"The Real Housewives of Orange County" Suit Up for Season Six

Back in 2006, Bravo debuted "The Real Housewives of Orange County," its riff on ABC's popular "Desperate Housewives" by detailing the "real lives" of a group of affluent wives in sunny Southern California. It didn't make much of a splash: on average, it garnered a mere 600,000 viewers. Little did we know that inauspicious little show would birth five spinoffs, inspire countless parodies and become an indelible stamp on pop culture.

It's been almost a year since we've seen what "The Real Housewives of Orange County" have been up to. During that time, Bravo has hatched two new entries from the Golden Egg; "The Real Housewives of D.C." and "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," the latter of which is airing roughly about the time "The Real Housewives of Orange County" would normally be on-air. To satiate fans, the network brokered a syndication deal to show "The Real Housewives of Orange County" from the beginning on local stations around the country. Though Bravo has yet to announce a premiere date for the new season, the Orange County Housewives have been providing plenty of fodder to whet our appetites.

As we've come to expect with this group, another casting shakeup is in the offing for the Orange County Housewives. Loopy Lynne Curtin, who faced the humiliation of being evicted from her new home mere hours after her housewarming party, has been given a big stiletto heel in her tuckus. Though unconfirmed by Bravo, rumor has it that two new Housewives will join the fray; 34 year-old Fernanda Rocha of Laguna Beach, Calif., a personal trainer who is divorced and openly bisexual and counts Housewives Tamra Barney and Alexis Bellino as clients. Joining her is 41 year-old Peggy Tanous of Irvine, Calif., who models and hosts infomercials. No doubt, Rocha's love life will be a hot topic among the ladies and Tanous, who is described by Web site Radar Online as a "feisty" blonde, is good friends with the polarizing Bellino and her husband, Jim, which could mean the formation of uneasy alliances. Expected to return alongside Bellino and Barney are Gretchen Rossi and original cast member, Vicki Gunvalson.

2010 has been a rough year for Gunvalson, who after renewing her wedding vows with perpetually put-upon husband, Donn, filed divorce papers in October and in November, landed in the hospital with internal bleeding, the result of ulcers in her colon. Rossi meanwhile, who caused many a head to be scratched due to her relationship with Slade Smiley, former boyfriend of first season Housewife, Jo De La Rosa, has been keeping busy with court filings of her own. Rossi has received a restraining order against ex-boyfriend, Jay Photoglou, who she claims has harrased, attacked and threatened her and Smiley on numerous occasions. In addition, Rossi and Photoglou have been waging a court battle over his claims of slander and defamation and his seeking compensation from her for the legal mess to the tune of $85,864.08.

Another Housewife who has been granted a restraining order is self-proclaimed "hottest Housewife," Barney, whose marriage unspooled in spectacular fashion as Bravo's cameras rolled. Since Season Five ended, the Barneys are in the process of divorcing and Barney has become involved in a romance with her ex's friend, Eddie Judge. Barney was granted a restraining order after an incident where her estranged husband was arrested after throwing a retractable dog leash at her. Barney also got into a scuffle with former Housewife, Jeana Keough, after she discovered Keough had gone on a double date with her soon-to-be ex husband and his new girlfriend, then made disparaging remarks about Barney to RealityTea.com to boot. It all came to a head during filming and Barney threw a drink in Keough's face, to which Keough supposedly responded by trying to hurl Barney into a nearby pool. The incident unfurled a scathing war in the Twitterverse among those in attendance, as well as a heated demand from Barney on her Facebook wall to "stay tuned," for further evidence of Keough's treachery towards her.

Finally, last year's new kid on the block, Bellino, who incited Gunvalson's wrath with her persistent attachment to her husband and what many saw as her hypocritical, Bible-thumping views on marriage and parenthood, has had her own share of woes. One of the companies owned by Bellino's husband filed for bankruptcy protection, which is the title holder for the couple's Newport Beach, Calif. home. This triggered a foreclosure action, which led to the house being put up for auction. According to Hollywoodnews.com, the couple was able to modify their home loan, but now claim the issuing bank changed some of the terms of the deal and they are now considering legal action. Bellino found herself in the middle of yet another controversy over the summer when TMZ.com reported that during the July 4^th holiday, the Bellinos left a stroller unattended at the Balboa Bay Beach Club in Newport Beach, Calif. Two of the couple's children were inside when it rolled into a pool, which sent a lifeguard in to save one, while Jim Bellino saved the other.

Season Six of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" is expected to premiere in March, though an exact date has yet to be announced.

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