Emily Simpson from RHOC Opens Up About Her Marriage Challenges with Shane
The Real Housewives of Orange County’s Emily Simpson feels assured that her marriage to Shane Simpson is far from finished.
“I annoy him and he annoys me, and I believe we both come across as very genuine on camera,” Emily, 50, exclusively told Us Weekly during the RHOC season 20 kickoff party on Tuesday, June 30. “We don’t attempt to sugarcoat anything or pretend that our marriage is flawless or deceive the audience into thinking we have an extraordinary relationship all the time.”
In the season 20 trailer, some viewers were left questioning the state of Emily and Shane’s relationship after a few cast members raised concerns.
“You seem like you’re at your end,” said Tamra Judge. Emily responded, “I don’t know, maybe.”
As the show returns on Thursday, July 9, the host of iHeartRadio’s “Legally Brunette” podcast hopes that viewers will recognize that not every relationship is perfect.
“I want fans to remember that we’ve been together for 17 years; it’s a real marriage with its ups and downs,” Emily shared with Us from the NBCUniversal Lot in Los Angeles. “We are who we are, and when he’s frustrated with me or annoyed, he shows it on camera. And when he’s annoying me, I react accordingly on camera.”
She added, “I just want everyone to know we are still together. We’ll soon be celebrating 18 years, but we’re ordinary people with three kids and three dogs and three cats, and that’s a lot to handle.”
Back in 2009, Emily and Shane tied the knot on Valentine’s Day in an intimate ceremony at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Since then, they have welcomed three children, including their daughter Annabelle, 13, and 11-year-old twin boys, Luke and Keller. (Shane also has two daughters from his previous marriage.)
Throughout season 20, Emily will continue to provide updates on Luke’s health, following his diagnosis of a rare eating disorder known as ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder).
“[Luke is] doing fantastic. He’s in a new school now. He loves it and is really happy,” Emily shared while wearing a Ronny Kobo dress. “I think Shane and I have become better parents because of Luke. We’ve had to cultivate patience and learn to come together, which isn’t always easy.”
Though sharing her son’s diagnosis with the public wasn’t an easy choice, Emily expressed that she has no regrets.
“I’m so grateful I shared because so many mothers reached out to me, sharing their own experiences with their kids and what they’ve gone through,” she explained. “I appreciate all of them.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County season 20 will premiere on Bravo on Thursday, July 9, at 8 p.m. ET. Episodes will be available for streaming the following day on Peacock.
