By Molly Claire Goddard
8:00am PST, Feb 20, 2026
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Dorinda Medley knows that a pause can be a good thing! Whether it's taking a break from reality television or choosing an alcohol-free spirit during a night out, the Bravo star is the queen of resetting the system and coming back better than ever. Medley speaks exclusively with
Wonderwall.com about taking part in Dry January, which
The Traitors cast member scared her, reuniting with her former
The Real Housewives of New York City costars, her partnership with
Seedlip and more.
Keep reading for the highlights from our chat…MORE:
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Who scared her on 'The Traitors'
After being one of the first people murdered on Season 3 of The Traitors, Dorinda Medley returned for Season 4 with a vengeance. However, there was one person she worried about going against — Donna Kelce. "I was very excited that we got a traitor right off the bat and it was Donna Kelce! How ironic is that?" she says. "One of the biggest things that everybody was waiting for was how everybody was going to take Donna? And then she's a traitor! I was fearful of the Swifties [Taylor Swift fans]. I've seen them in action. That's not a group — that's an army! But Donna is the sweetest and so kind. I was happy that they made her a traitor."
Reuniting with her former 'The Real Housewives of New York City' costars
The legacy cast of The Real Housewives of New York City is among Bravo's most beloved, but do the ladies still hang out? "I just saw [Luann de Lesseps] yesterday. I'll see Miss Ramona [Singer] in a couple weeks when I go to Florida. I don't see Sonja [Morgan] a lot because she's sort of not in New York as much," Dorinda Medley says. "We still have our group chat. People think of us as these women who know each other from TV. But, remember, we've been friends for years and years. We have history through our children, through our husbands, through our divorces, through the deaths of our husbands. People know us for the frosting of it, which you see, but there's a lot of cake there that you don't know about. When I saw Lou yesterday, I thought to myself, 'Why are we not filming this?' Because it's exactly as it was. All of it is exactly as you guys were watching it. The good, the bad and the ugly."
Abstaining from drinking
Dorinda Medley doesn't feel like taking a break from drinking is depriving herself but rather presenting herself with more options. "January's always the perfect month to introduce new things," the Massachusetts native says. "It's a great reset to make sure you have things in your life that are authentic to you. Because we're starting again. Dry January doesn't mean dull January. Dry January doesn't mean you can't be part of the party."
Partnering with Seedlip
Dorinda Medley joined forces with the non-alcoholic spirit Seedlip to enhance her mocktail game. "This partnership came along, and I thought, '[My Massachusetts home] Blue Steel Manor is all about inviting people into my house and into my life. I've got to make sure that there are options for everything.' Then Seedlip non-alcoholic spirit arrived. It's visually beautiful and it's stunningly delicious. And the best part is, you don't feel like you're being left out of the party."
