Mention It All - “Here Comes The Queen” Ft. Caroline Stanbury

Episode Date: May 30, 2022

Dylan is joined by Caroline Stanbury, who is about to make Bravo history by making the jump from Ladies of London to the brand-new Real Housewives of Dubai. They start by discussing the roller coaster of her life since we last saw her on TV, and her process of getting involved with the new show. Then, Caroline shares some insights about the other women on the cast, and what she loves about living in Dubai. She also reveals who was invited to her wedding, and dishes on her friendships with other women on Bravo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the Mention at All podcast. I'm Dylan Hafer, and today I am very excited to be joined by one of our favorite Bravo Labs from the past, and now she is back. Please welcome Real Housewife of Dubai, Caroline Stanbury. Hello. Yay. Wow, what an introduction. Thank you. Yes, I'm back. I don't know where I went, but I'm back.

Well, I don't know where you went. We know where you went in real life, but you were not on our TV screens for a few years there. And let me tell you, people wanted you back. Oh, so nice. It's so nice. Considering I went to such a foreign land, I was like, okay, you sort of think you're going to go into the abyss, the hall of old housewives. But I'm back. Yeah, I'm back. I can't believe it. when when ladies of London ended like what was it six years ago now did you did you always kind of think that you wanted to find a way back or was that kind of put out of your mind when you were in Dubai I always wanted to find some way back and some sort of like I wanted to do TV I knew I wanted to do that but I have to say I put it a little bit out of my mind when I was in Dubai because because obviously if I'd moved to the US, it would have been more of a possibility in my head. Because I had so many friends on so many different franchises, I was like, okay, you know,

but my ex-husband couldn't move to the US. And then I was like, you know, it's one of those things. Like, could you go and then I get on one of the other ones? And then I was like, you know, when I got to Dubai, I was like, okay, it's not going to happen. And that was it for me, you know, in some way, you know, I never thought that I would be doing housewives of Dubai. I thought I might be on Housewives in America, yes. What was, could you walk me through the process of how you first got involved or how you heard that they were considering doing a Housewives show in Dubai?

Because it's so new for Bravo to do something like this in such a foreign country. What was the, what was the process there? So the process really was that, I mean, Dubai is tiny anyway. So if you're going to find Housewives in Dubai, there's only a few of us that would ever be up for it at the beginning. Because I think it's quite a scary thing to do over here because it's so new. And weirdly, I was already looking at doing quite a few shows that come here with the production house on another side of their production before they were brought in

to make housewives. So I think it was like a happy accident, to be honest. And how long ago was that first conversation? that you had about doing housewives? Like, what was the timeline? Oh, my God. Maybe a year, I've got the world. I don't quote me.

I've got the world's words. I've got a story. I don't know. Whenever they started talking to everybody else, I actually, about a year ago, I would have thought, it moved really quickly.

Got to be honest. I was actually shocked. In TV world, things normally go quite slowly. And there's, you know, Dubai is suddenly gone crazy and everyone wants a TV show here. but all my other friends that have been approached by other networks to do shows and things like this over here,

they're still like, they're barely got green lit. We've already made it and we're coming out. It's bizarre. Well, I'm sure it didn't hurt once they got you on board that they knew there was going to be that Bravo fan appetite, knowing, because people for a long time have asked for a ladies of London, come back. And I think, you know, you've said, and I think everybody agrees that wouldn't really make sense if you weren't there. So having you on Housewives of Dubai, I'm sure, kind of helped ease the process along. I don't know. I've tried to. It's a bit of a catch 22 for them, I think, because I think if I'm not wrong, I'm the first

person to jump franchise ever in the history of the channel. So I don't think it's something they're used to doing, taking someone back. And I think, yeah. So I don't know whether it was like a big factor for them to get all excited about doing this. Sorry, I'm in my house. Everybody, daughters, husbands, dogs. You have a lot going on in your life,

but that's what we're excited to see. Well, I tried to hide in my bedroom, but it's not working. Speaking of everything that you have going on with your family, you got married last year. Congratulations, by the way. You looked beautiful. Was there any hesitation

bringing your life onto the show at this point, knowing that so much has changed and, you know, just everything that comes along with being on TV? No, this was actually when I did get picked to do it, I was the most excited because in my old life, I had to, you know, my ex-husband really wasn't a willing participant, and that makes it quite difficult.

And I think that you'll see quite a different side of me. And I'm excited for you all to see such a change in an older woman, you know, where I think that society, he sort of taught us that we should be hanging up our, I'm what, I'm 46 now, hanging up our shoes and sort of, you know, knitting by now. And I'm starting a whole new life in Dubai with my, you know, much younger, gorgeous husband. We, everybody loves your much younger, gorgeous husband. I feel like he gets a lot of attention on social media. Oh, well, he does, he does from me. I'm, I'm just, I mean, he always cheers for me. So I cheer for him. I think I cheer more for

because he gets quite a lot of shit for dating me. I think people think I keep him locked up in a dungeon somewhere. And he has no way of leaving this house ever. So I want to put it straight that he has two legs and he's here on his own free will. And he's not going to be sending help signals through the TV screen. We'll be watching closely to, we'll get like a body language expert in here.

If you're being held hostage by. Yeah, I know, it is so fun to get to see kind of a new side of you. Because Ladies of London, it felt like Housewives in a lot of ways, but it wasn't Housewives, you know, they didn't, for whatever reason, they didn't make the decision to put it in the Housewives franchise. I think that had a lot to do with us, by the way. I think we were sort of as well. I mean, from what I heard, I mean, maybe she was wrong,

but I heard that Caprice, who sort of was a big, was doing it at the time, didn't want to be part of Housewives, just because I think, you know, and they wanted to sort of, they thought she thought it would be elevated the brand. I mean, you've got to understand in the UK, we didn't have any reality TV to be fair to her. So, you know, Housewives was a lot of, back in those days,

there was a lot of table flipping, right? And all of this, we're all English society and everyone was shocked by it. So I think that that was more of a thing that we all sort of begged not to be on Housewives. But Housewives has changed quite, a lot. And, you know, we've got Beverly Hills and you've got, you know, much more sophisticated level now, I think, of housewives. Yeah. And I mean, where's Caprice now? Certainly. Not on,

housewives. No, she's not in my house either. I feel like Ladies of London, during the pandemic, it felt like a lot of people discovered it for the first time and were watching it. And there was so much more kind of attention and conversation around it. And so now I think especially knowing that you're going to be on Dubai, it's like people just love talking about Ladies of London and that everybody in that cast, so many interesting people, so much going on. And I loved seeing that a few of them were at your wedding in December. Quite a lot.

I had bubbles. I had Sophie. I had Caroline Fleming, Juliet. That was it. Was anyone else invited and couldn't make the trip or was that? Yes, yes. I invited Marissa. Sadly, she couldn't.

You know, it's 17 hours for her. I totally get that. And no, I invited all of them. I didn't invite Adela. I've got to be honest. I'm pretty sure I invited, I may not have invited Julie. I can't remember again. Pleading the fifth, don't know.

Well, Julie would have had to bike there. So it would have been tough for her to make it. all the way to Dubai. She definitely would have biked here, yes, yes. Or she'd have been strapped to the wing of a plane somehow.

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person's spring treat. It's time for a trip to Ross. Work your magic. Getting back to your new show, to the Dubai cast, did you recommend any of these ladies or was there any process like that? And like, who did you kind of know the most before you started filming? I didn't. Actually, none of the people I recommended got in. Um, so I didn't recommend any of them. But, um, I'm very happy they're there. I knew so, I mean, I don't know how far down the line I came. I could have been halfway down the line they'd already chosen them all. I've no idea. So I've never discussed it.

But Sarah, I knew really well. I knew Nina really well. And the others I all knew, well, you know, from the social circles of dinners and, you know, parties. This town is small if you're in that sort of upper echelon here. Everybody kind of knows everybody. But I've done a few events with Sarah and Nina. actually. And I'm, you know, Nina was quite wobbly to come in because she's, I call Nina, she's very so spirit. I call her, I call her like Tinkerbell. Every time we fight, she sort of

grabbed sage and sort of goes, please be quiet, please. And you're like, oh, for fuck sake, Nina. You can't hear. So, you know, Nina took some handholding to make her do it. I'm, you know, and I spent a long time coaching her through to get on. And now she's, and now she's, she's here. She's fine. She'll be fine. There's always that sort of first season thing where one or two people in the cast maybe don't understand quite what they signed up for.

And it's like... It's absolutely brilliant. It's absolutely brilliant. It's just going, oh, I haven't seen anything like this before. Oh. It's just so funny. I'm like, oh, I shouldn't laugh, but I'm laughing. It's like, no, babe, we're sitting at the dinner table and we're going to talk about it.

Like, that's what we're here for. We're just going to flip this, but we'll be done in a minute. We'll all sit down. We'll all be fine. No one got hurt. Yeah. She said, but I have to live here. It's amazing.

She's going to be great TV. Yeah. And Sergio is going to be amazing. There are going to be so many memes of that man. I can't even imagine the stuff that comes out of his mouth just because of the language barrier. And, you know, and then the, the girls are all just very, very fiery women. Very fiery women.

Is there anyone that you think might kind of have a little bit of a rough season, like when we're watching that they might not be ready for how people are going to react to them? No, I think, I mean, not because it's going to be horrible for them, but I think, I think, funnily enough, Brooks is the one that's holding on through, you know, what do you call it? looking through her fingers going, oh shit, did I say that? Did I do that?

Because I think she's found it the hardest going, you know, all the stuff's come out of her mouth. But at the same time, she's got good humor about it. So I think she's sort of watching it like it's a roller coaster. No, maybe Chanel. Maybe Chanel. I don't think she's used to it either.

Like, I think she gets a little nervous. I don't know. I think it's cool on your cast. You have women from so many different backgrounds, like obviously from different countries and different continents even, and you've all ended up in Dubai, you know, through these various routes in your lives. What do you think people are going to be surprised to learn kind of about the culture in Dubai or about the type of women that are in this society? Well, that's why I think it's so fascinating because, honestly,

Dubai is such a, you know, new town that everyone here has made a conscious decision. No one's from here, if you sort of mean, no one grew up here. So everyone's made a conscious decision to come here. And I think that everyone that's here has a story, which is quite incredible. And there's every race, every nationality and every religion. You've got Jews, Muslims, you know, everyone living under one roof, every color of, you know, person, people here. It's insane. It's so nice.

It's like it's such a melting pot of sort of cultures that living together, like, honestly, you turn one corner and you're in sort of I don't know, something that feels like China down. And the next corner you're in like, you know, you've got covered mosques. It's just, it's bizarre, but it's, it's like, it's great. And what can I say? It's really great. And I think because people have come here like this, I mean, you know, that's why I'm so worried about housewives coming out because, I mean, I just think it's going to be,

everyone's going to be like packing their bags and moving him, which is a nightmare. So if you could all just stay where you are, that would be great. but what the cultures it's just it's a very very safe well you live like you're on a holiday you're going to see you live like you literally on holiday every day yeah and do you feel like you

have become like more of yourself in Dubai than you were when you lived in London do you feel more at home there or does it still feel like kind of a foreign place to you no I'm very at home here very very at home here, but I think when someone goes through a divorce, you don't get divorced overnight. You've sort of thought about it for quite a long time. And Dubai's allowed me to be completely who I wanted,

because I, you know, I came here. I've gone through my divorce. I've gone through the hard bit. And now I'm sort of in that stage in my life where I'm going to do what I want, when I want. So poor Sergio had to sort of meet someone that was already on this like, well, if you don't like it, get off the train. So, you know, kind of phase of my life. But in a way, that's so good for, yes, I guess it's just made a much more relaxed me. I don't worry about being on, you know, what I say when I say it, because I don't care. I've only got myself to answer to, haven't I? I love that.

And I feel like the, with having like a brand new group of women on the show, like it is so many new personalities to discover. And even though we already know you from another show, you are in a completely different place in your life. So it's not just like, oh, like she's back and exactly the same. No. And that's what I actually is going to be so interesting. You know, like I watch ladies. I mean, I haven't watched it for years. But when I watched it, it was on the other day, actually.

I watched one episode. I can't remember why. And it's so hard to remember because I am so different. I have, and my ex-husband said it was like being married to nine different women. So I think, you know, I really. do reinvent myself all the time. And I'm a completely different human to what you would see on that show to this show, which is amazing. And it's great for me because I'll be able to keep it. Whatever happens, I've got this as a memory, don't I? For the rest of my life.

And it'll be a memory for all of us, too, because we get to watch it on TV every week. So, you know, was there? Did you feel like pressure coming back to a new show, like, that you pressure either on yourself to sort of bring this new show to success or just pressure to kind of, I don't know, to like perform because you hadn't done it in a while? Well, look, this show I think was coming with or without me, to be honest. I'd like to say it was because of me. I'm not sure it was. So do I think that it was, I don't think.

you can hinge a show on one person. Otherwise, I would have just done a family show, which is with me and my family. So could I, do I feel the, of course I feel pressure because, you know, coming back is a big thing. Everybody sort of, you know, knew me one way. I'm coming back in a totally different way. I don't know these girls as well as I knew the girls

on my last show. Obviously, they were my family. So it was very different way to deal with people. So obviously, if you, You knew a little better. You knew the beast, you know. And a lot of times when people get on TV or do things, they can change. You never know.

Or, you know, when you're forced together all the time, you know, normal life, you sort of don't see each other for a month maybe, right? Or three weeks. You get on with your life. If you, you know, so sometimes when, you know, when you're in a show like this, it's a pressure cooker. And you don't know how people will react and all of these kind of things will react to me. You know, oh, here comes the question.

Queen. Here comes the one that thinks she's done it before. It's like the first day at school. You know, it can bring out the best and people, the worst in people. So I don't know. You know, I tried not to think about the fact I'd done it before. I never spoke to the girls about my last show. To be honest, I really didn't because I just, they never, you know, really asked me.

So I never really said. So I don't even know, you know, it's not really something I lead with. And this, as you said, this is a totally different show. So it's not like. I mean, I hope everybody likes me again, obviously. But they may like someone else better. What can you do? Ready to soundtrack your summer?

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Watch only on Prime. That's interesting talking about coming into this new cast. And obviously, I'm sure they all know whether or not they bring it up that you've done this before. Well, they do now. They absolutely do now. Had anybody sort of like asked you for advice about doing this kind of process or maybe now that the show is coming out, kind of how to handle the publicity of it? Nina. Nina asked me everything.

She went through quite a lot because Nina's, Nina's somebody who she doesn't like to take the leap of faith. She'd quite like to wrap herself in cotton wool and, you know, just go, just sort of go straight. So this is a big leap of faith for her. She asked me a lot about it. And, you know, I was always, I always said, look, I'd have her back and that, you know, even if you don't like it after a, if she didn't like it after a season, you can always leave. It's harder to get in than it is out, right? And, and I, and it will. always be something she looks back fondly on if she doesn't want to continue. And now I think, you know, I think she got that and she's in it. I think, you know, you can never tell someone how

it's going to go because you're not in their lives. You can't, it's a, it's a, it's a funny thing. It's so, it's so, um, individual. Right. And people, especially people that we see on these shows over the course of time for a lot of seasons, they are, their lives can change so much. Like, even if you had stayed on, if ladies of London had kept going and you had eventually maybe gotten divorced on the show, like that would have been a whole thing that you had to deal with. So if somebody had told you, this is how it's going to go for you, that still would have gotten turned upside down. Thousand percent. And that's the point. And if you had told me back then, I was going to get

divorced and marry someone 20 years younger than me, I'd have told you you're ready to be committed with me, probably. It kind of reminds me, I know that you are friends with Larsa Pippin, and we saw her kind of do, not the same thing as you, but it sort of feels similar. She was on Housewives such a long time ago and then came back this year. And she was on Housewives of Miami season one in like 2010. No way. I didn't know that. Yeah.

And then she came back for the new season. and obviously, you know, her marriage ended. She's in a completely different place in her life. And I think watching it, it was kind of like a breath of fresh air. It was like, oh, this is a totally new Larsa. And she seems like she's kind of living her best life. And so that kind of thing, like you can go through so much change and really be in a better place. Larsa is a complete battle.

I absolutely love her. She's just very misunderstood. And I think actually when I did my podcast with her, people were like, oh my God, I did not know she was like this at all. She has a very, very sort of straight head on her shoulder. Her choices of men have always been a little bit questionable. But she loves Sergio, loves him. They get on so well. They're like brother and sister.

They're really sweet together. She's, yeah, she's gone through a lot, a lot together. where she is and she has stood her ground which I'm super proud of because many women would have you know buckled under all the things that have been said about her and all the you know rubbish that's been written about her and gone back to the ex-husband and all of this but she stood for what she wanted and she felt is right and you know at the end of the day you can't last someone for that you know she was married a very long time did she sort of see a few people in between yeah as she should. And as in now, after the marriage, not in the marriage. And, you know, she's had a great time.

And I think now she's ready to find Mr. Wright. But it's not that easy in Miami. Yeah, Miami seems like a like a tough spot to find Mr. Wright. I got to say. Easy. Not easy at all. She wanted me. I was meant to go actually and do a sort of visit with her when she was filming on my way to, where was I going? L.A. I was going to stay with her for a week. But then I can't remember why. I think COVID probably put the damper on it and couldn't get there. You mentioned that you have friendships with a lot of women from different casts on Bravo. Who are some other ones that you kind of keep up with the most? Dorinda, Meredith.

What else have I spoken to? Lisa, I don't speak too often, but, you know, she always text, like, when she's in London, or she just texts me when I got the show. So think, you know, Lisa Rina, but I love her. she's always a giggle. And then just, you know, then I just know the others. Like Sonia, Ramona all text me. Everyone's really lovely, but I probably see Derinda the most or Larsa.

I loved when we saw a couple seasons ago, Luke Henderson was on Real Housewives of New York working with Derinda. And everybody was like, oh, ladies of London, Luke, Caroline. He does. He works with Durinda and Bettina, I think. Yeah. We always love seeing a little Luke pop up in the background. Bubbles. Now that, I mean, you have all these Housewives friendships.

Now that you're in the Housewives universe, we got to get you on one of these Ultimate Girls trips. Oh, my God. Someone else just said that yesterday. I mean, I haven't even done season one of this. I need to go on a girls trip. What it, is it every year? Or is it, I thought it was for like, like, oh, geez.

What is it? Well, they did. The first one was last year and it was more of an OG thing. And then now they're doing this one at Dorinda's house. And it's all, it's all like ex-wives. So. Yeah. So, no, I think I have to,

then I have to be on a little longer before I can go on one of these ultimate girls trips. I've only been here back, back a season. I don't know who's making the rules over at Peacock, but I'm sure they can, I'm sure you'll have a contract in the mail before too long. Okay. Thank you.

put that down to you when I'm flying off to some gorgeous destination with the whole old of housewives. And we got to get you at BravoCon in New York in the fall. Oh, yes. I know. You know what? I always got sent lovely videos from BravoCon when people kept saying, asking for me to come back.

That was really, really nice. I got sent a couple of those when Andy was on stage and people said, ladies in London and then my name was really, really nice. I've never been. Yeah, well, because they only did the one. And then the pandemic happened. And now we're finally, we're finally coming back. And just in time for Dubai to hopefully make a little appearance.

Because I'm sure after the first season, everybody's going to want to see you guys in out and about. Well, I hope. I mean, you've seen episode one, I presume. So I can't wait. I'm very excited for everyone to see it. Totally. I think they're going to fall in love with it. I think so, too.

And is there anything? else that you are really excited for people to see, or maybe a little nervous for people to see from this first season that is coming out? Nope. I'm ready for it all. I, you know, like, honestly, the good, the bad and the ugly is, I'm very open. There's nothing really shocking. It's just, it is just life, right? I mean, everyone goes through swings and roundabouts.

I think it just went so fast for me because so many life, you know, life matters sort of happened in one go, one season for me. I sort of did everything on steroids. Well, that's the only way to do it. You got to go big or go home. Well, it wasn't on purpose. Just the camera turned up and it was all happening anyway, which just added an extra layer. Totally. Well, I'm very excited to see it. I know everyone else is very excited to see it. and I'm so glad you were able to stop and chat with us today. Thank you for having me on. That was wonderful.

Thank you so much. Congrats on the new show. And best of luck with everything. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much for listening, everyone. Don't forget to rate, review, and follow the show wherever you listen. You can follow us on Instagram at Bravo by Betches. And until next time, be cool. Don't be all like uncool. Mention It All is produced by Dylan Hafer, Sean Kilby, Jorge Morales, Pico, and Rebecca Sousmakat.

Editing by Jorge Morales Picoe. Social media by Dylan Hafer. Guest booking by Dylan Hafer and Ali Friedlander. Be sure to follow at Bravo by Betches on Instagram and Twitter. Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is California's number one entertainment destination for today's superstars. Catch the Jonas Brothers return to the Yamava Theater stage on April 30th. The powerful vocals of Demi Levato on May 17th. And the signature Southern Country Rock of Eric Church on July 19th.

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