Heavy/Getty/Bravo/YouTube John Janssen, Alexis Bellino, Shannon Beador
After denying dating rumors for weeks, former “The Real Housewives of Orange County” star Alexis Bellino was caught out on the town with castmate Shannon Beador’s ex John Janssen.
The Instagram page @bravoandcocktails_ shared a video of the couple locking lips while on a boat together in a December 17 post. The video shows a flash going off while they kiss, and then the couple holding one another while smiling toward the camera.
People first reported that Bellino and Janssen had gone official in early December 2023, with a source saying that the two formed a “natural connection.” The outlet also broke the news of Janssen’s split with Beador, which took place in November 2022, just after filming wrapped for RHOC season 17.
Bellino was also coming out of a relationship before connecting with Janssen, having split from her fiancé Drew Bohn in September 2023 after a three-year engagement.
Alexis Bellino & John Janssen Were Also Seen Holding Hands in Public
The pair’s kiss wasn’t all, however, as on December 18, @bravoandcocktails_ shared another post featuring a photo of Bellino and Janssen holding hands and walking together after grabbing a coffee.
Fans had mixed reactions to the budding relationship, and many of Bellino’s followers shared their thoughts in the comment section of her December 16 post. The post included a photo of Bellino and two friends posing on a boat from the same night she was spotting kissing Janssen, with the caption, “Boat parading a lil different this year. 💞 💞,” in reference to the annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade that they were celebrating.
“So what he has a boat , pretty sure Shannon can purchase her own boat if she wanted . Even Shannon’s girls didn’t care for John 😐,” one user wrote, saying the boat Bellino was on belonged to Janssen.
“John is the new Slade,” another user added, referencing former RHOC cast member Slade Smiley, who appeared in season one as Jo De La Rosa’s fiancé and returned in season five in a relationship with Gretchen Rossi. Bellino cracked a joke about this at BravoCon 2023, when she presented a Bravo award alongside De La Rosa, Rossi, and fellow RHOC alum Lauri Peterson, saying “As the only woman up here who has not slept with Slade Smiley,” a comment Andy Cohen confirmed was “off script.”
“Alexis, you look so happy.❤️. Ignore the haters, they are just jealous. Live your life.🔥” one fan added.
Could Alexis Bellino Be Returning to RHOC?
Fans have started speculating that Bellino may be eyeing a return to RHOC given her new relationship and the potential storylines it creates between her and Beador. In November 2023, prior to her relationship going official, Bellino addressed the idea of her return, saying “I would say, ‘Never say never.’ I just feel like I’m in such a good place right now. I think I’m good in my life right now.”
Beador has addressed the pair’s relationship, saying in early December 2023, “I’m not going to lie. I’ve been hurt. I’ve been hurt a lot in the last couple of weeks because, number one, John said that he didn’t want to be in the public eye. And he’s thrust himself more into the public eye at this point. So, I’m quite confused about that.”
Beador’s RHOC co-star Heather Dubrow accused Janssen of wanting to be in the public eye in season 17 of the show, saying in a confessional, “Shannon has told me, and other people, that John loves being in the limelight, and it’s a lot of the reason he’s with her.”
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