Inside Jamie and Sophies Grown-Up Chelsea Show

and would quite like you to believe that Disney came knocking at the door of their perfect west home desperate to hand them a glossy solo docuseries about marriage, parenthood and life with their gorgeous baby Ziggy.

But the truth behind their new show, Raising Chelsea, is a lot less of a fairytale.

Because I can reveal that the three-part Disney+ series released in April was never originally meant to revolve solely around Jamie and Sophie at all.

In fact, insiders say the project was first pitched as a multi-couple ensemble show following several former duos as they navigated marriage, parenting and life after fame.

So less of a Beckham documentary set-up, more of an SW3 version of The Real Housewives concept.

And while Jamie and Sophie may now be front and centre of the show, it turns out they were simply the only couple left standing when the dust settled.

Sources tell me the original concept for Raising Chelsea included Louise Thompson and her fiancé Ryan Libbey, alongside Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor.

All three couples built loyal fanbases during their MIC days and have since transformed themselves into glossy influencer families with expensive kitchens, delightful toddlers and endless Instagram content.

Disney executives reportedly loved the idea of following the group’s intertwined friendships and very ‘Chelsea’ approach to family life.

One insider described the early vision as ‘a grown-up MIC’, swapping tequila-fuelled nights at Raffles on the King’s Road for school runs and debates over what to feed their babies.

But somewhere between the development meetings and the drawing up of contracts, things started unravelling.

Louise and Ryan, I’m told, ultimately pulled out of the project altogether.

Those familiar with MIC will have noticed how Louise has become increasingly selective about what she shares publicly following the traumatic birth of her son Leo in 2021, and the severe health complications that followed.

Friends say she was wary about opening up her family life to yet another reality format, particularly after already documenting so much of her life online and in the press.

And frankly, Louise has never appeared exactly desperate to cling on to the reality TV carousel in the same way as some of her former co-stars.

She had previously turned down appearing in E4’s Beyond Chelsea, the spin-off series that followed the progress of original MIC names such as Binky Felstead, Lucy Watson and Rosie Fortescue.

That decision raised eyebrows at the time, especially as fans had been vocal about their desire to see Louise and Millie involved in the show.

When the first series of Beyond Chelsea was announced in 2024, viewers immediately flooded social media with demands to see the people they considered the real stars of the original show.

‘It needs Millie and Louise,’ one fan complained beneath the trailer, while another demanded that the Thompsons, Spencer Matthews and Hugo Taylor all be added to the cast.

Millie and Hugo never did appear on Beyond Chelsea but they were lined up for Raising Chelsea until events took a sad turn.

The pair announced their divorce earlier this year after seven years of marriage, bringing an end to a partnership that had once been considered one of the franchise’s most solid success stories.

Insiders say the original version of Raising Chelsea was designed to be built around the contrasts between the three couples: Louise and Ryan’s intensely honest approach to family life, Millie and Hugo’s polished ‘fashion family’ image, and Jamie and Sophie’s comical dynamic.

But once Louise and Ryan stepped away, and Millie and Hugo’s marriage imploded, Disney was left with only one viable couple.

Luckily for the producers, Jamie and Sophie’s profile has exploded over the past two years thanks to their podcasts, brand deals and relentless social media presence.

But while Jamie and Sophie now present the show as their own crafted journey into parenthood, those involved in Raising Chelsea from the start feel the narrative has been heavily rewritten.

Suddenly it’s all ‘Disney chose us’, rather than ‘Everyone else either quit or broke up’, sources tell me.

Louise Thompson and Millie Mackintosh declined to comment and Disney has also been approached.

The series has been a ratings success for the streamer and its executives are understood to already be discussing a second run.

For a franchise that was once built on arguments, break-ups and people falling out over a bottle of Whispering Angel, perhaps this behind-the-scenes chaos is the most authentic MIC-coded storyline of them all.

Greece frightening

What was meant to be a glamorous influencer escape to Greece quickly descended into reality TV chaos last week, as a string of famous faces headed to Soho Rock House in Mykonos for Uber’s lavish new press trip.

The luxury hotspot was transformed into the Uber One Members’ House, with guests flown out for an exclusive two-night stay complete with yacht parties, sunset cocktails and private catamaran tours around the Cyclades.

But while the views were picture-perfect, it was the off-camera antics that had everyone talking. Among the guests was Love Island star Dami Hope, who fully embraced the party atmosphere and reportedly boasted to fellow attendees about his plans for a ‘hedonistic’ London summer, claiming he already had ‘10 girls on the roster’.

Things became particularly awkward during one lively evening when Dami was spotted flirting with model Lissy Rody, despite her quietly dating footballer Ryan Inniss.

Sources say tensions briefly flared after Ryan caught wind of the interaction, although the situation was quickly diffused before it escalated further. Elsewhere, Love Islander Jack Fowler’s attempt at a DJ set ended in embarrassment after hotel staff abruptly shut it down after just 15 minutes over noise complaints from other guests staying at the venue.

Loss Island

A few weeks ago I revealed that Anna Peele, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, was preparing to lift the lid on Love Island in her new book, Enter The Villa, and now it’s finally available to order.

Speaking to me this week, Anna said one of the most striking discoveries from her research was that around 40 per cent of aspiring islanders fail the show’s psychological assessments and never make it on screen.

UP

Cancer sufferer Iain Liam Ward, known online as ‘The King of Chemo’, is currently running a two-week campaign whereby an anonymous sponsor donates £2 to Brain Research UK for every new subscriber.

Iain was diagnosed with terminal Stage 3 brain cancer in 2020 and given a prognosis of about five years to live. Having outlived his life expectancy, he now documents his journey, challenges and sporting accomplishments on socials. As of writing, he has raised more than £242,000.

DOWN

My down this week has to be every influencer jumping on that bizarre AI ‘crowd cam’ trend where you upload a selfie and suddenly you’re transformed into some glamorous ‘footballer’s wife‘ at a sporting event.

Apparently the internet now desperately wants us all to look like we’re dating an NBA player while sipping a £19 margarita courtside.

What makes it even funnier is that influencers are usually the first people to complain about AI generating fake images and videos of them without their consent, yet now they’re voluntarily feeding their faces into apps for the sake of a viral TikTok.

One minute they’re warning followers about the dangers of AI, the next they’re posting images of themselves as a fictional WAG in slow motion like they’ve just been caught on the Kiss Cam at the Super Bowl. Exhausting.

Every influencer and their mum seemed to be at the Huda Beauty party last week, as the brand celebrated the launch of its new Easy Bake Loose Powder in seriously extravagant style.

Huda Kattan pulled out all the stops, with performances from the Pussycat Dolls and Central Cee entertaining a celebrity-packed crowd.

Guests included Love Island stars Indiyah Polack, Alima Gagigo and Yasmin Pettet, alongside Apprentice winner Karishma Vijay, rapper Ms Banks and a host of TikTok favourites including CC Clarke and Jordan Lipscombe. The lavish event also attracted international influencers, with stars flying in from across the globe for the glamorous launch.

It’s been all over my TikTok For You Page for months, but influencer hotspot Nina genuinely lives up to the hype. The stylish restaurant, owned by the Pachamama Group, has quickly become one of London’s most in-demand tables thanks to its impossibly chic interiors and social media-friendly aesthetic. Thankfully, unlike many viral spots, the food actually delivers too. From the atmosphere to the menu, it’s easy to see why influencers are obsessed with it. The only downside? Getting a reservation. The waiting list is currently stretching months ahead, so if you’re hoping to go this summer, I’d suggest getting your name down now.

Email me – molly.clayton@dailymail.co.uk

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