"I wonder if she would do it" – The Real Housewives of Orange County host Andy Cohen addresses the real reason Gretchen Rossi appears in Season 19 despite podcast speculation

The return of Gretchen Rossi to The Real Housewives of Orange County for Season 19 prompted speculation about the reasons behind her comeback.

During an unseen segment of the Season 19 reunion on Peacock, host Andy Cohen addressed the topic directly. He said,

"We were all like, 'Wow, it's great to see Gretchen again. It would be fun if she [were] back on the show. I wonder if she would do it.' That's how it happened. It had nothing to do with Scheana."

Cohen explained that outside factors did not influence Gretchen’s appearance but rather stemmed from the production team’s interest following her participation in The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.

Andy Cohen explains why Gretchen Rossi returned to The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 19

Rumors involving Scheana Shay and podcast speculation

Prior to Cohen’s clarification, rumors had circulated that Scheana Shay had been involved in orchestrating Gretchen’s return.

Andy Cohen addressed these claims during the reunion, noting,

"Well, can I just point out that the reason Gretchen is on the show is that she was on [The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip]?"

The reunion discussion confirmed that the actual reason for Gretchen’s return was related to her prior work on Ultimate Girls Trip rather than Scheana’s involvement.

Connections between Gretchen Rossi, Katie Ginella, and Scheana Shay

The reunion also explored interactions involving Katie, Tamra Judge, Gretchen and Scheana Shay.

During the discussion, questions arose about off-camera claims allegedly made by Gretchen regarding Tamra from approximately 15 years earlier.

Katie stated that Gretchen had made an allegation during a dinner with Matt Ginella, Slade Smiley, Jennifer Pedranti and Ryan Boyajian, months before Season 19 began filming. Gretchen denied commenting.

Cohen highlighted the discrepancy, explaining that the team received viewer questions about Gretchen’s statements.

"Why didn't she go straight to Scheana, who's good friends with Gretchen?" 

Gretchen Rossi addresses past miscommunication

Gretchen Rossi addressed concerns about conflicting accounts of her previous statements on the show. Cohen noted that viewers questioned her claim to have misspoken regarding Katie’s version of events.

Gretchen responded that she takes full responsibility for that miscommunication, explaining that sometimes when people are reliving a traumatic experience or receiving a lot of new information, they may say words they do not intend to say, which is why she misspoke.

Defending her decision to return to RHOC, she further stated,

"I would have never come back on a show with somebody that I actually thought did that."

Tamra and Katie were both on the same page with her acknowledgment, while, on the other hand, Jenn was supporting Gretchen’s account by claiming that the talk had taken place differently from Katie and Matt’s memory.

Andy Cohen explained Gretchen Rossi's inclusion in the cast for Season 19 of RHOC as a decision made by the production team after her participation in The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.

The reunion part addressed previous speculations, podcast discussions, and misunderstandings among the cast, providing context directly from the actors and the host’s remarks.

The two, Cohen and Gretchen, stated that Gianaray Shay's outside influence did not affect her return, and thus, speculation regarding her return was put to rest.

Stay tuned for more updates.