THE MADE In Chelsea cast were once the envy of every viewer – with their lavish party lifestyle, flashy Bentleys and swanky meals out at the hottest tables in town.
The E4 show has produced a string of big names since debuting in 2011, from the likes of Spencer Matthews and Jaime Laing, to Thompson siblings Louise and Sam and I’m a Celebrity winner Georgia ‘Toff’ Toffolo.
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Made In Chelsea insiders said there are whispers that TV’s poshest postcode is facing the axe Credit: Getty Images – Getty
The original cast featured a string of wealthy socialites Credit: MIC
It was once the biggest reality show on our screens, with fans desperate to recreate the posh lifestyle with trips to the Kings Road.
But in recent years, the once popular Chelsea-based show has struggled with ratings, and insiders have said the party seems to be truly over.
In the past, most of the cast lived and breathed Chelsea, but it’s become apparent that the new stars of the show do not actually live in the affluent West London borough, and instead live in surrounding areas like Battersea, Clapham, Putney and Fulham, among other locations.
A source has told us that this new age of cast members are instead trying to fake the lifestyle to some extent – but viewers aren’t buying it anymore.
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Insiders said most of the new cast don’t even live in Chelsea Credit: C4
Current show star Jazz revealed she actually lives in Wandsworth with her boyfriend
Our source said the show is holding onto the nostalgia of the earlier series’ Credit: E4
Original cast member Ollie Locke has also quit Chelsea for a the country amid financial issues Credit: Rex
A show insider says: “Made In Chelsea used to sell viewers a front-row seat to a world most people could only dream of but now it’s struggling to convince audiences that the fantasy is even real.
“The uncomfortable question hanging over the show is whether it has outgrown its own premise because if viewers stop believing they’re watching Chelsea’s richest poshest kids, what exactly are they tuning in for?”
Ollie Locke and partner Gareth have even moved out of their London townhouse for a place in the country amid financial difficulties.
While other cast members including Jules Pollard, Tristan Phipps and Jazz Saunders have all revealed they live in Wandsworth.
MIC icon Spencer Matthews became a breakout star on the show.
His brother James ended up marrying Kate Middleton’s sister Pippa in 2017, meaning they were mixing in the royal circle.
He wasn’t the only star of the original series that had some rather impressive links.
Former OG Millie Mackintosh, who appeared on the show from 2011 to 2013, is the heiress to the Quality Street toffee dynasty.
And Jamie Laing is the great-grandson of Sir Alexander Grant, who invented the iconic McVitie’s Digestive biscuit.
But now more reality stars are joining the show with recent appearances from Towie’s Demi Sims, Love Island‘s Chuggs Wallis, Casey O’Gorman and Tina Stinnes.
Former cast members like Spencer Matthews have royal connections Credit: Getty – Contributor
Millie Macintosh is the heiress to the Quality Street toffee dynasty Credit: Getty Images – WireImage
Our source said: “Once upon a time the cast were friends with Kate Middleton and looked like they’d stepped straight out of a luxury department store but now the drama could take place in any commuter town in Britain.
“The brand is still famous, but it feels irrelevant now, it’s like the show is increasingly surviving on nostalgia rather than genuine buzz.
“Every reality show reaches a point where it has to decide whether it’s evolving or simply repeating itself and Made In Chelsea is dangerously close to that.
“The danger isn’t that the audience disappears overnight it’s that people gradually stop caring, and that’s a much harder problem to fix.
“There was a time when the cast set trends and dominated celebrity gossip pages but these days the programme feels like it’s shouting to be heard in a much noisier reality TV landscape.”
When the show first started, it had a number of posh stars who paraded their wealthy lifestyle on telly.
Socialite Mark-Francis Vandelli was a big hit and quickly became a meme sensation.
Die-hard fans will even remember the time when he was oblivious to what a ‘cheeky Nandos’ was.
Meanwhile, his best friend Sophie Herman was also from a wealthy family, with her great-granddaughter having invented Mustang Jeans.
Despite many claiming to be from affluent backgrounds, some of the cast have been caught begging for freebies, which has shattered the illusion of their wealth.
Show star Binky Felstead was recently branded ‘shameless‘ after she was accused of requesting a birthday cake for her son for free in return for promotion via social media.
Earlier this year, Binky Felstead infuriated fans when she was caught begging for freebies in exchange for promo Credit: Getty
She appeared in spin-off Beyond Chelsea with Lucy Watson and Rosie Fortescue which returned for a second season but only aired two episodes Credit: Channel 4 / Rob Parfitt
This was followed by an illustrator who claimed that Binky wanted wedding invitations as well as table placement cards for free for her 2022 Greece wedding to Max Darnton.
The requests have caused online furore after the toe-curling exchanges came to light.
“The lavish lifestyles were once the hook but now some viewers question whether the glamour feels authentic enough to sustain the illusion,” our insider said.
“Even the spin off shows can’t save it – since Binky was exposed for all her freebies it put a bad taste in people’s mouths. But also, it really shatters the illusion that she’s rich and posh if she’s freeloading every five minutes.”
With the increase of reality TV shows across various streaming platforms, a source said that Made In Chelsea has tough competition if it plans to survive another decade on the box.
And the latest series’ finale was burned off in a later timeslot.
It used to air every Monday at 9pm, but it was then pushed back and aired at 10.30pm in a surprise move.
Meanwhile, new spin-off show Beyond Chelsea, which features former cast members Lucy Watson, Binky Felstead and Rosie Fortescue appeared to be aimed to bring back their loyal viewership.
But unfortunately the second series had just two episodes.
Channel 4, however, insist they still have faith in the format and it remains successful for them.
When contacted by The Jattvibe, a rep said there were are plans for another series of Made In Chelsea and filming will commence soon.
They said: “The last series was up year on year and proved just how much audiences love following the lives of the Made in Chelsea cast. We’re thrilled to announce that a brand-new series begins filming later this month, with more unforgettable scenes, friendships and big life moments still to come.”
Our insider added, however, that many in the industry believe the next series could be the swansong.
“When people start talking more about the concept than the actual storylines, it’s usually a sign a format is facing an identity crisis and the writing is on the wall.
“Reality TV is brutal and the moment a show stops feeling aspirational, it risks becoming a parody of itself.
“The sparkle that once made it must-watch TV doesn’t seem quite as bright as it used to.
“Of course, the show could turn things around – other reality formats have felt tired before and then have ended up getting a new lease of life with a cast refresh, but right now, it feels like the show is limping into its twilight era.
“It’s sad because for years Made In Chelsea felt like the party everyone wanted an invite to, but these days it’s like the music is still playing, but the room is getting emptier and emptier because everyone went home early.”
