The latest series in the juggernaut Real Housewives franchise comes to New Zealand screens tonight, with the premiere of The Real Housewives of London, the 30th iteration of the worldwide reality TV hit.
The show promises to take viewers inside the glamorous lives of six women living in London’s swankiest suburbs, such as Belgravia, Mayfair and Chelsea.
We meet the housewives hoping to become household names, following in the stilettoed footsteps of those who have come before them. Could these women become the next Caroline Stanbury (Real Housewives of Dubai), Lisa Vanderpump (Real Housewives of Beverly Hills), Bethenny Frankel (Real Housewives of New York), or even Anne Batley-Burton (Real Housewives of Auckland)?
Born in Iran, Panthea Parker moved to England at the age of 4. She lives in north London with her husband Ed and their three children; she also has an adult son from her first marriage. Parker is known for her glamorous high-society lifestyle, having been on the Mayfair party scene since the 90s, often attending A-list parties and holidaying on billionaires’ yachts.
Are you glad you joined The Real Housewives of London?
I’ll be honest, I’ve never worked in my life. My husband’s salary is the same as it ever was but everything is so much more expensive now. Our holidays, my expenses and the housekeeper – everything costs so much. So, when I got offered this, I thought, “Maybe God did this on purpose. Maybe the show found me because everything in my life happens for a reason, and now I can work and I can contribute to the household”.
Did it get competitive between the wives about who’s the richest, or classiest, and so on?
Look, my parents grew up in Hampstead. I went to private school and summer camps in Switzerland. My parents were very affluent people in Iran before they moved here during the revolution. I’ve been privileged enough never having to work and then I got married to somebody who was very wealthy, who bought me Chanel and flew me on Concorde, back in the day. But I’ve been there, done that. I don’t want to do it anymore. I’d rather go back to the villa and watch the sunset with my kids, than join Leo DiCaprio on a boat. Forget Fomo, I get Jomo now – the joy of missing out. So, when these ladies get competitive about who’s the most whatever, I don’t care. They can say what they want, but they’re shallow.
Born in Chicago, Juliet Angus is a mother of two, a social media influencer, stylist and former fashion publicist. Her parents are Polish and she says she often spent summers in Europe, as well as one summer studying at Cambridge University. She has reality TV experience already – she appeared on Ladies of London from 2014-2017.
Angus describes herself as “a girl’s girl” and a “truth-teller”. She says she “can see through the bulls***” and will “defend the weakest link”.
Why did you want to be in The Real Housewives of London?
As an American living in London, I have so many pinch-me moments that I feel like my life is a scene out of a movie. Even when I take a walk through Hyde Park with my dog, I feel like I’m in a scene from Bridgerton! I want to show people how beautiful and romantic it is to live in London, especially as an American.
Was London what you thought it would be when you first moved here?
Now that I’ve established myself here and created a home, it’s like a fairytale, but it’s not an easy place to live, at first. There’s a lot of cultural differences between the Americans and the British – even just understanding all the different accents like Scottish and Irish, and trying to decipher what people are saying.
A former model turned entrepreneur, Amanda Cronin founded her self-named Amanda Caroline Beauty skincare brand and runs The Secret Door, an aesthetics and wellness clinic in Belgravia. She spent a decade living in Monte Carlo where she says she was “always famously overdressed”. Cronin has a 27-year-old daughter and is close to Meredith Marks (The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City) and Dorinda Medley (The Real Housewives of New York City). She is also a TV alum, having appeared on docu-series The Millionairess and Me. Cronin calls The Real Housewives a “high-risk” opportunity, but believes it will help her business, her profile... and – as she’s currently single – her love life.
Has filming the series been fun so far?
So much fun. It gets me out of my bubble, which gets me out of my comfort zone. I’m a real girls’ girl, so I love being around the ladies and dressing up. I won’t step into Mayfair unless I have heels, full jewellery, hair professionally done, makeup, accessories, a great bag, so this show was a great way to really go hell for leather with that. We all wanted to look our absolute best and go to some beautiful places. It has been really good for me.
Are you hoping you’ll get a boyfriend out of appearing on Real Housewives?
Yes, someone might notice me, because I don’t have time to date, and I’m not really in the mood a lot of the time. I don’t do dating apps. I don’t go out that much, and even if you do go out, where are all the men? Those hot CEOs that used to come through London, they’re just not there anymore. Those silver foxes are not around.
You may recognise Karen Loderick-Peace from The Real Housewives of Jersey and Chesire, as she was a cast member on the former in 2020 and the latter in 2015. Born in Jamaica, Karen moved to Britain in her 20s, where she later met her husband Jeremy, former chairman and owner of West Bromwich Albion FC. The couple share three children and own five luxurious properties across London, Jersey and Barbados. She is currently preparing to launch her own fashion label.
What’s your role within the group dynamic?
I think I’m the maternal one. I like to look after everyone. I’m the one who fixes everyone’s hair. I don’t want to be the only one that looks good, you know? I want them to look good too.
And how would you describe the other housewives?
They’re a bunch of competitive women. They don’t like to admit to it, but they’re competitive about everything. It does get pretty dramatic at times. It can escalate pretty quick. The women on this show have so much to give. We’re not just wealthy women bickering. It’s not about that: it’s about our journey, how we started out in life, what we have to offer to society. We have our good days, we have our bad days, like anyone else. We’re showing people that, just because we are wealthy women, we do have down days, we have days when things just don’t seem right. It’s not always about money, it’s about being a woman.
Do you think that’s even more true for women of colour?
Absolutely. I didn’t really see it when I was younger, especially in the Caribbean where we’re all of colour, but even living in the UK at first. It was there but I didn’t pay attention to it when I was younger. It was only when I became more mature that I realised there’s a judgment.
Born and raised in London, Nessie Welschinger shares her Chelsea family home – and a 500-year-old estate, nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds – with her husband Remy and their three children. A former global head of equity at Schroders, she now runs the renowned Chelsea Cake Company and made one of Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday cakes. Welschinger also showcased her skills on Bake Off: The Professionals. She decided to join the show as her friends, Juliet Mayhew and Juliet Angus, had signed up. She describes her role in the group as “the peacekeeper”.
What did your family think about you taking part?
My husband said, “Tread carefully”, but ultimately, he trusted me to just be myself. And my children were very excited, although when I asked my eldest what she thought, she said, “Well, I don’t know. I’ve not watched the show yet,” which was a good answer for a 10-year-old!
How did you react when arguments kick off?
I go into maternal mode when people kick off. It really hurts me to see people behave out of character and my maternal instincts kick in, and I really try to bring them back to their equilibrium. I feel like I want to be their safe space, so that they feel comfortable to relax with me. I think I’m a good listener, I like to hear them and to understand them and get to know them properly.
You’re all very different characters, aren’t you?
We’re all incredibly different, and I think that sums up London. London is a melting pot for people from all walks of life – we have some who were born into it, some who have made it, some who were born here, some who have travelled here, and that’s the beauty of it. I couldn’t think of a more eclectic and greater group of women to have for season one, because everyone brings something so different.
Australian-born Juliet Mayhew moved to Britain at the age of 12. Now living in one of Chelsea’s most desirable neighbourhoods, Mayhew is married to “Tiggy”, with whom she has two teenage children, one of whom is an actor. She has many strings to her professional bow – Mayhew is a former actor turned creative producer, a former Miss Galaxy Universe, a philanthropist, and hosts immersive events through her event planning company, catering to some of the world’s most elite clients. She shares a close friendship with Caroline Stanbury (The Real Housewives of Dubai), and says that she’s the “fun, spontaneous, jolly, happy, sunshine one” in the London cast.
Why did you want to be a part of The Real Housewives of London?
I’ve got a couple of girlfriends in The Real Housewives shows so I had been watching them privately without my husband seeing. He loves World War II history documentaries, so watching a bunch of housewives squabble is not his cup of tea. He’s English, you know? And the undercurrent of a true Brit is that you don’t show off, you’re a bit more subtle, you’re elegant. You look at the royals – they don’t have Balenciaga all over their breasts, right? So, it goes against the grain of everything my husband is. But my family all sat down and had a family meeting and said, “Mummy, we’ve decided that we think this is a good idea and we’re proud of you. We’re behind you.”
As a former actor, were you keen to be in the spotlight again?
I think I would like to inspire as a wife and a mother. I’m not interested in tearing someone down or thinking, “How low can I go?” or “How much can I ridicule another person to build myself up?”. I’ve gone on the show to say that life is about highs and lows. How can I navigate those highs and lows? I can do it with a bit of elegance. I can be a good example to my children and take a risk. This is the biggest risk I’ve ever taken in my life.
The first episode of The Real Housewives of London premieres on Hayu today, with new episodes available every Monday.