The “hottest Housewife in Orange County” is back — and she certainly came in hot.

Tamra Judge reclaimed her orange ahead of Season 17 of “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” which is expected to premiere later this spring, and Page Six hears she immediately had issues with “Fancy Pants” Heather Dubrow.

We’re told the two “butted heads” the whole time cameras were up but that tensions really boiled over during an explosive cast trip to Mexico.

While abroad, our sources say Judge, 55, led a “gang-up” and went “nuclear” on Dubrow, 54. The confrontation, we hear, was “nasty.”

We’re also told newcomer Jennifer Pedranti — a yoga instructor and mother of five — was introduced to the group via Judge but that their relationship soured throughout the course of filming.

Our sources liken the demise of their friendship to that which took place between Lisa Rinna and Sutton Stracke on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

On a more positive note, we hear Judge’s return scene will be epic and unlike anything Bravo has aired in the past.

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Fans went wild when Judge, Pedranti, Shannon Beador and show alum Vicki Gunvalson were photographed together in Tulum last October, leaving many wondering how involved “the OG of the OC” would be in the forthcoming season.

We’re told 61-year-old Gunvalson — who, alongside Judge, left the series in 2020 after a historic run — filmed enough with her former co-stars that she earned herself a few Season 17 confessional scenes.

Per our sources, “RHOBH” alum Taylor Armstrong — who also made history when she was cast to join “RHOC” as a “friend of” — did not film much on her own or in small groups. Instead, we’re told the 51-year-old stuck mostly to all-cast events.

We also hear the ladies went on a second — a seemingly calmer — cast trip to Montana.

Reps for Bravo, Judge, Dubrow and Pedranti did not immediately respond to our requests for comment.