'RHOBH' Star Diana Jenkins to Attend Season 12 Reunion Remotely Due to COVID

Diana Jenkins casting on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was confirmed in December 2021

Sanela Diana Jenkins
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 12 reunion is imminent — but not all cast members will be in attendance for the big day.

PEOPLE can confirm that franchise newcomer Diana Jenkins will not join the taped special in person due to illness.

"Diana's very disappointed because she really wanted to be there in personally, especially for her first reunion," a source shares. "Unfortunately, she came back from Hawaii about a week ago and days later tested positive for COVID. She's still testing positive as of this morning, and won't be able to make it."

That said, Jenkins will appear virtually to rehash the moments that transpired throughout the season alongside her cast mates.

According to another insider, "Diana is looking forward to addressing some of the unresolved issues between her and some of her cast mates. She's not afraid of a fight, and knows she has the truth on her side."

PEOPLE previously confirmed Jenkins' casting on the Bravo hit in December 2021. Sheree Zampino, meanwhile, came on board as a "friend of" the cast as Jenkins received full-time status.

Kyle Richards, Lisa Rinna, Erika Girardi, Dorit Kemsley, Garcelle Beauvais, Sutton Stracke and Crystal Kung Minkoff round out the group, which also includes Richards' sister Kathy Hilton in a "friend of" role.

Jenkins hasn't left the best impression on fans as season 12 has progressed. She previously came under fire after calling Stracke, 50, both "phony" as her costar tried to empathize with her miscarriage story. Stracke also revealed her own experiences with miscarriage, but Jenkins didn't believe her castmate was being sincere.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS -- Season:12 -- Pictured: (l-r) Diana Jenkins, Crystal Minkoff, Erika Girardi, Kyle Richards, Garcelle Beauvais, Dorit Kemsley, Lisa Rinna, Sutton Stracke
The cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 12. Tommy Garcia/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

"You're phony. You are the fakest person I've ever met in my life, literally," Jenkins told Stracke in a June episode. "By the way, also, you're boring. I could forgive everything. I can't forgive being boring. You are really boring."

Following a recent episode, fans criticized Jenkins on social media for calling Strake a "c---" in front of the group. The moment in question left Stracke in tears.

Some viewers have also frequently expressed their desire for Jenkins to be a "one-and-done" Housewife.

Off screen, Jenkins drew controversy for making a racially insensitive comment to a Black female content creator. She later apologized for the remark, saying she "didn't realize [what] it was referencing."

Jenkins filed a lawsuit Thursday to unmask "bots" targeting Beauvais' 14-year-old son with racist messages. She also launched the Sunela Foundation, which will donate $100,000 to victims of Girardi's estranged husband, Tom Girardi.

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The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.

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