‘Real Housewives of London’ Stars on Season 1 Drama, Teethgate

The “Real Housewives” franchise has finally touched down in London, and its stars are promising piping hot tea and drama of royal proportions.

In the debut episode of “The Real Housewives of London,” which is now streaming on Hayu, viewers meet five of the show’s six lovely ladies: Aussie transplant and former Miss Galaxy Universe Juliet Mayhew; finance maven turned cake entrepreneur Nessie Welschinger; alum of “Real Housewives of Jersey” (another international spinoff) and fashionista Karen Loderick-Peace; skincare business owner and model Amanda Cronin and high-society socialite Panthea Parker. Juliet Angus — an American expat and founding cast member of Bravo’s “Ladies of London” — will be introduced in the show at a later time.

In just 45 minutes on screen, wealth is flaunted, personalities are revealed and storylines previewed. Cronin is presented as the ringleader, gathering the ladies together for an International Women’s Day celebration to tote her burgeoning skincare brand. Mayhew shows off her not-so-humble abode — complete with a tennis court — and drops some royal names, while Loderick-Peace is undergoing massive renovations to an already million-pound townhouse. Welschinger proves she has the best of both worlds by running down her past as an investment banker while baking a cake for Cronin’s party, and Parker establishes herself as a firecracker by drudging up the show’s first scandal. At the end of the episode, Mayhew and Parker clash at Cronin’s party over Mayhew’s loyalty to a dentist friend who Parker claims gave her son seven fillings instead of fixing his braces.

It’s all quite silly, but as Variety found out when catching up with all six Housewives in person, the incident clearly still strikes a nerve. As Angus says: “I can feel the tension. It’s palpable.” Read on for more about so-called “Teethgate,” choosing to be on “Real Housewives” over Bravo’s “Ladies of London” reboot and their favorite franchise iterations.

When did you first get the call about “Real Housewives of London,” and what was your reaction?

Juliet Mayhew: I got the call last summer. I was in New York with Caroline Stanbury — she was doing her reunion for “Dubai” Housewives and I’d been seen on her socials. I thought it was a hoax. She was like, “No, honey, they’re recruiting for ‘Real Housewives of London!’” I was like, “Are you serious?” She’s like, “Give them a call.” And I’m like, “How’s that going to work if you’re not in it?” Well, more for me because here we are.

Juliet Angus: Mine’s not so straightforward — I think it’s fair to say that there were two shows being talked about in town. So yeah, “Ladies of London,” which I’ve done, and this. And yes, they reached out last summer, and I thought I should probably be doing “Ladies of London,” but I think it just came down to the brand and doing something different. Why go back to something you’ve done before?

Nessie Welschinger: They tried to get in touch with me last summer as well but I ignored everything for six months because I thought it was a hoax. And I was also in New York and Juliet [Mayhew] called me and was like, “These guys are trying to get in touch with you, would you take their call?” And I said, “Oh, is it real?” And she said, “I guess so.” Then we had a chat, and the rest was history. I think I was their last hire.

Karen Loderick-Peace: When I got the news I was excited, I was over the moon. It was like Christmas, New Year’s and birthday had come early all in one. A pinch-me moment.

Amanda Cronin: I was also approached for another show, and then this came along. Again, I wasn’t really sure what it was all about, if it was real. And then I reached out and had a coffee with [the producers] and then the next day, I went on camera. I wasn’t expecting it, it did come out of the blue and I was looking at something else at the time. But when I found out it was the “Real Housewives” — that’s the real deal.

Panthea Parker: Same as me, I thought it was a hoax, so I ignored it for a few weeks and then they reached out again. And then they called me, and I was like, “Oh my God, darling, that was me 15-20 years ago, not now! You found me at the wrong time. What are you doing? No way, absolutely not. Do you know who my husband is? I’m mistress solicitor, I sit with lords, no way.” And I just laughed, and I went to dinner that night going, “They’re mad. Can you imagine?” I mean like, Kate Middleton comes to [my country estate] to come play rugby against my son. And yeah, then what happened is they’re very good at their job.

Were you familiar with the other “Real Housewives” shows and if so, what’s your favorite?

Mayhew: We love the Aussies, but I have to say “Beverly Hills.” That’s got some real icons and I think they really bring it. And to be fair, that’s really the only one that I’ve followed over the years. They’ve got some great personalities on that show, so I’ll give it to the girls — Erika Jayne, I just love her dryness.

Angus: I’d probably say “Beverly Hills” and “New York” — I’ve lived in both cities, and I’m a big city girl.

Welschinger: Oh, I love “Salt Lake.” I absolutely love the whole cast from “Salt Lake,” and Lisa Barlow gave me some great advice for the show as well.

Angus: I need to watch that.

Loderick-Peace: I love “Atlanta” and “Beverly Hills.” My favorite housewife is obviously Lesa Milan from “Dubai,” but I love Kyle [Richards] from “Beverly Hills,” because she’s been on the show for so long and no matter what, she just continues. And I just love that about her — her resilience.

Cronin: I love “Salt Lake” — I’ve watched it since day one, and I was very close with Meredith [Marks] before the show. But I also love “Beverly Hills” and “Orange County.” I saw them all in the beginning. I was a massive fan. Kathy Hilton, Kyle [Richards], Meredith [Marks] — and I love Mary [Cosby].

Parker: I’d never watched “Real Housewives” ever. I used to love “The Kardashians,” and then I got married and my husband’s like, “Your brain’s going to turn to mush.” But I did some homework, and I’ve watched all the original “New York” — I would say that’s the real deal, in my humble opinion.

Let’s talk Episode 1. Juliet Angus, we haven’t been introduced to you yet, but tell me a bit about what it’s been like being the American in the cast.

Angus: There’s a few of us here, and I know there’s a lot more wanting to come over. But I love waving the flag here. I’m so blessed to live here. I’ve lived in Chicago, L.A., New York, Montreal and I feel like this is home now. My kids were raised here, and I think this is such a great representation, this cast and this group of women, of what really London’s about. We’re all so different, from different parts of the world, we have such individualities to us — which really is what London’s all about.

What was your general reaction to the first episode?

Mayhew: Seeing yourself on film is always a big surprise for everyone. I think it was great how they managed to edit and give space for each of us to show ourselves and our personalities and our families. Let’s see how it unravels.

Loderick-Peace: I think production did a good job. When I saw it, I’m like, “These people are amazing.” I mean, the fact that it kept going in such a beautiful, organic way, and the way they show London and our homes and everything, they just make it look so beautiful, so flawless.

Cronin: I think Episode 1 was really important to set the scene and we just see London in its best light and the beautiful glamour and elegance of the women and of the way we live. I think we captured that, and then the drama as well. It’s got a bit of everything.

Speaking of drama, things immediately heat up between Juliet Mayhew and Panthea over “Teethgate.” Do you two have any regrets about how that went down or thoughts about how it was portrayed on screen?

Mayhew: I think I reacted the way that I reacted because I’m not happy about good friends being talked about. But it was brought to the camera, and we dealt with it as one would deal with it. We’re not all going to get on or have the same opinions on things or look at things the same way, so it is what it is. And that’s real; that’s reality television.

Parker: Yeah, that’s real. I couldn’t sit there and be fake, you know. Obviously, friendships take a turn and you expect a certain – if I bumped into her at other parties, she was never ever that warm. So yeah, she was just ever so warm that day — it was like my new best friend, and I’m like, “Oh my God, this is so not what’s been going on.” So it wouldn’t have been real if we had called each other up before this and sorted our problems. I guess the producers know what they’re doing. Maybe they wanted this, right?

Mayhew: I think six years is a long time to hold onto something, so I live each day as it comes.

Loderick-Peace: I don’t necessarily think the producers wanted it, because I’ve spoken to Panthea before and I think Panthea walking in the room and seeing Juliet Mayhew all over again, I think that’s where emotions start to run wild. So it’s not like production wanted it, because we were being genuine, we were being real. But I think for Panthea, that triggered a nerve when she saw Juliet and had to be in a room with Juliet. So I think that’s where it stems from.

Parker: I think we’re all at an age where we just burn bridges, move on, block, block, block.

Welschinger: Great question, by the way.

Angus: Literally, I can feel the tension. It’s palpable.

OK, moving on! if you had to describe the rest of the season in a few words, what would you say?

Mayhew: Adventurous.

Angus: Oh, God. Like, fight club.

Welschinger: I would say fireworks, good and bad.

Loderick-Peace: Earthquake. Volcano.

Cronin: It’s a rollercoaster.

Parker: Even more drama.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.