The season 18 premiere of Real Housewives of Orange County will air on Bravo on

Season 18 Premiere The Real Housewives of Orange County The show will air on Bravo on Thursday, July 11. Season 17 housewives Heather Dubrow, Shannon Beador, Gina Kirschenheiter and Emily Simpson will return for the upcoming season along with a familiar face. Alexis Bellino returns as “Girlfriend.” The drama is sure to be on another level since Alexis is dating Shannon’s ex-boyfriend John Jansen.

Alexis’ return got me thinking about other RHOC stars I’d like to see return.

Here are 5 former housewives who should return to RHOC…

Joe De La Rosa – RHOC Season 1

Jo De La Rosa was one of five women who helped launch the franchise in 2006. When we first met Jo, she was a fiercely independent young woman struggling to fit into the “housewife” persona. She was engaged to Slade Smiley and living the coto de casa dream. However, she decided that the home life wasn’t for her after the second season. Consequently, she left the show and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a music career. Her debut album, Unscripted, was released in 2008.

Since her departure, Jo has made a few appearances on RHOC but has never returned as a friend or full-time housewife. Tamra Judge announced on Instagram that Jo would be appearing on the upcoming season. She shared a photo of herself with the brunette beauty on April 19 along with the caption, “And that’s the wrap. #RHOC.” Tamra’s post has many fans excited about the possibility of Jo returning to the show. “I think she would be a great addition to the current cast. She’s clearly still friends with some of the women and her lifestyle today fits the show better than it did in 2006.”

Gretchen Rossi – RHOC Season 4

Fans first met Gretchen Rossi in season four when she was married to a man 24 years her senior. After her fiancé died, she began dating Slade, causing a lot of tension with the other women. There was no rapprochement between the real estate mogul turned talent manager.

Gretchen has always been a source of drama and the show hasn’t been the same since she handed over her apple after season 8. I would also love to see her come back and stir up controversy. Can you imagine if they brought back Gretchen and Jo? I would love to see Slade and Jo talk. A girl can dream!

Peggy Tanos – RHOC Season 6

Peggy Tanos basically only lasted one season on RHOC, which is unfortunate. I always liked Peggy and felt like she didn’t have enough time to flourish on the show. She has all the makings of a great Orange County housewife. She’s blonde, she’s rich, and she’s a bit of a loner. Peggy told Wetpaint in 2012 that she had decided to leave the show, so who knows if she’ll ever want to return. However, she gave a glowing review of the experience in an interview.

“It gave me a huge platform, opened doors for me in a lot of areas, and was a lot of fun, a great learning experience,” she told the newspaper.

I would be interested in meeting Peggy in a future season and seeing what she’s up to now.

Vicki Gunvalson – RHOC Season 1

I mean, of course! Vicki Gunvalson is the original series’ star. And while she’s still a part of the show in a lesser way, I do miss having her as a full-time housewife. According to Deadline, she’ll be making guest appearances throughout season 18, so we won’t be depriving ourselves of Vicki entirely.

Gina Keough – RHOC Season 1

I would be remiss if I didn’t include legendary actress Gina Keough on this list. Gina helped start the show in 2006 and is referred to by many as Bravo’s first Housewife. Although Vicki also tried to claim that title, so it could be up for debate. Gina has made guest appearances throughout the years but hasn’t been a main cast member since season 5. I miss her on the show and would love to have her back.

Tell us – which Real Housewives of Orange County cast members would you like to see return?