Made in Chelsea series nine kicked off on Monday following last season’s tumultuous end. From Stephanie Pratt's controversial romance with Josh Shepherd and Spencer Matthews finally settling down with Lauren Hutton, it was sure to be a dramatic night.The evening started with Sam Thompson running through Chelsea to wake up Jamie Laing for a holiday away with the new cast mates; Jess Woodley, Emily Weller, JP (Josh Patterson) and Millie Wilkinson.Across the Pond, a sun-kissed Spencer is seen asking a bikini-clad blonde to drink champagne with him on the front of a yacht, before splitting off to join their other halves - Lauren Hutton and Alex Mytton.
The MIC gang cosy up while on holiday in Barbados
Back in London, Stephanie and Josh are moving in together and are already bickering over new furniture for their flat. Meanwhile, a single Jamie finally arrives at the airport and jets off to Barbados with the gang.New cast member Jess is clearly popular with Jamie and Andy - the friends fight for her attention. Noticing the competition for the blonde beauty’s heart, Spencer jokes: "In terms of sharking, Andy’s like a great white."In Barbados, Binky catches up with the girls and confesses that she predicts her ex Alex will cheat on his new girlfriend; model Nicola Hughes, as he has already slept with Jess. "He looks really good," says Jess while sitting at the pool with Millie, admiring Made in Chelsea's resident lothario.
As the sun rises on yet another day in paradise, the MIC group, named "the singles crew", are seen frolicking in the sea on paddle boards while Stephanie and Louise do a spot of shopping in London before being joined by Binky and new recruit, Fleur.Back in sunny Barbados, Jess opens up to Andy about her previous relationship with Alex following his split with Binky before a night of partying on the beach with the rest of the cast.
While the group of singles party into the night, Lauren and Spencer spend some alone time together before he awkwardly approaches the subject of moving in together. "I would love us to live together one day but can we not do a typical early doors relationship?" he asks before Lauren says that she will move her clothes out of his flat as soon as she can find a place to live. "How long’s temporary?" asks Spencer before comparing his girlfriend to his ex, Stephanie, and warning her that he doesn’t want to move in with her.Meanwhile, Andy has his eyes firmly set on winning over Jess but subtlety isn't his strong point. Noticing his growing infatuation, it doesn’t take long before Jamie joins Andy and Jess during their conversation to break up the budding romance.
Jamie and Andy compete to win over Jess
Over breakfast the next morning, Jamie jokes that he'd kissed Jess - much to Andy's annoyance. Before long, the boys are joined by Lauren and Spencer, having missed them the previous night at the beach party.
"You guys are pretty much married," jokes Jamie as Lauren admits to having made Spencer breakfast in bed. As the boys talk girls, the conversation swiftly moves onto Alex’s girlfriend.Comparisons between Nicola and Binky soon become the centre of the conversation, with Nicola described as "passive" and Binky dubbed "aggressive"."Do you think you love her?" asks Jamie before Alex admits that he might have told Nicola he loved her a few times before asserting that he has been faithful to his Irish beauty."I think I like her a bit more than Binks," reveals Alex, much to the shock of his friends.Later that afternoon, Jess catches up with Emily to discuss her feelings for Andy. "He’s not my type at all but I'm not like 'oh I fancy you so much'," says Jess as Emily comments that Andy is a nice boy, not like Jess' previous love interests."He'd be good for you – he's a generous soul," adds Emily.Back in teh british capital, Stephanie and Binky ask Josh if they can throw a moving-in party at Josh and Stephanie's new house, knowing full well that Josh doesn’t like to have people in his apartment.
Stephanie and Josh have moved in but are wedding bells on the cards?
"I don't want to have a party," says Josh, but he soon caves in to his American girlfriend and Binky.Meanwhile, Andy asks Jess to hang out with him when they get back in London. "I’ll arrange for Jamie to have a play date in a different city that day," jokes the singer before Jess agrees to a date back in the UK.As the rest of the London elite party in London, Sam Thompson accidently spills the beans to Fleur that Alex has admitted to the boys that he likes Nicola more than Binky.On their last night in Barbados, Spencer reveals to Jamie that he is worried that Lauren is slowly moving in with him and will never leave."I think I’m having a panic attack," jokes the Londoner to his Candy Kittens friend.
Spencer and Lauren spend some quality time together on holiday
The drama continues back in Chelsea as Fleur opens up to Binky in front of the girls that Alex has admitted that he loves Nicola more. Meanwhile, Jess opens up to Jamie that she still likes Alex."So there really is unfinished business?" asks Jamie, to which Jess replies: "Yes, but I’d never act on it." But in Chelsea, promises don't mean a thing when the MIC crowd are around.Made in Chelsea continues next Monday at 9pm on E4.