RHOC: Alexis Bellino and Shannon Beador clash over past legal battles

Shannon Beador and Alexis Bellino faced off in a heated exchange during the season 18 premiere of The Real Housewives of Orange County. 

As Alexis returned to the Bravo reality show, tensions flared when Shannon confronted her about her involvement in Shannon's ex-boyfriend's 2018 defamation lawsuit.

During a dinner meeting with co-stars Heather Dubrow and Emily Simpson, Alexis addressed the elephant in the room regarding her relationship with John Janssen, Shannon's former partner. 

Shannon expressed her frustrations, highlighting the emotional and financial toll of the legal battle, which began with a cease and desist letter allegedly sent by Alexis.

John Janssen ended his relationship with Shannon in November 2022, shortly before news of his romance with Alexis surfaced. Despite never having crossed paths on RHOC, Alexis and Shannon share a contentious history due to Alexis' ex-husband, Jim Bellino, suing Shannon and another cast member in 2018.

"People" reported Shannon's victory in the defamation case in October 2020, though she claims significant financial losses in her defense. During their confrontation at Heather's party, Shannon accused Alexis of initiating the lawsuit and exacerbating her hardships.

Alexis vehemently denied any involvement in the legal proceedings, attributing their conflict to her current relationship with John rather than past legal disputes. Despite Shannon's attempts to revisit their legal history, Alexis insisted on focusing on their present situation.

As the exchange escalated, Alexis made it clear she was unwilling to revisit the legal drama and distanced herself from any responsibility for Shannon's past troubles. 

The tense confrontation ended with both women asserting their positions, with Shannon expressing bitterness over the loss of her relationship and Alexis asserting her commitment to moving forward.

The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.