Whether ex-child star Kim Richards is or isn’t frequently intoxicated has been a subject of conjecture on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills practically from the time of its debut in the fall of 2010. The chatter is taking on new significance with the announcement Monday that Richards has entered rehab. She is reportedly at an undisclosed treatment center.

Richards’s strange behavior – disappearances in the middle of social events, laughing at inappropriate times – was widely discussed by fans of the show during its first season. But things reached a new level when sister Kyle accused Kim of being an alcoholic during a ferocious argument in the season finale. Kim very briefly entered rehab at this point.

The current season has been punctuated by new Housewife Brandi Glanville accusing Kim of being on drugs, which brought an angry retort from both Richards sisters. The Housewives have also joked about how often Kim seems to find excuses not to attend their various events. Paul Nassif, husband of Housewife Adrienne Maloof, openly stated he thought Kim was intoxicated when she called the couple to apologize for tardiness. In a later episode, Nassif expressed concern about the number of medications Kim has been taking, drugs associated with anxiety and depression, and suggested they might be causing her to appear stoned much of the time.

Despite all this circumstantial evidence, Bravo cameras have apparently not caught Kim Richards actually consuming any alcohol, at least not during the current season.

Tags: kim richards, real housewives of beverly hills, rehab