As David Beckham prepares to launch his new football franchise in Miami, the rest of the Beckham clan are preparing to support him through regular trips to America's East Coast. But as vigilant Beckham fans will remember, this isn't the first time they have tried to take on the United States. Back in 2007, the family moved to Los Angeles when David decided to take his football career global. Victoria used the opportunity to document her attempts to acclimatise in a short-lived fly-on-the-wall documentary Victoria Beckham: Coming to America, which followed her efforts to settle in and saw her hire Renee Gauthier as her Personal Assistant. So, with Victoria returning stateside, Grazia caught up with Renee to reminisce on the old days to find out what it's actually like to work for the enigma that is Victoria Beckham...
"I was bartending at a restaurant," Renee, a comedian and TV writer, recalls. "And I was waiting on the people that were looking for an American assistant to be on the show with her." Charmed, they booked her in for an appointment with Victoria. "I went in to meet with her, and she was on her Blackberry. She only looked up maybe once - and I was hired the next day."
Victoria's strong sense of humour was front and centre in the programme, and this was the case even when the cameras weren't rolling. "Victoria and I would joke around a lot, and she is very funny. She introduced me to The Catherine Tate Show, which was a big highlight."
The Beckhams seemed to be taking over LA. Tom Cruise hosted a Welcome To Hollywood party, and the couple appeared on the cover of W Magazine. For Renee, it was intense. 'The first day we were shooting we went to Whole Foods, and we were followed by several paparazzi in vans.' she explains. 'It was crazy, and it was clear people were very excited they were there. They had a huge profile.'
New eports state that the Beckhams have bought a luxurious apartment in downtown Miami, and while Victoria and the children won't relocate permanently they will be regular visitors, with Renee saying that Victoria is bound to love the city's excellent sushi restaurants as well as Postmates - similar to the UK's Deliveroo. Renee would love the chance to reconnect. 'I would love to do a reboot,' she says. 'But just for one day. I still get recognised from that show.'
Find Renee on Instagram at @nenegooter