After a 20-year wait, the UK capital gets an edition of the US reality franchise – and the results are as hellish as you might expect. It was worth the wait
It’s taken nearly 20 years for the American reality franchise to wind its way across the Atlantic to the capital. In the meantime, there were pretenders and near-misses – Ladies of London, Real Housewives of Cheshire – but now, finally, west London’s ex-model community has a viable retirement plan.
The delay seems all the more inexplicable, when you consider how to the manner born – if not to the manor born – these ladies are. Take Amanda, who lives in Belgravia, drives a Bentley convertible, runs an underperforming luxury beauty brand and is in a co-dependent relationship with her poodle-cum-stylist, Monty. Amanda has it all – clearly – and in the first episode’s first five minutes, she cements her status as RHOL’s Queen Bee by saying: “I’m actually a really private person.” Direct to camera. On a reality TV show. With a straight face. Now that’s a Real Housewife.
