Caroline Stanbury has been living her life on television for a decade — but she now knows how to handle the drama.
The Real Housewives of Dubai star became a Bravo staple when she launched to stardom on Ladies of London in 2014 and has made fans belly laugh with her witty sense of humor ever since. However, a lot has changed since her first foray into the world of reality.
Stanbury chats exclusively with OK! about why filming her current series has been a breath of fresh air from the last time she graced our screens, her rift with former best friend Caroline Brooks and getting close with former enemy Chanel Ayan.
"It's a lot lighter because, obviously, my ex-husband wasn't fully on board," the blonde beauty notes of her time as a Housewife versus her time on the former Bravo series when she was married to her former spouse, Cem Habib, before tying the knot with Sergio Carrallo. "I understand he had a different type of job. He didn't want to be famous. Many husbands get thrown into this, and it's not like they get a choice; a wife pretty much pushes them into it. He had a serious job, and it was it was hard for him."
Despite feeling better on her new show, she still has to deal with her castmembers. "The first season, I was just trying to navigate the girls. This season, I'm like, OK, 'No. I don't have time for this.' Coming in with that attitude has really helped, to be honest. They threw everything they could at me during the first season, but nothing stuck," Stanbury says.
One negative aspect of Season 2 has been the broken friendship between her and Brooks. "I was completely blindsided. Watching it back now and seeing the venom for me in her eyes, it's kind of a little bit scary," the mother-of-three admits of their feud.
"It's not it's not easy to leave that behind, go home and not wonder,, 'Is it me? Have I done something?' I don't understand. She was in my house last week!" Stanbury adds.
Despite the rift, Stanbury has forged a shockingly close relationship with Ayan. "I'm stunned. It got to such a bad, ugly place after the reunion. But Chanel is like me. She's stubborn as h---! When she feels attacked, she doubles down, and it takes her a while to register annoyance," the U.K. native notes about her new friendship.
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The Real Housewives of Dubai Season 2 premiered on Sunday, June 2, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.
On Tuesday, June 11, the series moved to its regular timeslot on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes will stream next day on Peacock.
