Alexis Bellino was set to make her The Real Housewives of Orange County return before she made things official with John Janssen, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly.
“Alexis had already been in talks to return to RHOC before she even started seeing John,” the source explains. “Her relationship with him had nothing to do with her returning to the show.”
The insider also notes that Bellino has been “fantastic” as she has appeared in front of the camera with her fellow costars. Last month, Bellino was spotted filming alongside Heather Dubrow and Emily Simpson.
“She’s constantly engaged with the other housewives,” the source teases. “And she’s providing and driving a lot of [the] story line on the show.”
Bellino made her RHOC debut in 2009 as a member of the main cast from seasons 5 to 8. She ultimately did not return for season 9 but did make a guest appearance during season 14.
The reality star recently made headlines due to her recent romance with Janssen, who previously dated RHOC star Shannon Beador from June 2019 to January 2023. (Beador joined the Bravo series in season 9 shortly after Bellino’s departure.)
Janssen and Bellino’s connection raised eyebrows in November 2023 after the pair were spotted at a group dinner. Bellino’s publicist, Spencer Lubitz, told Page Six that the pair were just “friends” at the time.
As rumors swirled that Bellino and Janssen were dating, Beador reacted to her ex moving on with another Real Housewife.
“I’ve been hurt a lot in the last couple of weeks because, No. 1, John said that he didn’t want to be in the public eye, and he’s thrust himself more into the public eye at this point,” Beador said to E! News in December 2023 “So, I’m quite confused about that. I don’t know how to process it. How many Orange County Housewives have there been? Is that your dating pool?”
Later that month, Bellino made things Instagram official with Janssen.
“Johnny J, let everyone talk,” she wrote via Instagram in December 2023 alongside a slideshow of the couple. “But you have shown me love that I’ve never known. I love you ❤️ #thisisourchristmascard.”
In a subsequent post, Bellino showed off a promise ring Janssen gave her for Christmas.
“Words cannot. Actions do. I will no longer feel guilty. I will not apologize,” she captioned a snap of the ring. “Love will create its own story. I love you Johnny J. 🎄♥️#lovewins #notengaged #promised #merrychristmas.”
