We're not allowed to have favourites here at Closer HQ, but if we were, you can bet your bottom dollar (we watched Annie yesterday as the weather was rubbish, FYI) that Real Housewives of Cheshire legend Tanya Bardsley would be one of them, and we genuinely don't have enough words in our word count to tell you why.
So here's our Tanya in a nut shell: her life is a real-life Cinderella story, she's down to earth, she's unapologetically who she is, she doesn't mince her words, she's one of the funniest celebs we've ever had the pleasure of interviewing, and above all, the mum of four has been to a place of real darkness on her mental health and sobriety journeys and has come out the other end determined to help others by sharing her story. It's giving Closer queen.
Tanya's also not afraid to spill the tea with us, especially when it comes to RHOCheshire, which she is currently a guest on. Tanya is the only cast member to feature on every single season of the ITVBe series since the show first started in 2015 (either as a Housewife, a guest, or a friend).
She left the show in December 2021 but returned for the 2022 Christmas special, and has been a guest ever since – so you know all tea-spilling is coming from a quality brew with this one.
While chatting to Tanya about her jewellery line (her meaningful jewellery is stunning, and each piece has a beautiful and empowering intention behind it), as well as Look Eleven Hair Extensions (of which Tanya is part owner), we of course, had to quiz the reality star on the show's plans for the upcoming ten-year anniversary as 2025 marks a decade of RHOCheshire.
It was clear that Tanya wasn't allowed to spill all the tea on what ITVBe have planned for fans, but she did reveal that the team are working on sending the ladies on a trip to celebrate the milestone later this year as part of a new special (à la Christmas Cruising and Pride).
She exclusively told Closer online, "We start filming this year, like a little special for the ten-year anniversary."
Tanya continued, "[Producers] are being very hush hush at the moment. We actually don’t know [where we're going or what we're doing], we’ve just been told to some dates to keep free. I know they were looking at a long-haul trip, but it’s all changeable. There’s a lot of planning that has to go into it, because we went to Mexico filming two years ago and we ended up in a hurricane, so it all depends on weather… yeah, there’s a lot of planning for the team, bless them. We’re the last to know once everything’s sorted out.”
Tanya made the decision to step down from the show at the end of 2021, after six years as a Housewife. Speaking of the decision to walk away from the show, she told Closer online, "I’ve always loved Housewives anyway, but it all just became too much… the older my boys have got, because two are signed to a football club and it’s a lot, so I’ve just got to help them follow their dreams before my own."
And speaking of her new role as a guest on the series, Tanya added, "I love it, because I can pop in, I don’t have to get involved in any drama – I can have all the fun and then I can leave. Or I can come in, drop a bomb and then f*ck off. I love it. It’s the best job in the world. I love it.”
Visit https://tanyabardo.com/ to explore Tanya’s range of meaningful jewellery.
WATCH: Jessy Potts reveals why she and Joey Essex got in trouble in the Love Island villa
Ben Pulsford is a digital writer for Bauer Media, writing for both Closer online and heatworld. When he's not getting paid to gossip about Big Brother, Love Island and The Real Housewives of Cheshire, he's storming the London LGBTQ+ scene as drag queen, Beary Poppins. Both Ben and Beary are awaiting an invite to join The Real Housewives of Cheshire for series 18. The budget's not there, but the drama is 💅