Jennifer Armstrong and Noella Bergener Depart Real Housewives of Orange County After 1 Season
Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty; Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
Two Housewives are out on the The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Jennifer Armstrong and Noella Bergener, who both joined the Bravo reality series in season 16, are now departing it ahead of season 17, PEOPLE can confirm.
On Friday, Armstrong, 44, and Bergener, 36, both announced their exits in back-to-back Instagram posts.
"I loved opening up about being a working mom on Real Housewives of Orange County," said Armstrong. "I am so grateful to have had the privilege to talk about my father, my kids, and a real modern relationship on national television. My family and my work are the most important aspects of my life, so I am stepping away from RHOC and focusing on them 🙏♥️🖤🍊💉"
"Thank you to everyone who has reached out in support — especially from the working moms. Women can really have it all if you work for it. I believe in you, and I'll still be here to chat about it with you ♥️♥️ I love inspiring people to be their best," she added. "I am forever grateful for the friends I made, and the lovely people at @bravo & @evolutionmedia. Here's to the next chapter, and I hope you'll follow along for the journey. There are so many exciting things to come, so stay tuned."
Wrote Bergener: "After a wild season of ups and downs, I will not be returning to The Real Housewives of Orange County. I am so grateful to Bravo, Andy Cohen, and Evolution Media for giving me this incredible platform to share my story. Thank you to all of the fans for all of the love and support during quite possibly the hardest year of my life. I am looking forward to brighter skies ahead, and can't wait to share what's next."
Tommy Garcia/Bravo
RELATED: RHOC's Jen Armstrong Files for Legal Separation from Husband Ryne Holliday
Armstrong's exit comes months after she filed for a legal separation from husband Ryne Holliday. The pair share three children: twins Vera and Vince, 10, and Robert Valor, 9.
The estranged couple's marital issues was explored in season 17 of RHOC. The two officially separated in Sept. 8, 2021, according to a filing obtained by PEOPLE, and split cited "irreconcilable differences."
"Ryne and I are taking some time apart to focus on ourselves and our children," she told PEOPLE in a statement in May. "While we are very sad, we are hoping that we will heal and be even stronger as a family. We ask for patience as we navigate this new chapter in our lives."
Since then, Armstrong, 44, and Holliday, 42 have been "working on their relationship," a source tells PEOPLE, though they've sold their Newport Beach home.
Their divorce has yet to be finalized. In her filing, Armstrong is seeking legal and physical custody of their three children, offering Holliday visitation rights.
RELATED: RHOC Star Jen Armstrong Selling Newport Beach Home for $6 Million — See Inside!
RELATED: RHOC Newcomer Noella Bergener Breaks Down After Husband Serves Divorce Papers — 'It's a Bad Dream'
Bergener — who made history on RHOC as its first Black and openly bisexual Housewife — also went through a breakup, though while the RHOC cameras were rolling.
Viewers saw her pain when she was allegedly blindsided when her husband James Bergener's served her with divorced papers in July 2021. He filed in Puerto Rico, where the two had been living in late 2020 before she relocated back to Orange County to in May 2021 to film RHOC.
Noella, who also is mom to a 7-year-old daughter named Coco from a previous relationship, filed for legal separation from James a month later, in August 2021.
The former couple were together for five years and before marrying in June 2020, and share a 3-year-old son, James Jr. Their divorce was finalized in Dec. 2021, though custody and spousal support has not yet been determined, she has said.
RELATED: RHOC's Noella Bergener Recalls Meeting Her Ex-Husband James on a Sugar Daddy Website
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Armstrong and Bergener were two new additions in season 17 of RHOC.
Heather Dubrow also returned to the series. She had previously starred on the show in seasons 7 through 11.
Other Housewives last season were returning favorites Shannon Storms Beador, Gina Kirschenheiter, and Emily Simpson.
Production on season 17 of RHOC is expected to begin later this month. No airdate or additional casting has been announced yet.
