When you think of Essex, you might well think of Amy Childs. Famed for her “Hello, honey!” catchphrase and diamanté vajazzles, the former beautician became an overnight sensation after appearing on the first series of TOWIE in 2010. Then, after a ten-year hiatus, which included a stint in Celebrity Big Brother, Amy returned to the show in 2021 – and it wasn’t just her famous red locks that had changed.
Amy, 34, is now mum to Polly, seven, Richie, six, and 13-month-old twins Billy and Millie, and last year got engaged to the twins’ dad and her long- time partner, businessman Billy Delbosq. Before she headed to Cyprus to film the 33rd series of the hit reality show with Billy, the twins, and her co-star Lauren Goodger, heat caught up with Amy to chat upcoming wedding plans and why she’ll still be on TOWIE in 50 years’ time…
You left TOWIE in 2011, then came back after ten years. How did that feel for you?
I just love being on TOWIE – we have a laugh and I think it keeps me young. I was there from day one and then had a little bit of time out, but now I’m back and it’s just amazing. I don’t get involved in any drama, I’m grown-up now. Polly and the twins are on it, and Bill – it’s lovely.
Lauren Goodger has also made a return. It must be nice to have one of the OGs back with you…
Me and Lauren had a moment together recently where we got really emotional. We have been through so much over the last 13 or 14 years. You have to think when we started out on the show, we were just 19 and there was a lot of drama going on, and now we are older and we are out of it all. We never thought at 19 that we'd be back on TOWIE, where our lives are now, with our kids. She is an incredible mum to Larose – she is a single parent and she does it all. I’ve got to take my hat off to her, she’s doing an amazing job. And it’s so nice to have another mum there to discuss nappies and stuff. We’ve both grown up loads since the vajazzle days and have been through so much together, so it’s nice we get to do this together now we are in our thirties.
Could you ever see yourself leaving the show again?
I don’t think I’ll ever leave. Why would I? I’m having too much fun. I do think I’m the Ken Barlow of TOWIE, though – I’ll be on it for like 50 years!
You and Billy got engaged last year. How is the wedding planning going?
We haven’t planned anything. We got engaged, thought about a wedding, and then life with four kids is so busy, I don’t think we spoke about it again.
Do you think you will wait, then?
I’d love to get married in the next couple of years, maybe when the twins are a little bit older. But I’m in two minds if I want the big Essex wedding I thought I always wanted, or a small wedding abroad.
Who will be on the guest list?
All of my TOWIE mates will 100 per cent be there.
Finally, you recently moved into a new house. Are you missing Brentwood?
I am, but I’m not too far away. I miss my mum, as we used to live on the same road, but she’s pretty much at our new house every day, anyway. I think she misses us – she makes out like we’ve moved to Manchester! It’s our dream home, and we fell in love with it straight away. It’s pretty much done, so we don’t need to do too much to it, but we’d like an outdoor bar and a swimming pool, so that might be a project for the summer.
