‘Real Housewives’ Star Says Show Destroyed Her Marriage and Fractured Her Family

Vicki Gunvalson, who launched “The Real Housewives of Orange County” two decades ago as a founding cast member, has opened up about the toll the Bravo series took on her personal life. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 64-year-old reality television personality revealed that her marriage fell apart largely due to her involvement with the show, a decision she now deeply regrets.

When then-husband Donn Gunvalson was first approached about the pilot episode, he explicitly warned Gunvalson that television exposure would lead to divorce. She dismissed his concerns at the time, but their relationship ultimately ended, validating his prediction. Gunvalson acknowledged that prioritizing the show over her family was a critical mistake that permanently altered her household.

The consequences extended beyond her marriage. Daughter Briana Culberson, 39, has refused all involvement with the franchise after the network’s portrayal of her military husband during his time on the show. Ryan Culberson, who completed six tours with the Marine Corps, was depicted in ways that troubled the family, particularly given his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Briana explicitly declined a request to appear on season 20, allegedly telling Bravo host Andy Cohen to “please lose my number.” She has made clear her unwillingness to subject her family to further television scrutiny. The couple, married for 15 years, has four children together and resides in Oklahoma.

Gunvalson’s son Michael, 40, recently appeared on an “RHOC” episode where he disclosed that he and his sister have not seen each other in eight years and that he has not met two of her children. Gunvalson acknowledged the emotional toll of geographic distance, noting that while her children maintain contact through video calls, the physical separation prevents the family gatherings she had envisioned.