name, it is easy to understand who she may have been talking about.
During her time on the series, Lydia had infamously gotten into a heated exchange with Shannon Beador. It emerged after Shannon believed Lydia was supporting Vicki Gunvalson’s assertions that David Beador had beaten her up. But whether this was just for the cameras is not known to the fans. Lydia added: “There was a lot that wasn’t shown that season, even in the reunion, which I think does the show a disservice.
“You want to show the reality of everyone, so show it.” Several high-profile stars have left the show since then. Vicki and Tamra Judge decided to walk away after becoming disillusioned by the toxic environment they had gotten themselves into. Although fans have called for the pair to return, Lydia does not see it happening.
And the same can be said for herself too. She continued: “I decided to walk away because of my relationships with the cast members. I felt like if I did another season, I would have been the target.” Lydia is in a much better now. With the franchise facing questions over its future, it has to prioritise authenticity over drama.
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