Lisa Vanderpump’s family "weren’t thrilled" when she signed up to star in ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’.
The 56-year-old restaurateur signed up to join the Bravo reality show in 2010 and initially felt happy that most of her loved ones back in England wouldn’t get to see the show – but that’s changed as the programme has grown increasingly more popular and she has her own spin-off show, ‘Vanderpump Rules’.
She admitted: "[My family] weren’t thrilled.
"Initially I felt a little sense of security in the fact that the show [didn’t air in England], but it’s becoming quite big over there. And now it’s even more in their face because I have a show called ‘Vanderpump Rules’ and that’s my family’s name."
While Lisa "doesn’t care" about having her life constantly on camera, she admits she can’t always watch the show back as having her co-stars turn on her has been very painful, but she is thankful producers always try to show the truth behind every incident.
Asked the hardest thing about doing the show, she told the new issue of AdWeek magazine: "I think when the women have attacked me. That’s devastated me. I’m not a victim, but it’s been very hurtful. When they accuse you of stuff, I mean, that’s been hard.
"Sometimes I haven’t been able to watch it. Or when they’re lying about you, and it’s out there.
"But we’re lucky enough to have a production company that has integrity–I know it’s a rarity in this world–and tries to show the accurate story. And if they think somebody is bat-s**t crazy and they’re accusing you of something, they’re going to show it. And luckily, the audience sees the truth."
Lisa considered quitting the show this year, but admitted she keeps returning because she will always be thankful for the opportunities the programme has opened up for her.
She said: "After the first year, I said I wasn’t coming back. After four years, I said I wasn’t coming back. I think I’ve always said that.
"This year it was a really, really difficult decision. It was just not about money. It was about whether I could go through what I went through again. I didn’t think I could. And I still don’t know if I made the right decision.
"But after a couple of weeks talking to them, I went, ‘All right, I’ll do it–so help me, God’.
"I remember our showrunner jumped up and kissed me and said, ‘OK, you won’t regret it!’ And I said, ‘I might, but I can never forget what the show has given me.’
"I mean, would I be at the United Nations? Would I be at Congress? Would I be starting Vanderpump Pets? Would I be able to fight Yulin? Would I be able to have the Vanderpump Dog Rescue?"
For more from Lisa, visit http://www.adweek.com/news/television/heres-how-lisa-vanderpump-went-restauranteur-reality-tv-tour-de-force-173958.
Lisa Vanderpump’s family weren’t thrilled by reality TV sign up
