‘Real Housewives Of Orange County’ Season 12 Casting: Why Heather Dubrow Is Leaving The Show After Five Years

A staple member of the “Real Housewives of Orange County” cast will be leaving the show after five years on the cast. Heather Dubrow announced on Thursday that she had decided, after much consideration, to quit.

Although she said she “will miss the girls,” the mother of four told “Heather Dubrow’s World” listeners she felt the time to walk away from the Bravo series was now. She explained that much of her decision stemmed from the fact that her kids are older. Heather suggested that as teens, they should have the right to say whether they want to broadcast their lives for all the world to see or not. Additionally, the longtime “RHOC” cast member and actress revealed that she’s come into some new opportunities and was weighing her options.

“First of all, my kids,” Heather said during an episode of her podcast. “My oldest kids are now teenagers, and I just felt like they need to make their own decision about being on television and exposing their lives, and for me personally, I have some really cool, interesting opportunities that I want to explore. I don’t know where they’re going to go, but I want the opportunity to explore them.”

Heather released an official statement to Entertainment Tonight about her exit from the show on Thursday as well. In it, she called her time on the reality series “an incredible journey.” She went on to say that she was “proud” to have been a part of the cast for so long, and “the door is always open” for her to return.

“After a lot of careful thought and deliberation, I have decided not to return to ‘RHOC’ this season,” she said. “These past five years have been an incredible journey and I’m so proud to have been a part of such an iconic piece of pop culture...However, at this point in my life, I have decided to go in another direction and do what’s best for my family and career.”

Heather’s exit comes after a difficult season for her and he co-stars. After Kelly Dodd’s introduction to the cast, Heather found herself in the controversial reality star’s crosshairs. “Miss Fancy Pants,” as she’s known to some, was less than pleased to be involved in Kelly’s antics. She called her behavior “low based,” and regularly denounced the drama. It’s not clear if Kelly’s appearance on the show was a factor in Heather leaving, though it seems plausible.

Heather isn’t the only one reportedly leaving “RHOC.” Meghan King Edmonds, who introduced Kelly to the cast in Season 11, is thought to be focusing her energy on being a new mom rather than reality show drama. No official announcement has been made, but sources told Us Weekly on Thursday that Meghan had made up her mind.

“RHOC” Season 12 has not received a release date. The rest of the cast is thought to be returning. It’s not clear who will replace Heather and Meghan on the show as no official casting decisions have been made.