The latest additions to the Made in Chelsea cast took part in an exclusive interview and photoshoot with HELLO! magazine. Amelia Mist, Verity Bowditch, Rosi Mai, Maeva D'Ascanio, Ollie Buck, Angus Findlay and Freddie Browne added a bit of tension and mischief to the existing cast, including Olivia Bentley and Jamie Laing. The humour and endearing camaraderie bode well for Made In Chelsea’s new magnificent seven – a vision of long, flicky, glossy locks, chiselledcheekbones and all-round model good looks – as we exclusively introduce the new posh posse on the block in the pages of HELLO!
But as we met the exciting new line-up – Amelia, 21, Verity, 24, Rosi Mai, 23, Maeva D'Ascanio, 26, Ollie Buck, 22, Angus Findlay, 20, and Freddie Browne, 22 – for the first time at the plush L'oscar hotel in London's Bloomsbury, there was a frisson of tension that promised fiery feuds and tumultuous romances. Sparks are set to fly between the chippy interlopers and MiC's established old guard, which includes Olivia Bentley, Melissa Tattam, James Taylor and Jamie Laing. "I'm hot tempered, have a strong character and need to watch what I say," warned Parisian Maeva.
"Sometimes I can't control myself. I've made some enemies already," she continued. "I'm not close to the girls who are already on the show – they seem a bit bitchy – and I can feel the jealousy." It seemed certain that Maeva would also light the blue touchpaper on some romantic fireworks. The fervent fashionista braced herself for conflict with her ex – MiC's handsome Miles Nazaire, whom she dated for three years before they split up a year ago. "I don't think he’s happy about me joining the cast," she said with an unnerving smile.
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"It's either down to jealousy or fear. I know a lot about him – it might come out on the show and destroy his image." When it came to cats among the pigeons, the youngest recruit, TV production student and model Angus, ruffled some feathers. "I think James [Taylor] and Miles [Navaire] are feeling threatened. Sometimes they're friendly, but then they don’t trust me and call me a boy. I keep a cool head and am not one to back down."
He couldn't wait to make his mark with the MiC girls. "I'm very single," he grinned. "Blonde girls with a quirky sense of humour are my favourite, and there are lots in the show." Ollie, meanwhile, was the kind of Prince Charming any mum would be happy to see on her daughter's arm. A bit of an action man with a passion for the outdoors, he's also a culinary knockout. "I took a Prue Leith course at school," said the strapping 6ft 2in former Millfield boy, whose old school chum is MiC's Digby Edgley. "Preparing a meal for a girl is my idea of a romantic night in." He added: "When I do settle down, it will be with someone who loves the countryside and doesn't mind getting dirty. I don't like girlie girls who take four hours to get ready."
HELLO! sat down with the latest cast members of Made in Chelsea
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On the love front, Verity certainly didn't keep anyone waiting: romance has already blossomed with MiC's James Taylor. "I had a boyfriend when we first met at a polo match," said the horsemad ecogeneticist. "But that didn't stop James from writing down his number and putting it in my bag. We finally got together last summer. I didn’t tell him I was coming on the show. When I saw his face as I walked into a bar, it was to die for: he was with another girl! I cried all the way home, but he apologised and we moved on." Despite describing herself as a "real-life Bridget Jones", marketing student Amelia was more interested in having a good time – and saving the environment – than meeting Mr Darcy.
"I'm a bit bonkers and a natural joker," said animal-loving Amelia, who owns a spaniel named Princess Leia Tatia Mist. "I also want to use my time in MiC as a platform for starting an ocean clean-up charity. I love nature and wildlife." Bringing a touch of culture to the show are offscreen friends Rosi Mai – a graduate from the Courtauld Institute of Art – and Freddie, a collector of Indian tribal art.
The pair's pastimes included "moping around the V&A and drinking tea", yet their cut-glass accents, immaculate appearance and aristocratic demeanour belie their passion for taking a walk on the wild side. "I've travelled from Bhutan and Oman to Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and Rajasthan. My ambition is to climb Kilimanjaro," said Rosi, who shares a flat with Maeva. Debonair Freddie used to work for the Elephant Family charity with Mark Shand, the late brother of the Duchess of Cornwall. "I was at Kipling Camp in India, helping the conservation effort by tracking tigers," he recalled. "I never knew how beautiful they were until I saw them in the flesh. All that power and beauty is stunning." Turning his thoughts to MiC, he smiled wryly and concludes: "I imagine it’ll be a bit like the mating of the tigers in India. There will be clashes, but great friendships, too."
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