On the surface, The Real Housewives franchise may just seem like a reality TV series where rich women traverse through life in their respective mansions and cities – but for the new cast of the 30th instalment, The Real Housewives Of London, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that has landed in their laps.
The six bold, stylish and glamorous women, who will be balancing ambition, family and friendships on the show, include social media influencer Juliet Angus, 48, Panthea Parker, 51, who is known for her high-society lifestyle and social circle, and former actress turned creative producer, Juliet Mayhew, 48.
Former cast member of The Real Housewives Of Jersey, Karen Loderick-Peace, 50, also makes a return, and is joined by the founder of the Chelsea Cake Company, Nessie Welschinger, 42, alongside Amanda Cronin, 56, who runs both Amanda Caroline Beauty and The Secret Door.
Across 10 episodes, Hayu’s first-ever original series will follow the cast as they navigate their day-to-day lives, excel in various industries, and make their mark across some of the most prestigious parts of the capital.
Like all franchises of The Real Housewives – the first ever iteration was The Real Housewives Of Orange County, which aired on March 21, 2006 – there will be lavish dinners, luxury escapes and the constant rebuilding of bonds over bottles of champagne.
At the end of the series, Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan, 42, will host a reunion special.
But the ultimate goal for this cast is to “entertain people so they can switch off, forget about real life, their problems and all the tragedies the world is facing”.
Ahead of the release of The Real Housewives Of London, the housewives discuss where their confidence comes from and the legacy of the franchise.
What it means to be a housewife in society has changed. What does being a housewife mean to you?
Karen Loderick-Peace: It’s empowering for me because we’re running our household. We’re looking after our children. We have patience and time for our husbands, and we have our everyday career lives. To call yourself a housewife, to wear that crown, is very empowering for me and the girls.
Juliet Angus: We’re a modern version of a housewife. We can do it all. Maybe not perfectly, all the time, but we try. We want to be businesswomen. We also want to be great partners and mothers.
Juliet Mayhew: I think the greatest honour and the greatest roles I’ve ever had the privilege to play are wife and mother. And that doesn’t take away from anything else that we do, but that’s certainly where my starting point is. I think to be able to have the platform now to be on Housewives is a huge honour.
Amanda Cronin: Housewives is a brand, a franchise. When you think about where it started in Orange County and where it is today, rebranding is not ideal. But today, the Housewives are powerful women, independent and hard-working businesswomen, the face of modern women in society.
Why is it important to show the diversity of women on screen?
JM: We all come from different places in life. We’ve had different experiences, and it’s really important to focus on that uniqueness and celebrate it. We bring different aspects, different opinions, different passions, and I think it’s interesting for us to reflect and respect that.
KLP: Sometimes we think the world is so open and understands everyone’s culture, but there are still people in the world who aren’t quite educated about other cultures. So it’s nice for us to show our diverse, true, authentic selves, to educate others. We’re all people, and we can get along. And if you cut us, we all bleed. London is a melting pot of people from all walks of life – it’s a big deal for us to represent that.
How has London contributed to who you are today?
AC: I see her as a woman. She will chew you up and spit you out if you don’t respect her. You have to be careful. I’ve had to learn a lot from being in London. I came with no friends, no contacts and and had to make my way. She’s tough, but at the end of the day, London protected me when I needed her, and she’s always been there for me at a time when I had a situation where maybe I would have had to leave the UK and live abroad in Monaco. I chose London. She made me who I am today, but she’s a cruel mistress.
Nessie Welschinger: I was born and bred in London. So I spent all my childhood here. And obviously, I also come from immigrant parents who moved from Singapore and Egypt to find a home in London.
Growing up in a multicultural home and experiencing different walks of life, particularly in London, I truly believe that has shaped who I am today. That’s opened my eyes to the difference that London makes to the rest of the world. I feel like The Real Housewives Of London brings out the best of London.
Where does you confidence come from?
JM: My journey has been fuelled by my faith. I’ve been blessed with incredible parents who prayed for me and spoke words of affirmation over me from the day I was born. And I do that with my children.
I look to what God says about me, I’m uniquely created in His image. I’m a child of God. I sit at the right hand of Christ. That’s something that I hold on to, and it helps me every day.
Panthea Parker: It just always came naturally to me. I think I’ve been confident since I was eight-years-old, and I’ve never had a problem with it.
Even though I’m not religious, God is within me. I really believe in God deeply, and I think that things happen for a reason. I know it sounds ridiculous to say maybe God wanted me to do the show, but it landed on my lap. My Instagram – compared to everybody else’s, which is open – was closed, and they still found me.
If anything, I would say that this show has actually brought my confidence a bit down. I’ve just always lived my life being me, but in this show, sometimes just being you – with five Alphas – can start to play with your head.
The Real Housewives of London comes to Hayu on Monday, August 18
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