Journalist and PR expert Lynn Carratt recalls her experiences with Vogue Williams over the years and reveals why, glitzy red carpets aside, the Irish star is the real deal
I’m not friends with Vogue Williams – but the truth is, I wish I were. In this industry, you meet hundreds of celebrities who breeze in and out of events, red carpets, and launches every year.
Most are lovely, some are forgettable, and a few are not so nice. But every once in a while, someone stands out for all the right reasons. And for me, that’s Vogue. I first came across the I’m A Celeb star nearly a decade ago at a party inside the M&M’s store in central London – an event already bizarre enough on its own. She was there with her then-husband, Brian McFadden, and at that point, I have to admit, I didn’t really know who she was.
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She wasn’t a major tabloid fixture then, and, if I’m being totally honest, I was more interested in getting a photo with Brian. He had been in Westlife, after all. What’s even stranger is that life later circled back, and I ended up working with Brian on PR for his solo album and some Boyzlife gigs. By then, the couple had split, and he had a new partner; Vogue never came up in conversation – I would never ask either. It wasn’t until a fashion launch on the King’s Road that Vogue really came to my attention. It was the first time I had interviewed correctly her and spoken to her at length. I’ll hold my hands up – I had my assumptions.
But she was warm, funny, open, and refreshingly genuine. The kind of woman who looks you in the eye, listens, and has that ability to make you feel like you’ve known her longer than five minutes. We even discovered we were practically neighbours in Bow at the time. She was living in a flat Brian had bought, and I’d occasionally spot her walking her dogs or heading into Westfield, usually looking gym-ready, because fitness was clearly a huge part of her life even then.
She adored her dog. I once sent her a pet product that a friend had created, not expecting anything in return. She posted it on Twitter unprompted and sent the kindest message. She didn’t need to do that – but she did. And I never forgot it. I’m also intrigued to know about her relationship with her sister-in-law, Pippa, but I’d never ask. Vogue is literally one step away from being related to royalty and I’m very jealous of her holidays in St Barts. After she and Brian split, I didn’t see her around for a long time. And then she started hosting the NTAs red carpet for its Lorraine, and our paths crossed once again.
My job at the NTAs is to bring celebrities to TV crews for interviews, so for the past couple of years, I have found myself bringing talent over to Vogue. And every year, she’s the same: friendly, full of energy, impossibly glamorous (even when she’s hiding Ugg boots under a gown), and chatting to everyone as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. This year, something really struck me. Boyzone were nominated for an award, and Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch were walking the carpet with their wives. I asked Vogue if she wanted to interview them – after all, Keith is Brian’s best mate.
She immediately said yes. Watching that interaction was genuinely heart-warming. There was no awkwardness, no tension, just a warm, polite, very natural exchange. At one point, Shane even turned and said, “My wife loves you!” It proved what I’ve always suspected: Vogue is incredibly likeable, even to people connected to her past. After the carpet was wrapped, I asked if she was going inside to watch the ceremony. She laughed and lifted her gown slightly to reveal chunky Ugg boots – chic comfort at its finest – but then shook her head. “I have to get home. Spencer’s working in New York, so I’ve got the kids tonight.” And there it was: a glimpse into her real life. Because while the public sees the red carpets, the podcasts, the TV work, the beauty brand, the incredible challenges she takes on (remember Bear Grylls: Mission Survive and the Jump), what they don’t always see is the juggling act behind the scenes.
Vogue isn’t just a presenter or influencer – she’s a mum of three, and from everything I’ve observed, a very hands-on one. People like to say, “Well, they have help,” but Vogue strikes me as the kind of woman who is in it: homework, routines, bedtime, the lot.
It’s one of the reasons I think she’ll prove phenomenal in the I’m A Celebrity jungle. She’s tough, she’s warm, she’s funny, she’s brilliant under pressure, she takes challenges head-on and she has that mother-hen quality that would glue a camp together.
She’d happily get stuck into the trials, but she’d also be the one comforting someone who’s having a wobble. She possesses that rare blend of strength and softness that draws people to her. I’ll definitely be voting Vogue for the win. So no, I’m not friends with Vogue Williams. But after a decade of crossing paths with her on and off, watching her grow, evolve, and juggle life with a smile, I genuinely wish I were.
