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Braunwyn Windham-Burke explains how she almost broke her sobriety to avoid going to RHOC reunion

Braunwyn Windham-Burke vented about the difficulties of filming this season of RHOC.
Braunwyn Windham-Burke vented about the difficulties of filming this season of RHOC. Pic credit: Bravo

Real Housewives of Orange County star Braunwyn Windham-Burke admitted that she almost broke her sobriety so that she wouldn’t have to go to the reunion.

Braunwyn sat down for an interview on Hollywood Access’ Housewives Nightcap ahead of the RHOC finale.

She explained that it was very difficult to be attacked by her castmates all season– especially for her sobriety.

She dreaded the confrontation so much that she almost tried to get out of filming the reunion.

“Before the reunion I was right there next to my bed, on the floor, crying hysterically,” she explained.

She then explained how her reunion sobriety almost caused her to sabotage her sobriety journey.

“I almost drank — I mean this is horrible to say — I almost drank because I thought if I drink, I can go to rehab and won’t have to go to the reunion.”

At the time, she thought it “seemed like a perfectly logical explanation.”

“I almost drank so I wouldn’t have to do my job,” she continued emotionally. “My sobriety is not fake, and this is hard, and I do struggle.”

Braunwyn’s castmates claim she’s faking her alcoholism

Braunwyn admitted that she’s an alcoholic during the RHOC premiere. She decided that she would become sober on the show.

Even though she has spoken candidly about her sobriety, many accuse her of faking her alcoholism to create an interesting storyline for the show.

Her costar Kelly Dodd was the first to make these accusations.

When she appeared on WWHL, Andy Cohen asked her if she regretted the harsh comments she made about Braunwyn.

“No I don’t regret it, because I think her whole sobriety thing is contrived and I think it’s fake,” Kelly admitted.

“I don’t think she had seven kids so she could not drink,” she continued. “And I know her well enough that this was a pre-plotted thing that she wanted to do to get her own show.”

Emily Simpson later backed Kelly’s claims that Braunwyn’s sobriety storyline was fake.

She said that “I kinda agree” that Braunwyn’s sobriety journey seemed calculated.

“I don’t doubt the sincerity of her journey,” replied the RHOC star. “I doubt the timing of her journey, that’s the part that makes me skeptical.”

She also claimed that Braunwyn gave mixed messages about her sobriety throughout the course of filming.

Braunwyn almost slipped up while filming

Braunwyn credits Bravo for helping her stay on track with sobriety. However, she has admitted that several moments that occurred while filming the show almost caused her to break her sobriety.

Braunwyn admitted that she didn’t watch the majority of this season because it was too hard to watch herself struggle.

She admitted several times during the show that she almost caved into her alcohol cravings.

The first time that she admitted to almost breaking was at Shannon’s housewarming party when Shannon and Gina were attacking her over the comments she said Shannon made about Gina’s house.

Another moment was when she went to Lake Arrowhead with some of the women. Even though she had gotten herself a separate hotel room to escape the drinking, she said it was triggering for her to see alcohol out all over the place.

Despite the hardships, Braunwyn has remained sober for almost one year. She told Access Hollywood that she will be celebrating her sobriety anniversary on January 30.

The Real Housewives of Orange County Reunion Part 1 airs Wednesday, January 20 at 9/8c on Bravo.

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