Reflecting on Ten Years of Fame

Study and play. Come together on a Windows eleven PC. And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds. Get the unreal college deal, everything you need to study and play with select Windows eleven PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft three hundred sixty five premium and a year of Xbox GamePass ultimate with a custom color Xbox wireless controller Learn more at windows d. com slash student offffer. Law Supplies last ends june thirtieth terms at aka. mS slash collllege PC Welcome to We're Talking. In this episode, I look back at the only way is Essex Georgia Harrison, Georgia Kusulu, and Chloe Sims, exploring how it turned Essex culture into one of Britain's biggest reality TV phenomena. So let's start our ride favorite places. all of the UK and that is Ethics St can't beve' one of your favourite places in the UK It I think it's because it was first place outside of London Right? So I was working on celebs Go dating And I think during my first week, there was a scene that I filmed with Chloe Sims Tawi OG, right? where I had to eat Eel Pie mash liquor So can't make you done that It was like I would have just left the earill out. Everything else is absolutely fine. Apart from that, I think you got conned. All right, fair, fair Also, outside of the food, what I notice is that there's a distinct culture in Essex So if you think about what Essex culture means to you especially growing up. How would you define that? What was What was What was the environment like It was always very like very glamorous, very over the top, very flashy. there's a lot of actually really famous people that have come out of Essex, especially if you look at reality TV, a lot of people are from Essex. And I think it's just a lot of big personalities. But when I was in school, that was the era when Taui first started So I would have still been in school when it was first comeing to the screens. And before Towy there wasn't that many sort of reality TV shows or anything like that was sort of unheard of And that was when you could really see like the rise of people becoming famous for literally nothing around the area, driving around in nice cars, filming TV shows and actually being very wealthy off the back of it. And I think That is sort of the environment that I grew up in. Interesting. So did that influence you early on? Did you think, wow, I'd love to get a piece of this? Oh, definitely. I think a lot of my friends would be on a show like that. At first, when I was younger, I didn't always believe things were that eas easily be obtainable. L I didn't believe in manifestation or really myself that much And then my mindset began to change and that's when I used to think, you know, yeah, I would love to get a piece of this. you know what I mean? don't need any qualifications. All you need to do is turn up, have a good time, have a bit of personality and a laugh and you'll be like far more well offten Pret much everyone in your school year. Okay. So you got your wish I did, yeah How did you get that because it was it twenty fourteen. You were nineteen. You make your first appearance Yeah on Tawi How do you think you actually manifested that? How did you make it happen? So it's weird to say because it's not like I went up to ITV studios and knocked on the door and I was like, comeome on, let me on Tway, or even tried to position myself to be on there. I would literally just manifest that something like that would be really good for me. And I would imagine what my life would be like, you know, I would imagine myself getting packed. I would imagine myself being in front of a camera. I was just thinking, I think I just wanted to have a good time. I don't think I was thinking about anything, any next steps. I was just enjoying each moment. I was young, I was partying a lot. This for me was just let's see how long it lasts. Okay just let's hope it does. Let's have a good time. And let's have a good time, yeah. So on Twei, did you get paid Towei? Yeah, we did, but not a lot. So you would only get paid for the days that you filmed And that was only like two or three days a week Okay. And I can't remember how much it was, but it was low then. Like how much I'm trying to think roughly how much mightight it be been like a equid? P day? Yeah, per day and you don't film every day. I'm pretty sure.'t I'm not one hundred percent but I'm pretty sure it was that. Georia, you were losing money then. Well, yeah, because obviously as well, you're then having to keep up with all of these expenses because everyone looks so good and so glamorous And you can't work because most nights you'll get told at twelve o'clock that night what day you're filming the next day. So you can't commit to anything So how are you surviving financially at this point. I mean, I was just doing my best. I had a part time job as a shock gl So sometimes I'd be doing Tawi and then sometimes I'd be selling shots in like clubs in London. Okay. So Tawi then becomes the beginning of what looks like you've done endless television. Yeah I mean, you have all right tell me if if I'm off on this. so Twi. Love Island The violin all stars Celebrity SAS The challenge You've hosted a documentary. Yeah And celebrity X on the base top of the list. but I did it. Celebrity X on the. I mean so you've done all of these shows. Yeah, right So at what point do you start looking at reality television as a career And is there anyone that you aspire to be like One thing if you do want to have a career in reality TV that you have to do nowadays is I think when I'd done Tauwi, I only got about sixty thousand followers, but I didn't do that much with it That was when Instagram was first coming around And then when I got Love Island, which was a few years later, and it was massive, so I knew when I came off, I was going to have a very big platform regardless of how long I was on there. You could literally go in and breathe in that villa and you would come out an influencer.. And I thought I'm actually gonna to put some real work into it when I do come out. So I've always put a lot of work into my social media pages into doing my best to like study the algorithm, see what other influencers are doing, listen to podcasts about what's most successful on each platform, makeake sure to run multiple platforms at the same time.. And I think that the plan. The plan is if you can keep yourself relevant on social media then the other opportunities will follow in and around that. Yeah. I think this is something that is underappreciated by the public And that is I think a lot of people look at those who land on reality TV shows and think You know what? they lucked up got on this show and they got X number of followers, however many that is. and they got all these other deals out of luck. Yeah. And I think that people don't realize how strategic and well thought, right? a lot of these contributors are. And to your point is that you were consciously thinking, okay, if I do this show, here's what I can do. Here's how I can leverage it afterwards. 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And they said you'd be great. used two coming on together And we did. we walked straight in Mario's party together I was shking I was so scared. Where you? Yeah, becauseuse I was like, what am I doing She's seeing this guy And I'm just I was working in my shuck ago. You know, like I was it was so quick. I don't even think I signed a contract to be honest. I just kind of walked into this set and was like, oh, okay then this is what we're doing And I just went with it just went with it. Yeah, just It was crazy. You know, I find the not signing a contract It seems like that's what was done at that time. Yeah, it was just like Weere was just like, Yeah, just come on, just do it. So were youid wereere you paid then? Yeah, I think we was paid. I can't really remember, but I don't think it was very much, you know. I always kind of knew that I was going me and Grace was together, but Grace, you know had a storyline. She was seeing this guy. I was there for like moral support really. So you were like her supporting character. supporting character that she needed to get on the show, you know, So we needed she needed me to come on with, but I was kind of just sred because I was like, well we' doing? I had a boyfriend at the time, so I weren't there for the guys and I walked straight in and All the girls on Tw we just looked at us like why are they here? Be it was very like that back then. It was have used to come for our boyfriends. It was very like that. And I'm the girliest girl ever. And I was like H and they're not they're not high in me. They were just looking. And who were the girls on the show at that time? They had like the Gemmas, the ferns, all of the original girls, you know, Amy had left at this point and And I'm like And they were like straight for st are all scary gosh. And even for so that was your first scene on to How did you prepare for it I I remember we got ready in a pub downown the road. They That was the days where the producer told you nothing Nothing. It was very like it was so real to the point we're terrifying real They're like, what you going to do is you're going to just walk straight into that party. I'm like Sorry, they're like just walk. I'm like whereere are we? they're like, you know. I'm like what are we doing? just linking arms and we're walking. and I remember the heels on were like this high because that was fashion back then. And I was walking, I was thinking, Oh my God, please don't fall and my hair was big and it was just all a lot and I had this dress on. and I thought, what are we doing? And then We just walked in and that was it. whole our changes from that minute. Did it? Scary. Wow. So It changed, but how quickly did your life change I just got thrown in from that minute, like from that minute I remember thinking, wellow, I've walked in, I felt like I'd stepped into a different world I was I was so confident in my shop and I had my little surroundings and I had good friends and family and had a boyfriend. if it was like very content And then they've dropped me into this world where I don't really know I knew a few people from my school back in the day, but All of these girls I thought Oh, I feel like it's like It like war, but it was very like while here I couldn't believe it. I didn't experience that before. These girls are like, this is our show What are you doing? I was like, Me and Grace was like, o, Grace, what we do now? And I kind of didn't really think it'd last long. Not for me as well, because I kind of thought, well, I'm just here with Grace, you know? Sure. And I thought, well, what am I bringing What did you think you were bring? Moral support That was it? Oh yeah. So you never saw yourself as a main character. No, not at all No So then You're then asked to come back and back back and back and back. Yeah. And you're still running the shop at the same time. Yeah All right. Then he got trickK. Because I didn't realize that filming was six days a week. and you never knew your day off So how it worked was I'd get a text the day before And it would say you will be needed for filming tomorrow at twelve o'clock bit ofart dress glam he was always dressed gam And ab blah okay then I've got a shots to run. In the midst of this I decided to add some beds and h a hair station and a makeup station to the shop to make it the really one One stop shop Unbelievable, but that meant I had all this staff. I had so many girs in there. It was unbelievable, but I couldn't do both. It got to the point where I was like my dad sat me down. he's like You need to sell this shop. If this is what you want to do I loved it. I really enjoyed Tawel although that was terrifying. I found my feet of it quite quick. and he said, you need to sell this shop quickly before it goes under because we've got a lease on this And I did Sold it. whichich is such a shame in a way because actually looking back if I knew I was going to st toower or I kept it, you know it helped me, but I kind of didn't know what I was doing. I was like, oh, I'd go this path now, the path. It just it was like my path was here and then all of a sudden it went this way really quickly. I thought okay well, I can't do both. So let's get rid of that shot. All right, so you could double down focus on Tawi. Just focus on Tawei. So I'm sure you're starting to get recognized Yeah probably getting offered brand deals at this time. Yeah. right. So is what what's your goal? What are you thinking long term? or were you even thinking long term? No, I was more like, well, this is great I'm getting paid to Talk to my friends, wow I'm good at talking. That's what I thought I thought I can do this. This is good And I've really enjoyed it quite quick. and and I thought I'm going to go with it I'm just going to go with it and it kind of felt easier because there was less responsibility You know, having a shops although it's unbelievable was a big responsibility that. Yeah, Eespecially when I started having staff It was hard work then. Yes. becausecause staff is hard They don't come in and things like that and it it's hard and it goes girs, they've got dileamas and stuff So for all this is fun I'veving fun here with these friends And yes, I kind of I just threw myself into it. Okay. So what do you think made you good Just how we? Just being out of talk That is it, I think that not I actually don't know. All right, let me push you on this, right? You think about you went from porting character to main character. Yeah. to popular main character. Yeah.ould you say? Aoto, yeah. Yeah yeah. Oh that, Oh. Yeah then yeah. So What do you believe it was about you allowed you to do those things. I'm quite a nice person to be honest. I'm actually quite nice. and I like people which helps. And I naturally took on the role of Kind of like the agony on People I have a way that people open up to me quite a lot And they tell me things they probably shouldn't U because I could have just met her. They just tell me things I don't know why I feel like you have that about you actually. and people seem to tell me things and I would end up getting things out of them by purpose So the scenes we wouldd be doing would be so good because people would just open up and I'd be like, Ohh hang on a minute You just said you didn't want to talk and actually you just told me everything and And I become it has become this natural role and I like helping people So Straight or awayite, someone sad, I'm helping Sone's got a dilema, I'm helping They boyfriend problems I'm helping, they're happy I'm helping. I could then I would put in a lot of scenes and I could film with everyone That was my That was my superpower. Look at feel of everyone. Look at that. then I know also around that time that's when Pete Wicks Yet, he come on? Came on the show. Who else Chloe Sims? Chloe. Cloe was on there over a day and And Lydia, Lydia was on there And she'd left and then she'd come back on. and It was a good it was a good time to be part of that show. There was really good characters on there. Yes.es good.. We had Georgia Harrison on Georgia I got Georgia on the show. Oh, you did? Yeah. So she come on as my friend. Oh my goodness. Yeah So you knew Georgia just around. I knew Jordia we used to play out together when we were younger. She's younger than me, but she used to live down my auntie's road Esx that's what Essex looks like. So they said, we used to put people forward all the time and I said, I've got this girl, George, I think she'd be great for the show. And she come as my friend Yeah that. Yeah. lookook at that I didn't know that story. Yeah. ye Now land on Ty, this is the second series Okay. And I didn't realize this, but you know this. you were the longest running The history of Tawi You know how many series you were on And I'm gonna to say twenty nine Ding,ing, ding, d nine series Yeah twenty nine. And I was twenty nine when I joined. 's a series every year. Yeah. Gosh, now think about that. So when you think about how he There's so much that we could talk about But what immediately comes to mind? Because sometimes people reflect back at projects and They're uncomfortable with them. they don't w want to be associated with them. Sometimes they're very appreciative of what they did What's your perspective on your time with Ti But when I think of Taowei Diet is fond Fnd memories. It was hard, Paul Like I joined TV when there weren't a lot of roles and there weren't all these like You know, like they just it was different TV times. They put it that way. They was allowed to be little rascals Overall, I had a blast. I had ten years of an absolute blast. like there was a lot of highs and lows Don't get me wrong, but it can completely change my life overnight like that It had a lot of negativity. It was like a You know, bit of a seesaw U. As far as where I am today, I could never have got this without a tow. I would never have I wouldn't have this any I wouldn't even be sitting with you. We wouldn't know each other It wasn't for that You said it changed your life Overnight. Overnight. how so Well, I went on a TV show for two weeks, didn't tell a soul. I let it go out. Can you imagine what happened with my phone I didn't have any social media. I only had Facebook which I disabled because that was what advice I'd been given. Okay. And and one of the other cast members She made me a Twitter. I didn't even know what Twitter was. I didn't have it. She was like, you need Twitter and she set it all up and I remember my black ph going p me was like crashing 'cause it was so mental. this TV show just was so big And I had a very negative entrance again about my looks Becauseuse now I took it too far. So now everyone was like, o, look at her lips, look at her missing tooth. lookook she's this, she's ugly, blah blah blah. So I add all that negativity. Interesting But that's not Taoi's fault. They're just filming me how I was, you know But like the press, yeah, they were So a way to describe them. They was allowed to talk about us in any which way they was allowed. It was like a given then. They used to call me like car crrash Clubby and talk about my looks and like use really unflatroom photos, but I didn't really give a shit. I was making all this money. getting I was getting chased by ps Like me and Maddie were living, you know, like I was thinking I've done it. I've thoughted me and Maddie out, like we're good. You were like, I've arrived. Yeah, nextext minute I had a brand new car, brand new out the showroom. you girl that was stood in the shop you didn't have anything just paying a rent suddenly A how they o. I went off to LA started taking Magdie on lovely holidays. And I thought, wow, like suck of rags to riches overnight storory. Where does the money in the early time of Taui Where does the money come from? Because what I understand is they weren't paying you Though they they didn't pay in series one. In series two, they paid for your expenses. Okay, which was fifty pounds every time you filmed, not per day And at the time we were filming like six days a week B We was earning money from magazine interviews Pearearances and PAs. Lots of money see Money that I had't had ever So it's not lots of money compared to like what the Kardashians have got.. But a lot of money in comparison to what I had. Yes, yes. So I see. so as soon as the show hits the air It starts coming in. Yeah, like people wanted to do tans with me, clothing lines with me. plus you're getting given everything. Yes. So you're not even really spending as much money now. I didn't even really have to buy. st that stuff tell a like that did come later. The first season, I did make money, but this is a true story. When I joined I had my L savings And it was one thousand pounds. And I remember having to dip into that to get clothes originally because I needed the clothes to wear because obviously six days a week, I didn't have enough clothes for that.. So yeah, I remember dipping into that, but then I started getting my deals and everything for free. Interesting. Yeah But even dip, I would imagine because you'd been saving that for That thousand pounds was my like lifeline. that was my My nana always said always have something put away for an emergency and don't spend it. And even if I borrowed something out of it, I'd always put it back You know So and you dipped in to buy and some people would say, you didn'' to buy clothes But it seems like your plan was, no, when I show up on this show I'm going to make sure that people see me. Yeah, it was an investment. I was like, that was my life savings. And I lived above a cloes shop And then facing it was another cloes shop. and I was going in there and buying the dresses. and then eventually they said you ain't got to pay for them no more. Just do us a tweet And I was like, okay. And if you want to hear the full unfiltered stories from today's guest, you can check them out We need to talk page. Drop a like, leave a comment, and hit subscribe. See you next week. Pandora jewelry brings the sparkle to your summer. Now with even better prices. Enjoy up to fifty percent off select styles, from personalized pieces to must have favorites made for the summer. Timeless designs that shine with you through every moment, wherever the summer takes you. Shop in store or online. Now through july sixth. Terms and dition apply. Visit pandora. net for details. This episode brought to you by Google Chrome