MOVE OVER BERGERAC, WE’RE THE REAL JERSEY!
From pop singer’s mum to Trump pal, Housewife stars of new reality TV show who say...
ONE is the mother of a pop singer best known for failing to impress the judges on the The X Factor.
Another has rubbed shoulders with Donald Trump, while a third is a 57-year-old thrillseeker. They are among seven glamorous and successful women aiming to put Jersey back in the TV spotlight in a new reality show.
The Channel Island’s first small screen claim to fame came in the Seventies with Enemy At The Door, about wartime life under Nazi occupation.
But perhaps Jersey is still best known to many viewers as the setting for Eighties detective drama Bergerac, starring John Nettles as unorthodox ex-cop Jim Bergerac.
Now The Real Housewives Of Jersey hope to show viewers a different side of island life.
The ITV reality series aims to portray everything from its picturesque tranquil beaches to the glitzy party scene.
And yesterday the cast of the show, which will begin airing at the end of the month on ITVBe, was unveiled.
Tessa Hartmann, mother of British singer and X Factor contestant Tallia Storm, will be joined
‘Laughter, tears and plenty of glamour’
by businesswoman Ashley Cairney and natural medicine guru Hedi Green.
Fashionista Jane Rayner, socialite Kate Taylor, model Mia Ledbury and estate agent Margaret Thompson round off the cast.
A short trailer gives a glimpse into the women’s lifestyles as they are seen swimming in a luxurious outdoor infinity pool, getting off a private jet and, of course, sipping champagne.
ITV says the ten-part series ‘will follow the highs and lows of our marvellous Housewives and their families who all live life to the full on the island while bringing fun, laughter, tears and of course, plenty of glamour’.
It is the second UK version of The Real Housewives franchise – there are more than a dozen covering various parts of the US but the only British location until now has been the awardwinning The Real Housewives Of Cheshire.
Executive producer Mike Swindells said: ‘Having spent an incredible summer embracing all that the beautiful island of Jersey offers, we
can’t wait to introduce the world to this magnificent location and our raft of exceptional new Housewives.
‘As viewers would expect, the lives of The Real Housewives of Jersey are as complicated as ever.’
The entire series will be available to watch on the ITV Hub on the same day it launches on ITVBe, in the week after Christmas. Here we profile the programme’s seven stars.
1 THE SKYDIVING WARRIOR
She may be a 57- year- old mother of three daughters but that doesn’t stop Hedi Green skydiving, motorbike riding and paddleboarding. The ‘warrior of life’ has lived in Jersey for 35 years. A practitioner of natural medicine who believes in the energy of earth and healing, she has three clinics.
2 THE GREEN FASHIONISTA
Originally from the Midlands, Jane Rayner, 56, has been living in Jersey for five years. The fashionista is twice divorced and currently engaged – so hoping it’ll be third time lucky. Sir David Attenborough is one of her heroes and she is keen to do her bit to protect the environment.
3 THE QUEEN OF TRUMPS
At 58, Margaret Thompson is the oldest Housewife. She moved to the island when she was 18 and has worked her way up from pot washer to the self- styled ‘Queen of Jersey property’. Originally from Scotland, Miss Thompson was pictured rubbing shoulders with Donald Trump at a New Year party in 2016. Her dogs have their own following on Instagram.
4 THE DRESSY SOCIALITE
Kate Taylor, 51, has lived on the island for 30 years and has become well known on the Jersey social scene for her gregarious character and extravagant outfits. She is an ambassador for a number of charities and is into yoga and wellness.
5 THE SINGER’S MUM
Tessa Hartmann, 50, is the mother of singer Tallia Storm. She is originally from Scotland and moved to Jersey five years ago with her husband, composer and film director Sascha Hartmann. The couple began their PR agency Hartmann Media in 1996 and she has represented designers including Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren.
6 THE MODEL FROM DOWN UNDER
Former model Mia Ledbury, 44, originally from Australia, moved to Jersey only five years ago with her husband Dan and their two daughters. She is beginning to dip her toe back into the modelling world after taking a break to have children.
7 THE ONE REALLY FROM JERSEY
Ashley Cairney, at 31 the youngest Housewife, is the only Jersey-born girl on the show and a self-made businesswoman. She is married to Ben, her high school sweetheart whom she has been with since the age of 17, and the couple have two young children. They each run their own business on the island.