How to watch ‘RHOC’ Season 20 premiere for free: Cast, time

They’re raising a glass to 20 years.

As “The Real Housewives” franchise celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, the series that started it all is returning for its 20th season.

“The Real Housewives of Orange County” Season 20 premieres tonight, July 9.

The cast assembled to mark this milestone includes “the OG of the OC,” Vicki Gunvalson, who returns to the franchise as a main cast member for the first time since Season 13 and immediately embroils herself in her fair share of drama with new and old cast members.

When: July 9, 8 p.m. ET (weekly on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET)
Channel: Bravo
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)

Per Bravo, Season 20 will see the ladies “band together to face their challenges head on, testing long-standing friendships while navigating the demands of family life.”

Want to tune into the new season live? Keep reading for one of our favorite ways to stream TV live without cable.

Season 20 of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” premieres tonight, July 9, at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo. New episodes of “RHOC” will air on Bravo every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream “RHOC” Season 20 live for free.

One streaming service we love is DIRECTV, which comes with five days free and starts at just $42.99/month, with plenty of subscription options that include Bravo, like the discounted MyEntertainment Genre Pack.

Additionally, “RHOC” will not stream live on Peacock, but subscribers will be able to watch new episodes on Friday morning after each episode airs.

Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow, Tamra Judge, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson and Jennifer Pedranti are all set to return as full-time Housewives for Season 20. Original “RHOC” star Vicki Gunvalson reclaimed her orange, and will return to the series as a full-time Housewife for the first time since Season 13.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY -- âSeason 20 Premiere Partyâ -- Pictured: (l-r) Jo De La Rosa, Jennifer Pedranti, Shannon Storms Beador, Tamra Judge, Vicki Gunvalson, Frances Berwick, Chairman, Bravo & Peacock, Unscripted; Emily Simpson, Gina Kirschenheiter, Carmella Garcia, Heather Dubrow at the Universal Studios Lot in Universal City, CA on June 30, 2026 -- (Photo by: Todd Williamson/Bravo)
The Real Housewives of Orange County - Season 20 — (l-r) Jo De La Rosa, Jennifer Pedranti, Shannon Storms Beador, Tamra Judge, Vicki Gunvalson, Frances Berwick (Chairman, Bravo and Peacock Unscripted), Emily Simpson, Gina Kirschenheiter, Carmella Garcia, Heather Dubrow Todd Williamson/Bravo

They’ll be joined by a new Housewife, Carmella Garcia. Garcia, a real estate developer, was brought into the group through Pedranti.

The rest of the Season 1 “RHOC” cast, including Kimberly Bryant, Jo De La Rosa, Jeana Keough and Lauri Peterson, will appear as guests during the landmark 20th season.

Katie Ginella, who joined the series in 2024 was fired ahead of Season 20 and will not appear in the new episodes.