Made In Bondi’s Lawson Mahoney has hit back at wild allegations that he ‘faked’ his accent on the new Channel 7 show.
The reality TV star took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a video apologising for ‘offending’ viewers as he poked fun at the claims he put on a fake voice for the show.
He explained that he had been hit by bizarre speculation that he used a fake accent while filming after viewers took issue with how he pronounced certain words.
Shutting down the ‘slander’ in the lighthearted video, Lawson insisted he is speaking on screen as he normally does as he brushed off the criticism.
He said: ‘I’ve heard the whispers, I’ve heard them all the way through the grapevine and I wish to address these allegations, address the confusion, address the slander on my name that somehow I’m faking an accent on a TV show.
‘I have a unique way of speaking, my ”Ls” are a little strange, a little South African if you will.
‘My ”Ts”, my grandmother also told me ”you want to be on television, you want to be a movie star, well say your ”Ts” and say them well!”’
Lawson went on to admit that he was ‘nervous’ filming the drama-packed first few episodes of the reality TV show, which may have added to the way he spoke.
Made In Bondi’s Lawson Mahoney has hit back at wild allegations that he ‘faked’ his accent on the new Channel 7 show in an impassioned video
‘I’m not sure if you’ve watched the first five episodes, but the scenes I’m having, I was a little nervous! I apologise to anyone I offended,’ he continued.
‘I also laugh like a seagull, so I apologise to any seagulls that I might have offended.’
Urging fans to keep tuning into the show, he concluded: ‘But then again, if you’re hating on my voice then you must be watching it, which is good in my books!
‘Continue watching it and continue loathing the way I speak!’
Made In Bondi premiered on Seven last week but has been met with a very mixed reaction from locals.
Residents of the area told Yahoo that they’re upset by how the beachside suburb is being portrayed on the reality show.
‘Bondi isn’t defined by a handful of cosmetically enhanced, entitled rich kids wanting attention,’ local Jake Leech told the publication.
Another local called Jean said: ‘The last thing Bondi needs is more unrealistic media reinforcing these stereotypes [that everybody is an influencer here].
‘This is one of the most diverse suburbs in Sydney with such a strong sense of community but that is never highlighted.’
A third resident quipped: ‘The real elite wouldn’t be caught dead doing this’.
The reality TV star has apologised for ‘offending’ viewers as he poked fun at the claims he put on a fake voice for the show after Made In Bondi’s premiere last week
The show also prompted some divisive reaction when it was revealed that the majority of the show’s cast aren’t from the iconic beachside suburb.
According to Seven, the reality TV series ‘follows the real lives and loves of young Sydney socialites living in the affluent Eastern Suburbs and the most famous beach in the world — Bondi’.
However, it appears that most of the cast members aren’t actually from Bondi, or even Sydney.
‘Producers tried hard to get actual Bondi locals with a profile on board, but they didn’t have much luck,’ a source disclosed told The Sunday Telegraph.
Producers initially tried to recruit model Montana Cox, fashion designer Sophie Coote, Pilates instructor Bernadette Fahey, and socialites Andy El-Bayeh and his wife Harriet Williams.
When these efforts didn’t pan out, they had to settle for a mix of influencers and socialites from various parts of Australia.
The cast includes Bella Salerno, 23, who spent much of her childhood in Europe; Molly Paradice, 23, from Scone in country NSW and Isabella Cicero, 31, a content creator from Perth.
The show has been met by a mixed reaction with residents of Bondi recently fuming that they’re upset by how the beachside suburb is being portrayed on the reality show
Pippa Hanan, 22, from Paddington, publicist Billy Daniels, 32, who moved from Perth to Paddington, and model Lachlan McLean, 27, from Sydney’s northern beaches also appear in the series.
Born and raised in the Eastern Suburbs, Lawson attended the renowned private all-boys school, The Scots College.
Jewellery designer Emma Pillemer, 22, is believed to be the only cast member genuinely raised in Bondi.
On set sources also claim the majority of the filming took place in Brighton Le Sands, approximately 30 minutes from Bondi Beach.
‘They’re clearly not targeting an Australian audience,’ one insider remarked. ‘This show is aimed at the international market, who won’t know the difference.’
Participants were also reportedly paid as little as $240 for a day on set.
In stark contrast, the Real Housewives of Sydney cast have contracts worth between $30,000 and $50,000.
