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Braunwyn Windham-Burke tried to get sober a few times before appearing on The Real Housewives of Orange County. But it was being on RHOC that accelerated her journey.

As painful as it was to get sober on camera, Burke said the environment pushed her to the brink with alcohol; something that she knows other Housewives deal with today but hide.

“Oh, for sure,” she told Showbiz Cheat Sheet about how the show accelerated her journey. “When you’re watching your behavior back on screen that you have no recollection of. And I remember watching it and being like … I mean, I was blackout drunk. And then watching it back on TV was like, ‘OK that’s not good.’ So my behavior was escalating and I wasn’t able to hide it a lot.”

RHOC’s Braunwyn Windham-Burke said other ‘Housewives’ struggle too

Burke is now about three years sober and the journey was tough. She no longer watches RHOC because the show is triggering. And she worries about other cast members who she knows are facing some of her same demons.

Brauwyn Windham-Burke stands over a woman with her hands in the air while friends clap
Brauwyn Windham-Burke, Tamra Judge, Gina Kirschenheiter, Shannon Storms Beador | Casey Durkin/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

“There is something in reality TV culture where bad behavior is sort of OK,” Burke explained. “And when you have a camera crew around you and you’re in this environment, it’s a lot like a bubble. You’re completely safe. You know you’re going to get home OK, you know that you’re insulated because although you see us at dinner, you don’t see that we are completely surrounded by 12 other people. And those 12 other people are going to do what you need and keep you safe and make sure you are OK. You’re the talent. That’s what they refer to us as.”

“And they treat you really well. They cater to your needs,” she said of production. “And you’re going crazy and producers, they’re like, ‘It’s OK, you’re fine.’ I’m not the only one on that show who people look the other way.”

“There are a lot of stories I’ve heard about other Housewives and things that people in production have seen that they keep to themselves and they block out,” she revealed. “And I think when you’re in that world, a lot of people, they really just yes you. And they tell you your behavior is OK and it’s not.”

‘RHOC’ left her with no excuses

Braunwyn Windham-Burke made the decision to get sober on RHOC, just as the pandemic hit. Having that play out was terrible, but it also held her accountable.

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“When you’re on a national or international whatever television show, you can’t hide that,” Burke said about RHOC. “And I can make excuses for a little while. Oh, I’ve been a stay-at-home mom. I quit nursing. But at the end of the day, it was so obvious to anyone that knew me.”

“I mean, BravoCon. That first year wasn’t great. I remember our PR person taking drinks out of my hand, and I was in an environment where everyone was drinking and everyone remembered me drinking,” Burke recalled. “So definitely being on the show 100% made me realize I couldn’t make excuses anymore. I mean, I’m an alcoholic. I am a card-carrying member of AA. So I can have no drinks for 10 drinks. You know, one is too many, 10 is not enough.”

How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

How to get help: In the U.S. and Canada, text the Crisis Text Line at 741741 to reach a crisis counselor for support.

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