Five of the six housewives featured on the fourth season of
The Real Housewives of Orange County initially returned for the fifth instalment. With Peterson's departure midway during season four, it only left five remaining wives. Original housewife Jeana Keough decide to depart from the series on the third episode "It Ends in Coto de Caza" that aired on November 19, 2009. Keough reportedly left the series due to being undervalued saying "I just didn’t feel appreciated by the girls or the network." After the departure of Keough, it made Vicki Gunvalson the only remaining original cast member as of season six. A new housewife was featured on the series to fill Keough's place, Alexis Bellino who is described as a "spicy blonde who unabashedly lives life on her terms." Bellino made her debut to the series on the second episode of the season, and was officially made a full-time cast member in the fourth episode, "It's All About Choices", the episode after Keough's departure. Gretchen Rossi begins dating after Jeff's death, but still remains in contact with his adult kids. Away from the feuding and gossip, Rossi debuts her beauty line Gretchen Christine Beaute. Rossi and Barney frequently clash despite an attempted reconciliation. Barney struggles with her husband's dominance and control as the kids begin to witness the tension between the two. Barney and Keough, along with their husband suffer from financial difficulties caused by the collapsing economy. Lynne Curtin continues her endeavors with her jewelry line. It's all new for Curtin as she settles into her new home in
Laguna Beach and gets a face-lift, however Lynne continues to struggle with disciplining her daughters. Gunvalson continues to balance her professional career and her personal life. Bellino and her husband Jim raises their toddler-aged twin girls, Melania and Mackenna, and their son, James with the same Christian values they both hold dear. The other ladies question Bellino's' marriage and just how reliant she is on her husband, which leaves Bellino and Gunvalson feuding and drives Gunvalson to seek support from, now former wife, Keough. ==Episodes==