Meet the feisty new Real Housewives of Sydney cast

After months of chatter, the seven socialites front the reimagining of The Real Housewives Of Sydney have made their debut. Ahead of the season premiere on BINGE, the cast sat down to talk about getting to know each other, interstate rivalry and why they’re not afraid of their critics.

The Real Housewives of Sydney (L-R) Caroline Gaultier, Nicole O'Neil, Kate Adams, Sally Obermeder, Terry Biviano, Krissy Marsh and Victoria Montano. Picture: Ben Symons

The cat is out of the (Birkin) bag. Six years after the first incarnation, the Real Housewives of Sydney are back. Krissy Marsh, Nicole O’Neil, Caroline Gaultier, Victoria Montano, Terry Biviano, Sally Obermeder and Kate Adams sat down ahead of the season two launch to talk about getting to know each other, interstate rivalry and why they’re not afraid of their critics.

After so many rumours, we can confirm the seven of you will star in upcoming series The Real Housewives Of Sydney. Has it been hard to keep the secret?

Kate: It has been hard because the reality is everyone wants to know where we are and what we are doing. And it’s been, “Sorry guys, I can’t be at the vet clinic because I have to go, um, somewhere else.”

Terry: Yep, we have been mysteriously busy.

Nicole and Krissy, this is not your first rodeo – you both appeared in the first season of Housewives in 2017. Why did you return?

Krissy (laughing as she sips a cocktail): She forced me!

Nicole: Krissy and I had a great time doing it. We would look at each other and be like, “This is a pinch-me moment.” Which is why I decided to come back. Plus, it’s the largest TV franchise in the world. Why would we not want to be part of something that’s so incredible?

Krissy: I second what she said.

Read the full interview inside this weekend’s edition of Stellar.

Sally: If you get the opportunity to have an adventure, why wouldn’t you jump in?

Nicole: Yes, it’s a sliding doors moment. You either walk through or you stay on the other side. We have all walked through and we have had an amazing adventure. Why would I tell my children to take chances in life and not take them myself?

A few of you have been on TV before. Sally hosted Seven Network show The Daily Edition from 2013 until 2020, Terry was on Foxtel’s 2012 reality show WAG Nation and Kate is head vet on Network 10 series Bondi Vet. In the end, on-air experience or not, what credentials make for a good Housewife?

Nicole: You’re really opening up your life and yourself for judgement, criticism, conversation. So you need to be quite confident in your path, what you’re doing and what your belief system is.

Sally: And have a sense of adventure.

Sally Obermeder is one of the new women joining The Real Housewives of Sydney. Picture: Ben Symons

What did your families think when you told them you were doing the show?

Krissy: My husband [property developer John Marsh] is a stage dad, so he’s really happy. The kids, not so much. The dogs are really happy to be in the show again. And Terry the turtle was very excited. He even got a shell scrub for the series.

Terry: My husband [former NRL star Anthony Minichiello] was probably the most hesitant, but he supports me no matter what. So, ultimately, he left the decision up to me and I’ve made my bed so now I have to lay in it. He’s all good with it now. But it was a bit daunting to begin with.

Did you all know each other well before filming?

Terry: I think I knew the majority of the girls. Kate is the only one I didn’t know. It’s been a real awakening because you think you know people and you’re friendly with people but, of course, through this journey, you get to know them more and see different aspects of their personality, character and opinion. So it’s been a real roller-coaster ride. There are good moments with people and then, of course, there are bad. But we’re all friends at the end of the day. It’s a sisterhood and we all support each other. I think deep, deep down we love each other.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the Housewives without a few fireworks. Are you all still on speaking terms?

Caroline (laughing): Of course. It’s been a whole series of us just having cups of tea.

Krissy: I have a couple of scratch marks on my back, though.

Caroline: There are always going to be issues and conflicts, but the difference is how you get back up. It’s all about the comeback. That’s when you see people’s true character.

Sally: Yeah, that’s when the friendships get stronger. It’s not unusual in any friendships, whether you’re on a show like this or not, to have a roller-coaster.

Terry: Obviously, we are all very strong, opinionated women. And different. So, of course, we’re going to butt heads. But I think the main thing is, it’s about resolution. We are dealing with everyday stuff that most women are going through, no matter whether you live in Sydney

or Toowoomba.

Kate: A question that a lot of people ask around reality shows is, are they real? This is 100 per cent real. There’s real emotion and we don’t take direction from people.

The new real Housewives of Sydney cast. Picture: Ben Symons

We are just who we are. And, as Nicole sort of pointed out earlier, that’s potentially a really uncomfortable place to put yourself.

Nicole: When you are sitting on a chair and doing those master interviews [with a producer] and they ask the question, whether you take a stand or say how you feel about something is quite final because it’s out there.

So, you’ve got to be pretty certain in what you’re saying, because it could potentially come back to haunt you.

Krissy (laughing): What have you said about me, bitch?

Housewives fans are very invested, which can lead to criticism and online trolling. Are you prepared for that?

Caroline: That was what I worried about most at the very beginning, because I like to control exactly how the outside world perceives you. It’s forced me to confront my biggest fear. And letting go of that fear, which at this point I have, has been quite liberating.

Victoria: You have to read the comments section to know what the trolls are saying, and no-one has time for that.

Terry: Regardless of what the trolls are saying, your truth will be seen on this show. There’s nowhere to hide. You need to stand strong and proud in who you are.

Sally: In life, there are people who absolutely love you and there are people who won’t love you. You’re not going to resonate with everyone; that’s not the point. It’s not the desired outcome or something you’re trying to achieve.

Terry Biviano is another new cast member. Picture: Ben Symons

The Real Housewives Of Melbourne star Gina Liano recently told Stellar that too many new Housewives go in all guns blazing, hoping to be the next Gina...

Krissy: Of course she would say that.

Nicole: We haven’t seen it yet. And a lot of it comes down to editing, so I can’t defend my position yet. I feel like

I have stayed true to who I am, but what’s portrayed on TV might be very different.

Terry: We are not looking at any other Housewives –

or any other franchise – to be any particular character. We are literally much more interesting and fabulous than anyone else who has ever appeared.

Caroline: I’ve never seen a single Housewives episode.

I never understood why people watched it. A lot of my friends are super fans. So I came in quite blindly and I wanted to keep it that way. I didn’t want to have any preconceived notions; I wanted this to happen organically.

Do you think a Real Husbands Of Sydney would be as entertaining, or is this genre strictly a woman’s domain?

Krissy: My husband is on it, and you might fall asleep watching him. Don’t tell him I said that.

Victoria: Don’t they have that show where they race the cars? That’s like The Real Husbands Of The UK.

Nicole: This is not just a show for the women.

Krissy: Yeah, our husbands are on it. Our kids. Our pets. My 81-year-old mother is on it, and she calls herself the eighth Housewife. I’m like, “Mum, the eighth Housewife is Sydney. It’s not you.” But maybe she can be the Gina.

There’s a lot of rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne.

Terry and Caroline (in unison): Not from us!

Kate: Melbourne has an issue, but Sydney isn’t really aware of that issue. Whenever I’m in Melbourne and I hear them say, “Oh you’re from Sydney” like there’s some kind of a big deal. We don’t really know about that.

Caroline: Melbourne? Where’s that?

Nicole: All jokes aside, Melbourne is a beautiful city.

Krissy: No. It’s not like Sydney.

Nicole: It’s very cosmopolitan.

Krissy: No. I’ve got a lot of cosmopolitan friends here, too. I’m from Queensland, and I still love Sydney.

There were rumours that the new season was going to be on the Gold Coast. Would that have worked?

Krissy: I was going to move up there to do it.

Nicole: We were pushing Krissy up there.

Terry: I almost wish they had done it on the Gold Coast, because then I wouldn’t have had to make a decision about doing it myself.

Caroline: I’m from the Gold Coast. They made a wise choice filming in Sydney instead.

The Real Housewives Of Sydney is available now on Binge with a new episode to drop each Tuesday.

Originally published as Meet the feisty new Real Housewives of Sydney cast