After only joining E4’s popular structured reality show Made in Chelsea in the fourth season of the show, Lucy Watson quickly became a firm fan favourite thanks to her withering put-downs.
She tells me it was intially a love of drama that drove her to sign up. “I studied acting when I was younger and I actually got into drama school in London. I decided to quit soon into the course, as it was very theoretical and I wanted to perform. When I was approached about Made in Chelsea, I thought about the pros and the cons, and for me at that time, there were more pros.”
After four seasons of the show, has being in a structured reality show lived up to her expectations? “I’m not really sure what I expected. It’s become a real family – we spend so much time with the crew and the team off camera, that is just feels really natural now. I was never nervous or worried, but obviously at the beginning it’s strange seeing yourself on television.”
Lucy’s time on the show has had no shortage of emotional drama. Having fi nally succumbed to the charms of fellow cast-member Jamie Laing and riding off into the sunset with him at the end of season six, viewers were stunned to discover at the beginning of this season that Laing had cheated on her only days afterwards.
Lucy recognises, however, that going through such emotional experiences in front of the cameras is par for the course on a reality TV show, “I knew that if I was going to do the show, I had to do it with integrity. I couldn’t predict what was going to happen, but my reactions to things are real. It’s hard to watch something back that’s emotional or difficult, but it’s the nature of the beast.”
What in particular has she learned about love and dating from her time on the show? “To not trust anyone? Haha. No, I think there are some valuable lessons, and that’s why the show is so popular, because it’s relatable.
“It’s really hard to walk away from someone in a relationship if they have cheated or behaved badly, because you can’t just turn off your feelings. But you have to set a standard and stick to that. If you make exceptions, you compromise your integrity. You have to know that you can do better.”
Watson pulls no punches on camera and few cast-members have been spared her no-nonsense attitude, particularly some of the more bitchy residents of Kensington and Chelsea. However, she wasn’t always so comfortable with speaking her mind.
“I was bullied when I was younger and at some point I decided to take responsibility for the way I was being made to feel. I have high standards morally and I judge other people on those. I don’t think in any given situation there is any choice other than right and wrong.
“I like to stay on the side of right, and I’ll make sure that my opinions are heard if I feel strongly about something.”
This season has also seen the shocking revelations that Alex Mytton had cheated on girlfriend and fellow cast-member Binky Felstead. Speaking from her own experience, Lucy firmly believes that cheaters don’t deserve second chances. “The relationship will never be the same and the person who cheats will fundamentally never change as they have got away with it.”
That was certainly Lucy’s approach to ex-boyfriend and resident MIC lothario Spencer Matthews, whom she ditched after discovery his infi delity. She admits that it is quite strange to work with both her exes, Spencer and Jamie.
“I would never have spoken to Spencer again had we not been on the show. It does force you to be in situations that aren’t always completely comfortable because we are both inevitably going to film together at some point.
“That being said, Spencer and I have managed to have an amicable relationship now, so I suppose it was a good thing that we had the time together on the show.”
In 2012 Matthews also appeared on The Bachelor, another reality TV show in which he had his pick of beautiful women vying for his affection. Lucy is suitably diplomatic regarding his decision to take part. “I think he was clever to take advantage of a commercial opportunity, although I’m not sure that he was necessarily realistic about fi nding ‘the one’ on a television show like that.”
Matthews is just one of the MIC cast-members to appear on another reality show, with Hugo Taylor also appearing on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!, and it’s not a career move Watson would rule out. “I have been able to achieve so many wonderful things, and meet some amazing people, so I’d never say never.”
The pressures of parading one’s private life in front of the cameras can make real-life romance diffi cult and Lucy is not certain whether, if she were to date someone not in the cast, she would want them to appear on the show. “I’m not sure. Ultimately, if I dated someone they would be a part of my life. The show is supposed to follow my life, so for authenticity I think it would be important to cover any relationship. Although, perhaps not in the early stages. There seems to be a disappointing pattern of couples on the show!”
