Lydia McLaughlin Leaves ‘Real Housewives Of Orange County’ After Just One Season

Lydia McLaughlin has decided to leave the cast of Real Housewives of Orange County.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Caroline Manzo also recently decided to leave another Real Housewives cast.

Granddaughter to Canadian media tycoon Geoff Stirling has announced she will not be returning to season nine of the hit Bravo series. Housewife (obviously) and mother of two Lydia McLaughlin talks about the decision to split with the show:

“It’s bittersweet, I compare it to breaking up with a boyfriend you know you’re not going to end up with, it’s hard, but overall you know you’re doing the right thing. I want to build my brand outside of the Housewives, I’ve always been really honest with the producers about that. I knew that while I was filming it that I probably wasn’t going to be doing it again. I want to develop our own reality show about our magazine and all the glitz and glamour involved with publishing it.”

The rest of Real Housewives of Orange County will remain for the next season. Vicki Gunvalson, Tamra Barney, and Heather Dubrow will be present but Alexis Bellino and Gretchen Rossi were fired in September. Lydia McLaughlin claims there is no “epic story” behind her reasons for leaving the show. She is reportedly flattered the show wanted her back for another season:

“It’s never really been a dream of mine. I never wanted to make a career out of being a housewife.”

Lydia says she has no regrets about her time on the show. “I got to be kind of a different voice, I think that my fans love the love and positivity that I brought.” She says she plans on staying in touch with some of the other Housewives. “I still see Alexis and Gretchen. Ironically they’re not on the show anymore!”

Mrs. McLaughlin’s also spills she will look forward to the rather “guilty” pleasure of watching future seasons of Real Housewives of Orange County, likening it a relationship:

“I feel like because I did have such a great experience with it, I would be sad to watch it. It’d be like seeing your ex-boyfriend with a new girl! I’m really grateful for the opportunity!”

Are you sad to see this Housewife leave the show?