Victoria Gunvalson (born 27 March 1962) (née Steinmetz; formerly Wolfsmith) is an American reality television personality and businesswoman. She is best known as an original cast member of the Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC), featuring in 16 of the 18 seasons since its 2006 premiere.[1][2] She is the founder and CEO of Coto Insurance.[3]
Vicki Gunvalson | |
|---|---|
 Vicki Gunvalson in 2009 | |
| Born | Victoria L. Steinmetz March 27, 1962 Mount Prospect, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Television personality, entrepreneur[1] |
| Known for | The Real Housewives of Orange County |
| Spouses |
|
| Partners | Brooks Ayers (2012–2015) Steve Chavez Lodge (2016–2021) |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | www |
Career
editShe is one of the original cast members of Bravo's reality television show The Real Housewives of Orange County. In January 2020, Gunvalson departed the franchise but she has made guest appearances in season 17 and in season 18.[4] In June 2022, Gunvalson starred in the second season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, a spin-off featuring various women from The Real Housewives franchise, which premiered on Peacock.[5][6] She is set to star in the fifth season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, which is set to premiere in 2024.[7]
In 2020, she hosted a podcast titled Whoop It Up with Vicki.[8] Gunvalson owns an insurance agency in Coto de Caza, California.
Personal life
editGunvalson is one of five children. Her father owned a construction company, and her mother was a housewife.[1] According to Bravo, when Gunvalson was 5 years old, she was diagnosed with an inner ear tumor called cholesteatoma. She underwent surgery which removed the tumor. She lost 50% of her hearing in her right ear after the surgery. By the time she was 25, she had undergone 5 more additional surgeries and completely lost hearing in her right ear. When she was 32, the tumor had grown back and wrapped around the facial nerve, pierced through her skull and started creeping up towards the right side of her brain. She underwent one last surgery which could have had facial nerve damage ramifications, she fully recovered however still has no hearing in her right ear.[9]
She married her first husband Michael J. Wolfsmith at the age of 21 and they had two children, Michael Wolfsmith (b. 1986) and Briana Culberson (née Wolfsmith, b. 1987).[10] At the age of 29, they divorced and she began a part-time job at her father's construction company.[1]
In 1991, after her father's death from Alzheimer's disease, she joined the health insurance business.[11] In 1994, she married Donn Gunvalson and founded Coto Insurance and Financial Services, after obtaining her insurance license in California.[1][10] Vicki and Donn divorced in 2014.
During the tenth season of The Real Housewives of Orange County in 2015, Gunvalson dated Brooks Ayers. It was revealed that Ayers' claim that he had cancer, which was a story line throughout the season, was untrue, and that Gunvalson was conned. Ayers admitted that he had fabricated "documents to 'prove' to the world that I, in fact, have cancer."[12]
Vicki was engaged to Steve Lodge, brother of Roger Lodge, from April 2019 until September of 2021.[13]
In November 2021, Gunvalson revealed she had recently battled cancer.[14]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–2019, 2023–2024 | The Real Housewives of Orange County | Herself | 250 episodes; Main Cast: Seasons 1-13, Recurring: Season 14, Guest: Seasons 17–18 |
| 2009 | Dr. Phil | ||
| 2010 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire | Celebrity Question Presenter; Episode: "The Real Housewives of Millionaire 2" | |
| 2013 | Tamra's OC Wedding | Episodes: "Decisions Decisions" and "Tamra and Eddie's Wedding Kick Off" | |
| 2015 | The Doctors | Episode: "The Doctors Exclusive: Honey Boo Boo's Health Intervention/Real Housewive Reconnects with Deceased Mother" | |
| 2022–2024 | The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip | Main Cast: Seasons 2 & 5[15] |
See also
edit- Andale's Restaurant & Bar, Puerto Vallarta
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Vicki Gunvalson Net Worth 2018 – How Much The RHOC is Worth". Gazette Review. 2017-05-30. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
- ^ Ravitz, Justin (April 4, 2012). "Vicki Gunvalson: Why I've Never Been Fired from Real Housewives of Orange County". Us Weekly. Wenner Media. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
- ^ "Our Team - COTO Insurance and Financial Services". COTO Insurance and Financial Services. Retrieved 2017-12-18.
- ^ Aiello, McKenna (January 24, 2020). "Vicki Gunvalson is Leaving RHOC After Demotion". E! Online. United States: NBCUniversal. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ Vena, Jocelyn (April 26, 2021). "The Real Housewives Are Planning the Ultimate Series on Peacock". Bravo. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
- ^ Gugelimi, Jodi; VanHoose, Benjamin (April 26, 2021). "Ramona Singer, Teresa Giudice, More Real Housewives Stars Confirmed to Appear in All-Stars Spinoff". People. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
- ^ Franklin, McKinley (2023-08-02). "'Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy' Swaps Dates With 'Ex-Wives Club'". Variety. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
- ^ "Whoop It Up with Vicki · Westwood One Podcast Network". Westwood One Podcast Network. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
- ^ "Finding A Calling". Bravo TV Official Site. 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ a b "Bravolebrity Bio: Vicki Gunvalson". Bravo TV.
- ^ "Vicki Gunvalson". Coto Insurance and Financial Services, Inc.
- ^ "Brooks Ayers Speaks Out on Forging Cancer Records, Vicki Gunvalson and RHOC Controversy: 'I Was the Subject of Much Ridicule and Hate'". People. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
- ^ "Vicki Gunvalson Gushes Over Her Longtime Boyfriend Steve Lodge — 'I Love You So Much'". OK! Magazine. 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
- ^ Mazziotta, Julie (2021-11-22). "Vicki Gunvalson Reveals She Was Treated for Cancer and Had Her 'Uterus Taken Out'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ "Bravo on X". 2023-01-10.
External links
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