THE Real Housewives of Cheshire’s series premiere on Monday night was always destined to trigger a Marmite reaction from viewers.
But – whether you love it or hate it – it certainly got the Twittersphere talking with tweets flying in for the ITVBe programme as the world got to meet the latest members of the Real Housewives franchise.
The show’s American sisters have already enjoyed success across the pond as it follows the over-the-top glamour and underhanded drama of women who have signed their privacy away for a shot on the small screen.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Beverley Hills, New York and Atlanta are just a few of the spin-offs to have already aired but, this time, the cameras are rolling a little closer to home.
The show documents the personal and professional lives of six of Cheshire’s wealthiest elite – or so we are repeatedly told.
Dawn Ward, Tanya Bardsley, Ampika Pickston, Lauren Simon, Leanne Brown and Magali Gorré are the six WAGS and businesswomen who have agreed to offer up their lives in the name of entertainment.
From pearl collars for pet pooches to visits to an ice sauna, the women are not shy offrom showing off their privileged and champagne-fuelled lives.
The debut episode centres around the Crème de la Crème charity ball, which was held in the grounds of Dawn and her husband former Manchester City footballer Ashley Ward’s Cheshire mansion.
The interior designer, who has worked on houses for several famous faces including Wayne and Coleen Rooney, modestly hailed it as ‘the biggest event of the Cheshire calendar’.
She has obviously never been invited to the Inspiration Awards held by Cheshire’s award winning newspaper, the Warrington Guardian.
But in true Real Housewives style, the drama ensued when Dawn accused Magali, who is married to ex-footballer and coach Dean Gorré, of asking for a free ticket to the fundraiser.
This was much to the disgust of Sunderland defender Wes Brown’s wife Leanne, who confronted Magali about her actions at the party.
But as far as animosity goes, the friction was tame in comparison to the catfights that have been captured on the American versions.
In the run up to the show, the cast has revealed they have ‘sharpened their claws’, which will come as some reassurance to Real Housewives fans who expect tempers to flare and thousand pound handbags to be thrown.
And with big hair, big houses and even bigger egos, there certainly won’t be shortage of drama to watch.
If you like glitz, glamour and glamour and a healthy dose of scandal, this is a slice of TV heaven to make Mondays all the more bearable.
The show is aired on Monday from 10pm on ITVBe.
