How to be a normal mum, with Sam and Billie (or, uh, not)
They’re just normal mums… honest
Ah, childhood sleepovers – that one opportunity we had to eat ourselves sick on midnight snacks and mess up Mum’s sheets with our DIY forts. Sure, it was a few years ago now, but, still, we’re pretty surprised to see just how drastically different the slumber party looks today – especially if you’re Sam Faiers.
Last week, the reality star took things to a whole new level, enlisting professional party planners to throw niece Nelly, five, a birthday do, with her brother Arthur, two. Her own kids – Paul, three, and one-year-old Rosie – were also in attendance.
Out were the old sleeping bags and torches, and in were professionally erected circus teepees, ornate lanterns, sheepskin rugs and personalised pyjamas. But while sister Billie,
29, was full of praise for the dutiful auntie, thanking her for “the best sleepover everrrr”, Sam’s followers weren’t so sure . Comments came flooding in, saying that, once again, the Faiers are losing touch with reality and cashing in on too many freebies.
“More money than sense,” railed one online commenter, while another replied, “She won’t have paid for it. The companies would have done it for free publicity.” A third chimed in, saying, “I get that people have money, but this is just ridiculously over-the-top and makes people feel inadequate. These two would sell their souls for a freebie.”
In fairness to their critics, there’s no denying that Sam, 28, and Billie do live a pretty lavish lifestyle, especially in comparison to their formative years on TOWIE. Back then, Sam was the glamour model whose power and influence took her to the lofty heights of VIP Sugar Hut access, while her sister played the supporting role of confidante.
But, nine years later, the Faiers live a life marked by eyewateringly excessive holidays, over-blown parties and various social appearances that earn them thousands in minutes, all plugged on Instagram. Meanwhile, they say they’re just “normal mums” in their fly-on-the-wall series The Mummy Diaries. It’s no surprise that some fans are losing their patience – especially since Sam’s OTT slumber do followed Nellie’s official fifth birthday party the week before – celebrated with a Greatest Showman-themed funfair, which included a big top, fun fair rides and a petting zoo. Again, Billie thanked every company involved.
Earlier this year, Billie lashed out at Phillip Schofield, after he implied on live TV that her and husband Greg’s Maldives wedding had been paid for with sponsorship deals. But soon after, Greg boasted in an interview that they had been sent to Cannes by Givenchy Beauty for the film festival, where they didn’t have to pay a thing.
All this has fans wondering just how much further the Faiers will go in their bid to become this country’s answer to the Kardashians. And how long will it take before they lose touch with reality for good? n