Nicole Richie keeps it in the family, turning to Benji Madden when husband Joel is away

NICOLE Richie believes in keeping it in the family, turning to brother-in-law Benji Madden when husband Joel is away.

WITH Joel Madden spending a vast amount of time on our shores thanks to his mentoring duties on The Voice, his wife Nicole Richie has revealed who helps her out at home in his absence.

It’s Joel’s twin brother, Benji, who often steps in to help with the couple’s two kids, Harlow and Sparrow.

“I’m really lucky. Joel has a twin brother (Benji), which is basically an extension of Joel,” Richie told USA Today.

“He’s like Joel’s arm.”

Candid chat: Joel Madden on his childhood, family and that joint in a Sydney hotel

Richie also spoke about her new reality show, Candidly Nicole, which she says focuses on everything from family to business and fashion.

But we won’t be seeing her children on the show — or even on Instagram.

“They don’t even like me sending pictures of them to their grandparents. They definitely wouldn’t be happy with me sending it out to millions of people,” she said.

As to whether she’ll have other children, Richie said she was unsure. “I didn’t plan the first two, so I guess it’s not really up to me, right?

“Who knows?”

Originally published as Nicole Richie keeps it in the family, turning to Benji Madden when husband Joel is away