The Real Reason Why 'RHOC' OG Vicki Gunvalson Was Replaced For Season 14

Vicki Gunvalson's reign as the OG housewife on "The Real Housewives Of Orange County" has come to an end. A new lady will take her place for Season 14 of the show.

On Tuesday, Bravo released a trailer for the upcoming season and gave fans a heads up on news. The trailer shows main cast members Tamra Judge, Shannon Storms Beador, Kelly Dodd, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson and newcomer Braunwyn Windham-Burke in what appears to be an explosive upcoming season. Vicki, although not part of the main cast, still appears but in the downsized role of "friend."

Vicki has since taken to social media to address her new role on the show.

"For the past 14 years I’ve opened up my life, my loves, my ups and downs on 'The Real Housewives of Orange County,'" she captioned an Instagram post. "I am proud to be the 'OG of the OC.' I am back again this season right in the middle of the action in a different role. I hope you have as much fun watching the show as I did living it in front of the cameras."

For many fans, news of Vicki's reduced role comes as a bit of a shock. After all, she's been a main cast member on the hit reality series since its premiere in 2006. Despite being the "OG of the OC," the network apparently wanted to go in a (much younger) direction.

An insider revealed to Radar Online that "the network wants to skew younger." At 57-years-old, Vicki was the oldest housewife, but her age isn't that far off from some of her other castmates. Her "Tres Amigas" pals Tamra and Shannon, who are main cast members for Season 14, are 51 and 55, respectively. Kelly and Emily are both 43, while Gina is the youngest at 35.

Her age wasn't the only factor, though. What ultimately seems to have influenced the demotion was that Vicki's storyline just wasn't that entertaining. "She was never offered a full-time housewife position," a source said. Bravo is still willing to give the OG a chance to "prove herself" noting that "just an engagement" won't secure her spot.

Although Vicki's time with the franchise seems to be fading out, the insider confirmed that she will always be a part of the show. “She will continue to appear on the show as a friend for seasons to come because she’s a household name. No one sees the network making her a main cast member again. Unless the season completely tanks.”

Despite Vicki's demotion, executive producer Andy Cohen has gushed about the new season. "It has a lot of humor," he shared with Entertainment Tonight. "It has some really serious, personal kind of drama that are going on, in the personal lives of a lot of the women. And then there are some really funny moments, and great bonding and great strife."

"The Real Housewives Of Orange County" Season 14 premieres Aug. 6 on Bravo.