In an interview released Wednesday, Braunwyn Windham-Burke, star of The Real Housewives of Orange County, announced she's gay.

Bravo's reality series premiered in 2006. It follows several women who reside in Orange County, California. The show's success has led to several spin-offs, including shows based in New York City, Atlanta, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Beverly Hills, Miami, Potomac, Dallas, and Salt Lake City. Windham-Burke joined the cast last year and returned this year.

Windham-Burke made the announcement during an interview with GLAAD.

“I’m finally comfortable enough to say: I like women. I’m gay. I’m a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. I’m a lesbian,” she said. “And it has taken me 42 years to say that, but I’m so proud of where I am right now and I’m so happy where I am. To be able to be comfortable in my own skin after so long is just so nice.”

She explained that there was “a correlation” between getting sober and her journey to self-acceptance.

“This year, I got sober, which I know there is a correlation between the two,” she said. “I know that when you get sober and you start doing the work that goes into that, you start realizing a lot of the reasons you drank had to do with who you were on the inside. … This sort of became something that I didn’t want to hide anymore and I didn’t want to keep a secret anymore. I wanna be able to go out to dinner with whoever I want without judgment. You know, as long as my husband was okay and the person I was dating was okay and knows everything. I didn’t wanna have to hide this anymore.”

Windham-Burke also revealed that she is dating a woman, Kris, and plans to remain married to her husband Sean, whom she described as her best friend.

“You know, Sean and I are still married. I plan on staying married,” she said. We’re raising the kids together. He’s my best friend. He knows the girl I’m dating; her name is Kris. I mean, we go to parties together! She came over the other night, hung out with the family, had dinner with us. I mean, it’s only as weird as you make it.”

She added that she's always known that she is attracted to women.

“I always have been [attracted to women],” she said. “This isn't something that is new, 'cause that, I think, is what a lot of people will think. 'Oh, suddenly you're one.' No, I've always known it. But it took me personally 42 years to be comfortable enough in my own skin to say that.”