One of the newest stars to join this season of Made In Chelsea season 27 is Sam Vanderpump – and yes, we mean of the Vanderpump family.
Although Sam may be a newbie to MIC, he’s already got some impressive links to reality TV royalty, calling none other than Housewives of Beverly Hills and Bravo star Lisa Vanderpump his aunt.
And as it turns out, his stint on the show has been a long time coming.
Telling Grazia that he was approached twice before to join the cast, Sam says, ‘They actually asked me back when I was very young, when I was 21, and then when I was around 24. The timings were never right for me. One time I was in a relationship, and the other time my businesses weren’t established.’
‘Then we spoke again late last year, and I was like, I’m single, timing is right, my business is doing well. Why not join the show?'
Want to know more about Sam – including his impressive job, and what his famous aunt makes of his new TV stint? We’ve got the answers.
Who is Sam Vanderpump?
Know to his pals as ‘Vanders,’ the businessman has joined the show as one of the fresh faces for season 27.
Describing himself as ‘extremely extroverted’ and ‘loud,’ Sam says, ‘I love having a good time, and I definitely won’t take shit.’
‘I think episode six is where it gets really juicy. I ended up falling out with a certain cast member badly. He was actually a semi-friend when I joined, so it was a shame. But there’s definitely a lot of drama that maybe kicks off from things I’ve witnessed and things I’ve said.’
How old is Sam Vanderpump?
Sam was born on 8 March, 1997, making him currently 27 years old (and a creative and compassionate Pisces.)
The youngest son of Mark and Simone Vanderpump, Sam has one older brother named Jack. His dad Mark worked as a businessman and DJ, while mum Simone was the former private chef to Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
How is Sam Vanderpump related to Lisa Vanderpump
Sam is the nephew of reality TV legend Lisa Vanderpump, who first rose to fame back in 2010 as an OG housewife on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Lisa stepped away from the show in 2019, telling fans, ‘It was a very difficult year for me, personally and professionally.’ The announcement came the year after the death of her brother, Sam’s dad Mark.
Since then, she's gone on to build her own reality TV empire, heading up shows including Vanderpump Rules and Vanderpump Villa.
Described as ‘cherishing his special relationship’ with Lisa, Sam tells us that his famous aunt has already shown her support for his new TV gig. He says, ‘Lisa was extremely supportive. She always just wants what is best for me.’
And having decades of reality experience under her belt, it’s no surprise Lisa had some words of wisdom to share with her nephew.
Sam says, 'The biggest tip Lisa gave me was to remain calm and collected. She said, “Always speak quietly, you don’t need to raise your voice to get your point across.” At times, I don’t keep myself that quiet – whoops!'
Has Sam Vanderpump been on reality TV before?
While MIC is Sam’s first solid TV gig, it’s not the first time he’s been on screen. He laughs, 'I’ve been in the background of my aunt’s filming before, speaking to her once upon a time for one of her shows. I don’t know whether that actually aired, I never found out! But I know there is a scene floating around somewhere.'
However, when asked whether Lisa could ever grace MIC with a surprise appearance_,_ Sam says, 'I mean, she's extremely busy with what she's doing. She’s got three shows in the pipeline, so who knows.'
Here's hoping!
Where is Sam Vanderpump from?
Born in Camden, London, Sam currently lives in Fulham. It seems the star lives a pretty fast-paced life, with his social media showing him relaxing in Dubai, visiting his aunt Lisa in Los Angeles, and recently joining the rest of the MIC cast on a holiday to Mauritius.
What does Sam Vanderpump do for a living?
Sam used to be a racing kart driver professionally, having made his debut at the mere age of eight. After retiring from the sport, the star later chose not to go to university after finishing school, instead working in various family businesses.
Now, the self-described entrepreneur is the Managing Director of finance app Dapio, as well as the founder of brokerage firm Vanderpump FX. How very Chelsea!
Is Sam Vanderpump single?
Sam has entered the show as one of MIC’s new singles – and he’s not shying away from some onscreen romance. When asked whether he’s dipping his toes into the messy world of reality TV dating, Sam tells us, ‘There was someone I had my eye on when entering the show, 100%. Then that kind of didn’t ever happen, so my eye turns to someone else. We’re seeing how that goes at the moment.’
So, he was single when he joined – but whether he’s single now remains to be seen.
Which Made In Chelsea cast members is Sam Vanderpump friends with?
Sam might be a fresh face to the cast, but he certainly isn’t a newbie to SW3. He’s been long-time friends with Reza Amiri-Garroussi, as well as being ‘a regular feature of Tristan [Phipps] and Harvey [Armstrong’s] big nights out on the King’s Road.’
Revealing that he ‘always knew of the show,’ Sam says, ‘I’ve been friends with Reza since I was in my early 20s. From the moment I was even talking to producers, he was there. He's a very good, supportive friend.’
‘I also knew Tristan and Harvey briefly before coming into the show – they’ve been around my house, and I’ve been to South Africa with them. Those friendships were there. But I was aware of the show, as everyone else is around the area who hangs out in that social circle. I knew people through face, at least.’
Does Sam Vanderpump have Instagram?
He does! You can follow his day-to-day life (including an abundance of lavish trips) over on @samvanderpump.
'Made in Chelsea' airs every Monday at 9pm on E4. Stream on Channel 4.
Charlotte Roberts is a News and Entertainment Writer for Grazia, writing interviews and features around everything pop culture.