Bravo bosses are scrambling to figure out a way to keep both Alexis Bellino and Shannon Beador on the Real Housewives of Orange County next season amid their ongoing feud.
Shannon, 60, and Alexis, 47, have been at odds all season after Alexis started dating Shannon's ex-boyfriend John Janssen, 62, who is now her fiancé.
Making things more complicated between the pair is the fact that John is suing Shannon for an unpaid loan of $75,000 - and that Shannon has accused Alexis of having a hand in the lawsuit.
The drama has brought in big ratings for the series, but viewer backlash towards Alexis has been so extreme that producers are now unsure how to move forward with the current cast.
'Bravo is so happy with how this season turned out and they know that adding Alexis is a big part of what made it such a success,' one insider told DailyMail.com.
Bravo bosses are scrambling to figure out a way to keep both Alexis Bellino (pictured) and Shannon Beador on the Real Housewives of Orange County next season
Shannon, 60, and Alexis, 47, have been at odds all season after Alexis started dating Shannon's ex-boyfriend John Janssen, 62
Shannon has become the undisputed fan favorite this season as viewers have rallied around her while vilifying Alexis
'Everybody brought their A game this year but it's really the drama between Shannon and Alexis that's made this season a blockbuster hit,' they continued.
'Producers don't want to change a thing, but they're not sure how they can bring both Shannon and Alexis back given the current state of their relationship.
'They don't want to film with each other and the audience hates Alexis so much that Bravo may have no choice but to let her go unless something changes.'
Another insider said that Alexis 'did everything she shouldn't have done' at the reunion, which only made things worse between herself and Shannon.
While things may look bleak, another production insider says that an Alexis return is still very much on the table.
'Nothing has been decided yet and casting won't officially begin until this season has finished airing, so nobody has been fired or rehired,' said the insider.
'With that said, there's a lot of people who do want Alexis back next year. She's easy to work with compared to some of the other women and she's authentically friends with the cast, which is hard to find,' they continued.
'Tamra Judge, Heather Dubrow, Jennifer Pedranti, Katie Ginella all want her back. Shannon and Emily Simpson would be happy to see her go... and Gina Kirschenheiter doesn't care either way.'
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Sources tell DailyMail.com that Alexis is keen to return for another season and redeem herself after being frustrated by her portrayal this year
One source also said that the viewer backlash against Alexis won't be the deciding factor in her future on the show.
'Bravo has fired plenty of great people due to audience backlash before and it usually just makes the shows boring and leads to even more complaints from fans,' they said.
'Alexis could easily come back, but she and Shannon are going to have to find a way to coexist for that to happen.
'They can't just rehash the same fight forever and refuse to film together - nobody wants to see that.'
Several insiders also confirmed that Shannon was originally on the chopping block until the most recent season - which many fans say is her best season yet.
'Everybody thought Shannon would be phased out after her DUI and Alexis would replace her, but things played out in such an unexpected way that now Shannon is arguably the most popular person on the show,' one said.
'And everybody hates Alexis and Tamra, but it's not always a bad thing to be hated as a Housewife. It's better than being forgettable.'
Producers are hoping that Shannon and Alexis can coexist so both will be able to return for another season
'Everybody brought their A game this year but it's really the drama between Shannon and Alexis that's made this season a blockbuster hit,' said a production source
DailyMail.com understands that Alexis herself is keen to come back and redeem herself and is 'deeply frustrated' by how the current season has played out.
'She's been really upset with how she's come across and even considered quitting at one point, but she eventually decided that it would be better for her to return and show viewers more of her real life,' one source said.
'Alexis also believes that Shannon's true colors will eventually come out and that she'll be vindicated, so she wants to be part of the show when that happens so everyone can see that she's not the bad guy in this.'
In addition to Alexis, newbie Katie Ginella's future on the series may also be up in the air.
Newcomer Katie Ginella's future on the series could also be up in the air as some cast members attempt to 'ice her out' behind the scenes, although producers are keen for her to return
'Producers are happy with Katie's performance on the show and she's been well received by fans, but some of the other women really have it out for her,' said a source.
'Heather never got over Katie accusing her of staging paparazzi photos and was furious about it all season, and Gina says she now regrets bringing Katie into the group.'
They added, 'Some of the women think Katie moved to Orange County just to get cast on the show and they don't trust her, but Katie feels like she's being hazed and iced out as the new girl and just wants to move past all this petty drama.'
DailyMail.com has contacted NBC Universal, Alexis Bellino and Katie Ginella for comment.
