Vicki Gunvalson Opens Up About OC Season 6

Over the years, Real Housewives of Orange County fans have watched Vicki Gunvalson tackle professional to parenting problems, all while navigating the drama synonymous with the entire Housewives franchise. Judging from the previews, Season 6, premiering Sunday at 10/9c on Bravo, may prove to be Vicki's biggest challenge yet.

TVGuide.com: What is coming up for you this season?

Vicki Gunvalson: Each time we get a new cast member, I open my arms and I don't have preconceived notions about them, I just hope we can all get along and that was the case this year. It was just a good blend and a good fit and I was really excited about that. No drama on that end from me, so that was good. There may be some with the other girls, but I stood clear of it.

TVGuide.com: Last year on the show, Brianna was dealing with some health issues. How is she doing?

Gunvalson: Ironically, we are heading to the hospital right now. They found a mass near her lymph node in her neck so we're getting a biopsy done this morning so prayers for Brianna to have it be benign. That's our biggest concern right now.

TVGuide.com: After dealing with your daughter's health in front of the cameras last season, did you have any hesitation about coming back?

Gunvalson: I thought she was healed and healthy. This has just been a new diagnosis in the last month. ... That really didn't have any bearing on me coming back this year. I am kind of the mama bear, I would hate to sit back and not be on this season. I enjoy the show.

TVGuide.com: There is a little bit of friction with you and Tamra Barney. What is ahead for you two?

Gunvalson: I think that viewers are going to be really, really happy about the humbleness of Tamra. I was put in the middle of their marriage and I had nothing to do with the demise of their marriage. I'm her friend, I love her and I want the best for her.

TVGuide.com: What else can you say about the new girls, Peggy Tanous and Fernanda Rocha?

Gunvalson: [Fernanda]'s not really one of the Housewives. She's somebody that comes in and socializes with us, but I don't really know how we're labeling her this year. Peggy is very sweet. She's an Aries, which is fun for me because I always connect with Aries people.

TVGuide.com: Has it been harder to come back every year and film the show since it seems you had more in common with the other ladies in the show's early years?

Gunvalson: The answer is adamantly yes. We don't have any say of who the network chooses. It's not as organic as it used to be. [In Season 1], we all were about the same age, we all had children about the same age. Lauri, Jeana, Kimberly and myself — those were, I think, the best of times because we were good friends. ... We were a really dynamic group, so it's a little bit of a challenge for me. I miss Jeana and I miss Lauri. We had a really great synergy between us.

TVGuide.com: It sounds like you tried to avoid some of the drama, so will we see you butt heads less with Alexis Bellino this year?

Gunvalson: I've got nothing against Alexis. She's very sweet, but I think she's always ready to pick a fight and I'm not. She's always trying to prove a point with me or prove she's a businesswoman. She brings dirt up a lot. I don't want to be around that.

This is now your sixth season of the show. Do you think filming affected your marriage or anything that happened in your life this past year?

Gunvalson: I don't know. All I do know is that I work really hard and filming takes up a lot of time and then you try and fill in your family and your friends and travel and things like that and sometimes the relationships that mean the most to you get compromised because you don't put enough effort into them. It takes two people to get married and two people to get divorced and I'm a firm believer in that.

Credit: TV Guide (Kate Stanhope)