Real Housewife of Jersey "irritated" by unvaccinated co-stars

Saturday 15 January 2022

A ‘Real Housewife of Jersey’ has raised concerns around some of her TV co-stars not being vaccinated against covid, saying she might not return to the show if the situation remains the same.

Speaking to FUBAR Radio, Dr Tessa Hartmann CBE spoke about how the situation had left her “a bit irritated”, claiming that “almost over half” of the ITV reality show's leading women had not had covid jabs.

The programme returned for its second season earlier this month, broadcasting on ITVBe. While discussing it, Dr Hartmann, who is now fit and well after being treated for breast cancer in 2017, brought up her concerns about the environment, questioning whether it was "fair" on the crew.

"My big issue for television is what's everybody going to do when you go back to filming and you're not vaccinated?" Dr Hartmann told the programme's hosts.

"Quite a lot of the wives weren't vaccinated and they're 'anti-vaxxers' so I want to hold my hands up and I think that's another thing that slightly bothered me. 

"I was a bit irritated by that because I'm very much for science and following the rules, and when you go to work and there's 30 to 40 people on set and cameraman and lighting people and whatever, and they're all following the rules and you're not vaccinated for some months, I think that's a wee bit selfish."

Pictured: Series two of The Real Housewives of Jersey launched on 27 December 2021 and can be viewed on ITV Hub.

She added that her personal thoughts were that she thought it should be mandatory for people who are making a TV production to be vaccinated. The group of medics leading Jersey's pandemic response - STAC - previously raised concerns about an "outbreak cluster" among crew filming on the island in June 2021.

Dr Hartmann continued: "If you don't want to get vaccinated, that's a choice that you take but then you have to make allowances and maybe change what you do as a result of that - I certainly wouldn't want to force anybody into it, but I think that's a really big moral dilemma that the world of television's going to have to face."

When asked if it would stop her personally from going back to the show if her co-stars didn't get vaccinated, she said "it probably would."

"There's seven women, and when almost over half aren't vaccinated, given what I've been through, that's a lot, and I think it's unfair, I'm almost irrelevant - there's almost seven women but there's lighting technicians, audio guys, producers, directors... it's not about me or the cast, it's about a team."

Pictured: Tessa Hartmann said she thought it should be mandatory for people who are making a TV production to be vaccinated.

She added: "Nobody wants to get vaccinated, why would you want to put that into your body? But you are trusting science, and I have four children and I've been through a lot health-wise myself, my daughter's asthmatic, so I think we have to follow the rules."

The new series of 'Real Housewives of Jersey' featured two new faces: Sarha Courtnay and Karen Loderick-Peace. Hedi Green and Jane Rayner from series one did not return.

Ms Green has been vocal in questioning covid restrictions and the vaccine on social media and in speeches at local 'Rally for Freedom' events. 

In August, s photograph of her at a rally with co-stars Margaret Thompson and Kate Taylor appeared on the front page of covid-sceptic newspaper The Rock alongside the caption, “JERSEY HOUSEWIVES SUPPORT FREEDOM.” ITV declined to comment on this at the time.

Pictured: Stars of the Real Housewives of Jersey on the front page.

Express has contacted ITV for comment on Dr Hartmann's remarks and is awaiting a response.

Dr Hartmann declined Express' offer of further comment.