‘Real Housewives’ Star Says Her Boyfriend Is Moving Away

“Real Housewives of Orange County” personality Vicki Gunvalson said her boyfriend, Michael Smith, is moving away from California for at least a year.

During a November 2024 episode of her podcast, “My Friend, My Soulmate, My Podcast,” co-hosted by Christian Gray Snow, Gunvalson noted that she is originally from Illinois. She said she moved to Orange County over 25 years ago after she married her second husband, Donn Gunvalson, whom she divorced in 2014.

Gunvalson said she has had difficulty living in California, as her daughter, Briana Culberson resides in Oklahoma, and her son, Michael Wolfsmith, is moving to Barcelona, Spain.

“I don’t have anybody in California. Everybody is moving away, including my boyfriend,” said Gunvalson on her podcast episode.

She then explained that Smith will be living outside of California due to his job as a developer.

“I’m actually in Phoenix right now. He’s a developer and he’s doing a project that’s going to be a couple of years,” said Gunvalson. “But we live together in California. But he’s going back and forth. And it’s hard. It’s my new normal now. So I don’t know where I’m going to end up.”

Snow interjected that Smith’s project will likely only last a year.

“I’m trying to tell her that she can have fun with it. He’s doing it for like a year at most. You have a reason to do fun like date weekend trips,” said Snow.

Gunvalson then said Smith could be away for “two or three [years], depending on how many projects come in.” She then suggested she is not happy about Smith living outside of California.

“I’m not a weekend person. I want to be with him all the time. Because I don’t like my nights. I can work during the day. But my nights are the hard part,” said Gunvalson on her podcast.

Michael Smith Spoke About His Relationship With Vicki Gunvalson in a February 2024 Interview

During a joint February 2024 interview on Jeff Lewis‘ radio show, “Jeff Lewis Live,” alongside Gunvalson, Smith shared his thoughts about dating the RHOC star.

“It’s been awesome honestly. She’s genuine. She has a huge heart. We’ve been dating a little over two years now … We have a great time,” said Smith during the interview with Lewis.

In addition, he said that he and Gunvalson have “become best friends.”

“We spend almost every minute together. I enjoy it,” said Smith to Lewis.

Gunvalson also shared that her former RHOC castmate Kelly Dodd introduced her to Smith. Gunvalson said she “was getting ready to head back to Chicago” before she met Smith. She explained that she was beginning to believe she should stop dating in California after her 2021 breakup with her ex-fiance, Steve Lodge.

Gunvalson also said she showed Smith her list of 18 traits she wanted in a romantic partner on their first date. Her list included someone who enjoys traveling, likes Mexico, has a passport, is a Christian, has been divorced, and has at least one child.

“I gave him 18 things when we had our first date, right out the gate. I said, ‘Oh by the way, this is what I want in a man,’” said Gunvalson.