Made In Chelsea: New reality show follows the loves and lives of rich kids and socialites

By Andrea Magrath
Last updated at 10:18 PM on 25th April 2011

For all those TV viewers out there who are sick and tired of the perma-tanned, vajazzled antics of The Only Way Is Essex stars, this may be a welcome departure.

E4 have commissioned a new reality series to rival the ITV2 cult hit, based on the lives of the champagne-swilling heirs and heiresses of the Chelsea social set.

The show will follow the twenty-something residents of London’s most exclusive postcodes and reveal the cat fights, rivalries and love lives behind the designer labels and Blue blood family names.

The anti-Essex: Made In Chelsea stars rich girls (on floor) Milly Mackintosh, (standing L-R) Amber Atherton, Alexandra Felstead, Francesca Hull (sitting L-R) Rosie Fortescue, Caggie Dunlop and Gabriella Ellis

From diamond heir and polo player Francis Boulle – who has been romantically linked to Emma Watson – to party girl Alexandra ‘Binky’ Felstead, this group prefer partying in Cannes and St Barths but make do with Public, Boujis and notorious new London haunt The Box when in between their glamorous holidays.

And they would not be caught dead in Sugar Hut – the preferred drinking hole of their Essex counterparts.

The series, which will premiere on May 9, is about ‘the real-life rivalries and relationships that set tongues wagging and phones beeping behind closed doors in some of London’s most exclusive postcodes.’

Polo players and diamond heirs: (L-R) Ollie Locke, Spencer Matthews, Fredrik Ferrier, Francis Boulle and Hugo Taylor join the girls

‘They’re immaculately dressed, fiercely ambitious and party hard – but beyond the posh accents, fast cars and glamorous holidays, life isn’t all champagne and canapés.

‘Every love-in, fall out and bitch fest will be captured on camera and played out post-watershed over eight one-hour episodes,’ Channel 4 promises.

Joining Francis and Alexandra are pop starlet and heartbreaker Caggie Dunlop, her mischievous party partner Milly Mackintosh, ladies man and A-grade Harrovian Hugo Taylor and his best mate and broker, Etonian Spencer Matthews.

Would the affluent group be caught dead at an amusement park like their Essex counterparts? Watch the show to find out what the Chelsea set get up to

Spencer’s girlfriend, dancer Funda Onal, fashion student and founder of online jewellery boutique MyFlashTrash, Amber Atherton and Goldsmiths student and Chelsea’s very own gossip girl Rosie Fortescue will also be featured.

And bi-lingual international model and pianist Fredrik Ferrier, ‘Girl About Town’ blogger Francesca Hull, flamboyant party host Ollie Locke and Greek chart-topper Gabriella Ellis round out the gang.

Filming for the show is already under way and Mail Online reporters witnessed the cast in their champagne-swilling action last week at Public nightclub, owned by Prince William’s good friend Guy Pelly.

Differing styles: While fake tan doesn’t appear to be in use on the King’s Road, big hair and revealing necklines seem to  be something they have in common with TOWIE stars like Sam Faiers, Jessica Wright and Chloe Sims

If the TOWIE cast are concerned about the newer, posher reality stars on the block, they are not showing it.

They were spotted today in Brentwood clad in their over-the-top frocks, deep fake tans and stilettos filming the latest instalment.

Made In Chelsea premieres on E4 on May 9 at 10pm.