“Took two days to recover” - The Real Housewives of Orange County newbie Katie Ginella recalls filming the reunion

The Real Housewives of Orange County season 18 cast members Gina Kirschenheiter, Heather Dubrow, Emily Simpson, Tamra Judge, Shannon Beador, Jennifer Pedranti, and Alexis Bellino, alongside Katie Ginella, have already filmed the reunion episode, as per Bravo TV's official Instagram account.

The seating chart for the upcoming reunion has also been released, and cast members have teased what fans can expect to happen during the episode. Katie Ginella, who joined the cast as a newbie, recently shared that after filming the reunion episode, she had to take a break for two days.

During a SiriusXM October 11, 2024 episode, Katie shared she took some time away after filming the reunion, she told the interviewer:

"I had to take two days to recover by the way. I feel like I'm coming out of a coma, I laid in bed for two days."

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Katie Ginella reflects on filming The Real Housewives of Orange County reunion episode

Katie shared that it was difficult for her to process her emotions after the filming of the reunion episode wrapped up. For The Real Housewives of Orange County cast members, the most surprising part was how some of the cast members changed their statements from what they said off camera.

Katie called the confrontation session among her friend group "brutal," in a conversation with US Weekly on October 11, 2024. She said:

“No battle wounds, but I laid in bed for two days recovering. Nobody could have told me how brutal it would be. It is brutal. It was, like, the Super Bowl of the season. It was good, but it was really hard. What I’d say surprised me is that some people say things to you off camera, and then they’re different on camera."

As this was the first time Katie was introduced to the viewers and to Gina's friend group, she didn't expect that the reunion would be this tense. Katie stated she was unsure of returning as a permanent cast member on The Real Housewives of Orange County season 19 after filming this "tough" reunion. She continued:

“We’ll see; to be determined. [The reunion] was tough, and also I need to talk to my family because they’re just as involved with this as I am. I need to just have a family meeting.”

However reflecting on her time on the show, Katie expressed gratitude and appreciation for the audience who liked her. She was also glad to become Jennifer Pedranti's friend and become the "first Korean American" on the Bravo TV The Real Housewives franchise. Katie shared:

“The best part has been Jennifer Pedranti! We even said yesterday, when we were together, that if we don’t do another season, we’re still gonna be best friends. That’s been kind of the best and also being able to be the first Asian American on Orange County, the first Korean American on Bravo Housewives.”

The Real Housewives of Orange County show host Andy Cohen also teased that the reunion episode was "surprising," hinting at a potential argument as well.

Stream The Real Housewives of Orange County exclusively on Bravo TV every week on Thursdays at 9 pm ET and the next day on Peacock TV.

Fans can follow Katie's official Instagram account to stay updated with what she's up to.