Nicole Sealey needs no introduction. In addition to being a powerhouse CEO and entrepreneur, since joining the cast of The Real Housewives of Cheshire in 2020 she has single handedly redefined the phrase 'show staple' for all of us.
Seriously, imagine a season of Housewives WITHOUT Nicole Sealey clashing with a bestie, annihilating a cast member with some epic side eye or leaving a dinner party nice and early? You can't, can you? Icon through and through, that's why.
Nicole recently sat down with John Reynolds, host of Extraordinary Life Stories for a rare interview about her life and career and, of course, we were some of the first ears to the scene.
As well as speaking candidly about her upbringing, career history and her equally iconic husband, Joe Sealey, she lifted the lid on her history with The Real Housewives of Cheshire, including opening up about the 'super awkward' 'casting tape' that eventually got her the coveted telly gig and her reservations about joining the series to begin with.
Nicole revealed, ‘The truth is I didn’t [want to join the show]. When I first moved to Cheshire – it was in their second year, I believe – and they reached out to me. I thought, “God, how awful. I don’t even watch reality TV.” I couldn’t think of anything worse. I’d never watched the programme.'
She continued, 'I was worried about how it would be perceived. It’s not something I wanted to do.
Speaking of the 'casting tape' that changed everything, Nicole explained, 'I did the casting tape and I was awful. I was absolutely awful. I don’t like pictures, I don’t like the camera, I was super awkward, I walked into the wall, I was like, “I’m never getting this gig.” I got a call from the producer at the time and it was Christmas Eve and he rang me and he went, “Yep, they’ve gone with you.” And I was like, “Okay” and hung the phone up. He rang me back and was like, “Is that it?”'
And the rest, as they say, is history (said while spinning around in a lavish ballgown, obv).
Nicole is currently filming the ten-year anniversary series with the likes of Rachel Lugo, Lystra Adams and Lauren Simon and recently returned from an epic celebratory girls' trip to Thailand.
She explained, 'What it gave me is you explore a different side to yourself and that’s what life’s about. I’ve got to 50, Housewives has been a part of my journey, how long that continues, who knows, but I’ve made some great friends, and I’ve experienced things that I potentially wouldn’t have done otherwise.’
And we've watched things we never would've done otherwise. So, thank YOU for the memories, Nicole.
Series 18 of The Real Housewives of Cheshire is rumoured to be returning to ITVBe this March.