Real Aussie in Housewives of NY

One of the husbands in the premiere season of The Real Housewives of New York City on Arena, is an Aussie.

Simon van Kempen met his NY wife Alex via the internet in 1999.

Van Kempen left Australian over 20 years ago and has previously served on the State Executive of the Queensland Young Liberals. He rose through the ranks of hotel management in London’s Sheraton, Mercure and Ritz Hotels until he became the opening General Manager of Hotel Chandler, New York the week before September 11.

“In the scheme of things the only thing we lost was money so no complaints here,” he said.

As with its predecessor The Real Housewives of Orange County, this fly on the wall series follows its subjects at work and play. Sounding something like a grown up Gossip Girl, this season drops by everything from charity fund-raising galas, to the social whirl of the Hamptons, and interviews for elite private schools.

Bravo is also filming The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

Their NY ladies screen 9:30pm Mondays on Arena.

Press Release:
ARENA is heading to “The Big Apple” with Bravo’s hit US series The Real Housewives of New York City making its Australian Television Premiere on Monday, September 1 at 9.30pm.

The much talked about observational reality series follows five glamorous Manhattan women – Alex, Bethenny, Jill, LuAnn, and Ramona – as they balance motherhood, demanding careers, and a fast-paced social calendar, taking viewers inside what life is like in the most exclusive communities of New York.

Making his mark on the series, is Australian Simon van Kempen who is husband to New York housewife Alex. The couple met on the internet in 1999 and have been practically inseparable since their second date. One curious thing with Simon and Alex’s household is their deliberate employment of a French au pair to take care of their two children. According to Alex, they want the kids to grow up bilingual and having the French nanny live with them is the best way to accomplish that goal.

The camera follows the elite and powerful set of New York socialites as they juggle their careers and home lives with social commitments – charity fund-raising galas, the social whirl of the Hamptons, and interviews for elite private schools. These driven and ambitious women show everyone what it takes to make it in the upper echelon of society, where money and status are an essential way of life.

The doco-drama takes an up-close and personal look at a lifestyle where private chefs, Au Pairs, front row seats at Fashion Week and Hamptons estates are part of everyday life. They will do whatever it takes to keep up appearances in one of the most stylish cities in the world.

This series is a spin-off of The Real Housewives of Orange County on ARENA. The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of New Jersey are currently in production in the US.

Source: mccordvankempen.com