Putting together the right group of women to form the cast of any Real Housewives franchise is a hard formula to get right. The show, which has generated 21 different international versions, features a cast of glamorous women who let the cameras capture rows, budding friendships and outrageously luxurious lifestyles.
This week, London became the latest city to launch its version of the show. And when HELLO! met the cast for these exclusive interviews, it was clear that the producers had picked the perfect mix to make this latest incarnation a hit.
The cast is made up of the model turned beauty entrepreneur Amanda Cronin; the influencer and reality show star Juliet Angus; the Australian interior designer and event planner Juliet Mayhew; the fashion designer Karen Loderick-Peace, who has starred in The Real Housewives of Jersey; the high-end cake company founder and former investment banker Nessie Welschinger; and newcomer Panthea Parker.
Amanda says that being cast in the Hayu show was “something that landed in my lap”. The socialite, who is often referred to as having the “longest legs in Belgravia”, divorced the businessman Mark Daeche in 2019, leaving her to establish the skincare brand Amanda Caroline Beauty and the Secret Door Clinic in Belgravia.
© Sam Simpson/Dave Benett/Getty Im Amanda looked lovely in a glittering pink dress
“The timing is amazing,” she tells us. “I’ve got nothing to stop me. It’s not a secret that I’ve reinvented myself post-50; I’m a new person and I’m taking on new challenges. I have a whole new life in front of me and this show is part of it.”
The dating game
She is hopeful that gaining a higher profile will improve her dating prospects. “I do see it as a dating platform globally, and I’m hoping it’s going to get me out of my shell, because I can be at home a lot. I’m not going to meet Mr Right sitting at home with my poodle,” she laughs.
Amanda, 56, who has a daughter, Sofia, 28, and was most recently in a relationship with the former Wham! star Andrew Ridgeley, adds: “I hope I’m going to be an example of how you can thrive and change things up. I want women to be as confident as possible for as long as possible.”
© Sam Simpson/Dave Benett/Getty ImJuliet dazzled in a peach tulle-style dress
Juliet Angus – who tells hello! that she is “drawn to drama” – first found fame on TV, starring in the Housewives spin-off Ladies of London. She formed an instant connection with her co-stars and is hoping to do the same again.
“They really became family, so I’m looking forward to having a new strong group of women to bond with,” says Juliet, who is friends with Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
“I love them so much,” she says. “They’re the sweetest and they’re adorable. I see them at Glastonbury and at dinner parties, and I love their relationship and how cute and modern they are. I love that they’re a blended family – rules don’t have to be such big rules anymore.”
Princess Beatrice [and her husband] are the sweetest and they’re adorable. I see them at Glastonbury and at dinner parties, and I love their relationship and how cute and modern they are. I love that they’re a blended family – rules don’t have to be such big rules anymore.
The Chicago-born fashionista, 48, moved to London – along with her children, Georgina and Truman – for her husband Gregor’s work, and says she now has fewer concerns about what people think of her. “Back then, I was the new girl in town and I cared so much what people said about me. But as I’ve got older, I care less,” she says.
Which is fortunate, as the trailer for the show depicts a brewing clash between Juliet and Amanda. Although she won’t divulge what happens, she says: “We used to be very good friends. We have our moments… I bonded with some of the other girls that I didn’t expect to. You can’t be best friends with everyone.”
Shooting from the hip
Her experience matches that of Karen, 50, who has her own fashion label and is married to the former West Bromwich Albion chairman Jeremy Peace; the couple own five luxury properties around the world.
“You have to take everything with a pinch of salt and have a thick skin,” she says. She juggled her commitment to the show with her fashion range and her three children, aged 22, 21 and 14.
© Sam Simpson/Dave Benett/Getty ImKaren Loderick-Peace wowed in a glitzy white dress
“I have to manage my time in the best way I know how, because creating a brand by myself is not easy. I like a challenge and I work well under pressure,” she says.
Karen has already gained a reputation among the cast for being a straight talker, and she relishes the label. “I have to tell you how it is, because if I don’t, I’ll never get a good night’s sleep. It’s who I am, so you either take it or leave it.”
© Sam Simpson/Dave Benett/Getty ImJuliet looked stunning in a cream lace gown
Another busy cast member is Juliet Mayhew, 47, who runs a high-end events company while dabbling in interior design. A former actress, her circle of friends includes Holly Valance. “I’ve always told my children to take risks, so I felt I couldn’t say that without taking one myself,” she says of joining the show.
Juliet, who moved to the UK at the age of 12 and is married to the hedge-fund manager Antony Mayhew, says she “juggles life well” and “loves being busy”. She adds: “How do I find time? Give a busy woman something to do; they get it done.”
Her role in the show came at the right time, she says, as she considers resuming her acting career. “My priority was being a wife and mother, and I loved those roles, but with my eldest going to university, I thought it could be fun to do that again.”
© Sam Simpson/Dave Benett/Getty ImPanthrea Parker chose a gorgeous navy blue sparkly dress for the evening
Panthea Parker had attracted attention even before the show aired, after her husband, Ed Parker, a high-profile lawyer, jokingly said that the couple were told not to ask about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex while they were filmed en route to a party at Buckingham Palace.
“He is dying,” she says of Ed’s reaction to the scene. The couple often attend royal events and gatherings at Downing Street, but she plans to be discreet about this part of her life. “I have a lot of friends who are high-net-worth individuals and they were all like: ‘Please do not use our names!’ I’ve told them not to worry.”
However, she did reveal to HELLO! that she regularly sees the Princess of Wales on the sidelines at sporting events. “My son’s school plays against her son’s school [Prince George attends Lambrook], so they play rugby and football against each other.
My son’s school plays against Princess Kate son’s school [Prince George attends Lambrook], so they play rugby and football against each other.
“I do see her a lot, but not to talk to – just from afar. So classy, so lovely, and she never misses any of her children’s matches: so, really amazing. And nor do I, otherwise how do I know that?”
The sparky 50-year-old has a 30-year-old son from her first marriage and three children – aged 11, nine and eight – with Ed. And she says that her role in the show has given them a new outlook on their mother. “They used to think: ‘Daddy’s got the only job and our mum doesn’t work.’ Now they keep saying: ‘This is your first job.’ I’m very proud of that.”
© Dave Benett/Getty Images for HayThe Real Housewives ladies are making their mark on London
A newcomer to the showbusiness world, what does she think she brings to the table? “I never, ever lie, and I’ve always been this character that’s like Marmite. But you always need to find your tribe and they’ll know you for yourself. Those other people don’t matter.”
As for whether this first taste of fame will change her, she says: “Absolutely not. I love going to Costco and having my hair tied up with no one knowing me.”
New challenge
Nessie, 42, has been an investment banker, published a book and performed as a concert pianist – and has also raised three children with her husband, Remy.
But she says that starring in Real Housewives was the hardest role of all. “The other jobs were a walk in the park, compared with this,” she tells us. “I am a calm and level-headed person, so although everyone has great big personalities, I do come across as a mediator.”
© Sam Simpson/Dave Benett/Getty ImNessie looked wonderful wearing a pink lace dress
Perhaps her current career has helped her navigate this rarefied world; she runs The Chelsea Cake Company, which provides bakes for high-end individuals and made one of the late Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday cakes. She has also showcased her skills on Bake Off: The Professionals. “My cakes aren’t cheap. I ship them by private jet,” she says.
Despite her impeccable pedigree – she and Remy own a 500-year-old estate in the Cotswolds – she can’t wait to be seen on the small screen. “I’d say that people have surprised me, and I think you’re going to see a real evolution of friendships going through this show,” she says.
The Real Housewives of London will stream weekly on Hayu (or @HayuSocial) from 18 August.