BRAVO'S "THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY" SHOWCASES LIFE BEFORE AND DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN THE NEW SEASON PREMIERES WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 AT 9 PM ET/PT

New Housewife Elizabeth Lyn Vargas Joins Returning Ladies Shannon Storms Beador, Kelly Dodd, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson and Braunwyn Windham-Burke

· "The Real Housewives of Orange County" premieres on Wednesday, October 7 at 9pm ET/PT on Bravo.

· Returning for season 15 are housewives: Shannon Storms Beador, Kelly Dodd, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson and Braunwyn Windham-Burke.

· The ladies are joined by new housewife Elizabeth Lyn Vargas, a soon to be divorcee who is ready to kick off the next chapter of her life with a little fun in the OC.

· 2020 starts off on a real high for the ladies with new homes, boyfriends, a fiancé and a new a hip. Past secrets emerge and newfound happiness is questioned as the ladies press to find out if everything is what it seems. The impact of coronavirus definitely takes its toll on the women and their relationships at home and with each other as they each try to adjust to their new reality.

· The season documents their lives from February to August 2020 with self-shot footage during quarantine.

· For a sneak peek at the new season, click here: https://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-orange-county/season-15/videos/your-first-look-at-the-real-housewives-of

Coming up this season:

· Shannon starts the year off in complete bliss with her boyfriend John and a new place to call home for her and her three daughters in Newport. As the sole member left in the Tres Amigas, Shannon makes peace with Kelly, but quickly gets herself into hot water with a few of the ladies. When the news of coronavirus hits, it brings her anxiety to all-time high and causes tension between her and John when a division arises over house rules with the kids during lockdown. Shannon's worst fears eventually come to fruition when she learns that along with her three daughters, she too has contracted COVID-19. She documents their journey to recovery on her cell phone.

· Starting the year off on a high following her engagement to Fox News Reporter Rick Leventhal, Kelly is eager to settle into their new home in Newport as she waits for him to officially get transferred to the LA bureau. During stay-at-home orders, Kelly makes waves among the ladies when she jet-sets around the country visiting New York City, the Hamptons and Miami. As the election looms, Kelly's political beliefs and tone-deaf jokes threaten her relationships with the women.

· After a difficult year, Gina is happier than ever as she moves into her new townhome with her boyfriend Travis and their combined six children. Tensions with the ladies arise when she hears that some of the women are criticizing her new home. Trying her best to co-parent, Gina celebrates her daughter's birthday and invites her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. Meanwhile, she is faced to make a tough decision regarding her ex-husband that could change the dynamic of her family. With the coronavirus shutting down schools, Gina faces new challenges as she struggles to home-school the kids while facing criticism for not joining the ladies for a "quarantine happy hour."

· With a new hip and outlook on life, Emily experiences a rebirth in her marriage with Shane. She even lets "fun Emily" out and finds an unexpected ally in the group. When she is presented with an opportunity to design a bathing suit, she dives headfirst to pursue her true passion. While in quarantine, Emily and Shane really lean on each other when times get tough, ultimately testing the true strength of their marriage.

· 2020 is a year of renewal for Braunwyn as she moves into a new 8000 square foot home in Newport, celebrates 20 years of marriage to her husband Sean and embarks on a new journey of her own. During the lockdown, Braunwyn settles into parenting seven children without the help of her nannies and housekeepers. From supporting her son Jacob's desire to dress in drag to addressing the children's anxieties, Braunwyn has her hands full as she strives to give each child individual attention. As she opens up to the women about her past, she finds a common bond with new housewife Elizabeth, yet struggles to see eye to eye with some of the other ladies over her participation in local protests and her political views. And when the ladies learn that Braunwyn's friend Shari has moved in, they begin to question her choices.

· Elizabeth is welcomed to the group through Kelly who she has known for a few years from the Newport party circuit. Born and raised in Missouri, Elizabeth always dreamed of living a life of luxury on the beaches of Orange County and with the help of her soon to be ex-husband, her dream has become a reality. Currently a CEO of an online music company, Elizabeth is ambitious, outspoken and ready to have fun. As she deals with her ongoing divorce, her lifestyle as well as her complex and sexless relationship with boyfriend Jimmy creates a lot of speculation from the women and they start to scrutinize who she is really is.

Catch up on previous seasons of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" on Peacock Premium beginning Sunday, September 20.

"The Real Housewives of Orange County" is produced by Evolution Media for Bravo, with Douglas Ross, Alex Baskin, Thomas Kelly, Brian McCarthy and Megan Sanchez-Warner, along with Scott Dunlop, serving as Executive Producers. Andy Cohen also serves as Executive Producer.

About Bravo:

Bravo is the premier lifestyle and entertainment brand that drives cultural conversation around its high-quality, interactive original content across all platforms. The network has a diverse slate of original programming that includes unscripted favorites such as Emmy Award-winning "Top Chef" and "Project Runway," "Vanderpump Rules," "Below Deck," "Southern Charm," and the popular "Million Dollar Listing" and "The Real Housewives" franchises. Bravo also boasts the only live late-night talk show on television with the critically acclaimed "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," which has become a nightly destination for A-list celebrities. Available in 87 million homes, Bravo is a network of NBCUniversal Entertainment & Lifestyle Group, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. Watch Bravo anywhere: on demand, online, or across mobile and connected TVs. Bravo has been an NBCUniversal cable network since December 2002 and first launched in December 1980.