Bravo has resumed filming season 18 of The Real Housewives of Orange County after news broke that Jennifer Pedranti’s fiancé, Ryan Boyajian, is reportedly connected to the Shohei Ohtani MLB gambling scandal.
Sources close to production exclusively confirmed to Us Weekly on Monday, May 13, that cameras have picked up in light of the recent news.
Fans first speculated that Bravo was capturing the drama after Tamra Judge shared a video with her costars Heather Dubrow, Emily Simpson and Alexis Bellino filming a scene over Mother’s Day weekend.
“It’s never really over…” Judge, 56, shared via X on Saturday, May 11, with a camera crew visible in the background.
Last month, Real Housewives of Orange County wrapped filming on season 18 after holding a finale party with special guest Jo De La Rosa. “And that’s a wrap on Season 18! #RHOC,” Judge wrote via Instagram on April 19. “Jo’s back in the mix.”
Dubrow, however, seemingly hinted that the upcoming season wasn’t officially over when she attended the 2024 Race to Erase MS Gala on Friday, May 10.
It’s never really over… pic.twitter.com/451vX4o7m1
— Tamra Judge (@TamraJudgeOC) May 11, 2024
“Well, I’ll tell you. I thought the season was over, but apparently it’s not,” the Sequestered actress, 55, exclusively told Us Weekly when asked to share a tease for season 18. “That’s all I can say about that.”
Earlier this month, Boyajian, 46, was reportedly named in the gambling and theft scheme involving the former interpreter for Ohtani. ESPN reported on May 8 that the Los Angeles Dodgers’ interpreter Ippei Mizuhara wired money to Boyajian to pay his gambling debts. That same day, the U.S. Attorney’s office said Mizuhara, 39, agreed to enter a guilty plea to two federal charges related to the theft of nearly $17 million from Ohtani’s bank account.
Boyajian’s criminal attorney, Steven Katzman, told ESPN that the reality star is currently working with federal authorities. The outlet also claimed via sources that Boyajian would receive immunity in return for his testimony.
“Because there is an active investigation and Ryan is working with the authorities, he can’t confirm or deny what is going on,” Katzman stated. “He is not a bookmaker or a sub-bookie.”
Legal drama aside, this season of RHOC is expected to document Pedranti, 46, and Boyajian’s ongoing love story. The pair took a big step in their relationship by getting engaged last month while on vacation in the Bahamas.
“We’re both super stoked and couldn’t be happier,” Pedranti told People after saying yes to Boyajian’s proposal. “We always say that our love is a gift, and this just feels like the icing on the cake. This is a magical time for us. I really am the luckiest girl in the world.”
During season 17, when they first joined the show, Pedranti and Boyajian faced some criticism from their costars, including Simpson, who previously told Us Weekly “there’s a lot of flags going on” in the relationship. There were also rumors about infidelity (and sending of NSFW pics via Snapchat), which both parties denied.
Real Housewives of Orange County is currently streaming on Peacock. A premiere date for season 18 has yet to be announced.
