Things aren’t as rosy as they seem in Billie and Greg’s home
It’s been a testing time for the reality star and husband Greg
Judging by Billie Faiers and husband Greg Shepherd’s Instagram accounts, they really do appear to have the perfect lives. After a fairy-tale wedding in the Maldives last year, the couple went all out posting snaps of themselves living it up on holiday, throwing glamorous parties for their friends, and having fun family time with their two children, five-year-old Nelly and threeyear-old Arthur. They also bought a huge house to renovate and turn into their dream home.
But, like a lot of couples, they are struggling with lockdown and the added pressures that it puts on them – and their life isn’t as rosy as it appears. Fans of The Mummy Diaries know that they have a fiery relationship at times – the couple are regularly seen bickering and rowing before making up. Now, we’ve been told that the arguing has only got worse during the past few months. “Quarantine has been quite tough for Billie and Greg, as they’ve spent so much time together – they’ve been rowing over small things and getting stressed about renovating their new house. Everything feels like a slog right now,” an insider tells heat. “Before lockdown, Billie and Greg both had busy social lives, as well as time together as a couple and a family. They always said that having their own lives helped their relationship, so they’ve been really struggling recently. They are also under a lot of pressure as some of their social media and promo work has dried up, and they have just invested in a huge house, which needs a complete renovation. This time last year, they were happy newlyweds. Now their lives are so different – like most people’s – it’s as though everything’s falling apart. They can’t wait to get back on track, as they don’t know how much longer they can go on like this.”
While they are loving spending more time with the kids, in an interview, both Billie and Greg admitted that things aren’t as perfect as some of the images they’ve posted on social media might suggest. Billie said, “Naturally, we’ve had our moments. There’s definitely highs and lows being all together with no space, but we’re actually handling it really well.” While Greg confessed, “I am grateful for more time with them, but it
has been testing. It’s well out of routine for us.”last week, Billie put up a loved-up picture of her and Greg, saying, “12 weeks in lockdown with you @gregory_ shep. I love you more than ever. (Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my Carole Baskin moments),” the last bit in reference to allegations that Tiger King star Carole murdered her husband.
But as heat previously reported, they’ve been finding the past few months hard, especially as they have the added headache of their big renovation project. Since buying their dream Essex home in January, the reality couple have been busy planning a massive overhaul of the property – while they remain in their current home – which is estimated to take up to 18 months and at a cost of over £500k. They have been charting their purchase of the £1.4m property on The Mummy Diaries, and even set up the Instagram page @homewiththesheps to show off its transformation over the next year. But after the UK went into lockdown, building work was put off, and Billie has admitted that she doesn’t know when they’ll start. They’ve also had complaints from neighbours, who have opposed some of their plans, and with work drying up for showbiz stars everywhere, the pair could be feeling the financial strain of their investment.
“When they bought the house, Billie and Greg had no idea how much would change over the coming months,” says our insider. “They were already pushing themselves with the renovation and, like everyone, they obviously now have concerns. It’s a huge project to take on, and nobody knows what’s going to happen for the rest of the year – whether businesses will still be able to afford to work with them, or whether they’ll be able to film The Mummy Diaries. They feel like they’re in limbo and Billie, especially, is finding it hard not having her nights out with her mum and sister and her friends to take her mind off their problems. Greg is a good listener, but it’s not the same, and she’s been missing having a good moan about him with the girls!”
Billie, 30, and Greg, 32, have been together for eight years and have had a lot of ups and downs, many of which have been documented on their reality TV show. Before they were due to get married in the Maldives, they had a huge row, with Billie even threatening to call off the wedding, before being calmed down by mum Suzie. But they always seem to get through their bust-ups and make sure they have lots of fun together as a couple and with the kids. And we’re told they’re sure things will get back to normal again once all this is over.
“Billie and Greg may have a fiery relationship, but they always make each other laugh and get on so well as friends, and that’s what’s kept them going over the years,” our source says. “Things are so intense at the moment, so they are rowing a lot more, and there is a lot of stress on them. But they know this isn’t a normal situation and that others are struggling, too, so they appreciate that they are in a better position than most. They just thought they would be halfway to getting their dream house sorted, taking on lots of jobs, going on holiday and spending this summer in Spain as they normally do. But everything is still up in the air, and that uncertainty will cause tensions and issues for some time.
The source adds, “But while Billie can shout at Greg and he can wind her up, she knows she’s lucky to have him. She’s hoping they’ll come out of this stronger and ready to start afresh.” ■
‘Everything feels like a slog right now’