‘There Are Some Major Shockers’ – Sophie ‘Habbs’ Habboo Talks Made In Chelsea With Grazia

Just when it looked like we were running out of escapist treats to keep us going, it’s back. Made In Chelsea. The fly-on-the-wall, constructed reality staple which has been giving us our fill of uppermiddle-class exploits for almost ten years. In that time, we’ve seen break-ups, love triangles, fights and snogs. We’ve all got our favourites, and this series will see one of Grazia’s top castmembers Sophie Habboo – that’s Habbs to you – keep her place on the programme while taking a step back from the action.

‘For once, I’m less in the mix, and the drama is not actually revolving around me,’ Sophie tells Grazia over the phone. ‘It’s actually quite a nice change for me: there are no tears from me for the first time ever!’ Indeed, Habbs has had her share of tears, especially last season, where her friendship with Emily Blackwell fell apart when she pursued Habbs’ ex Harvey. Now, though, Sophie is able to settle in to a calmer role in the show. ‘There’s a lot of drama going on with my friends – with friendships breaking up and relationships breaking up - so this series I’m more of a shoulder to cry on’, she explains. ‘More of a sounding board. I feel like everyone comes to me when they need an agony aunt. Jamie and my mum both say that people seem to confide in me. But I don’t think that’s a bad thing: that’s what friends are for.’

Habbs has spent lockdown with Jamie Laing, her boyfriend, fellow MIC castmate and, now, contestant in the forthcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing. Originally cast in the previous series, injury led to him being replaced by eventual winner Kevin Clifton. Now, he’s ready to go and prove himself again. ‘He’s not quite training yet but he’s super excited’, she says. ‘We all are. It’s so good he’s got a second chance. He was so gutted.’

This series, Made In Chelsea has had to manage a filming schedule around the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown that dominated the summer. The last series finished its run early thanks to filming being cancelled, and next week’s run has depended on getting creative: some members of the group have been brought together in a country house. Others, like Habbs, have stayed within their London bubbles and have had to ensure that meetings with friends have fallen in line with restrictions. Sophie vows that it has had no detrimental effect on the quality of the series.

‘Channel 4 have gone about it in a good way’, she says. ‘We’ve been really safe, but also managed to film the series.’

The show has also received some fresh meat: Love Island’s Charlie Frederickand models Ruby Adler, Paris Smith and Will Higginson have all joined the series. Sophie has had little interaction with them so far, but is keen to see more. ‘I’m very close to some of the cast,’ she says, ‘and there are others who I don’t see every day, but I feel like they’re all part of my family. It’s weird, with covid and the restrictions, we have seen each other less, so I’ve missed everybody. And that’s sad when other people go through traumatic times. I hope everyone makes up.’

Made In Chelsea’s following is incredibly loyal, and many of those involved have struggled with the trolling and negative energy that comes with the airing of dramatic episodes. But Habbs says she doesn’t mind. ‘I used to find it quite hard, but now the way I look at it is “thank God people are invested in the show!”’ she laughs. ‘The whole reason we do it is to get people invested in us. So if they’re going to comment like that I don’t mind. I know the truth about what’s going on in my life, but everyone’s entitled to their opinion. Better to have them invested than not care at all. Otherwise there’s no point of us doing the programme!’

She promises she will ‘100%’ be tuning in this series, and says it simply never gets old even twenty series in.

‘Every series, the most outrageous things happen’, she says. ‘Still, to this day, I don’t understand how they still keep happening. I’m involved in it, and I’m still surprised. There are some major shockers in this series, even I was shocked. It was quite interesting to watch it, and it not be happening to me.’

Follow Habbs on Instagram here

Made in Chelsea series 20 starts at 9pm on September 28th on E4.

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