November 28, 2023 • 23 mins
On today’s episode of TV Reload I am joined by Dr Kate from The Real Housewives of Sydney. Who I think is the break out star from the rebooted Sydney version of the popular housewife franchise.
Dr Kate Adams is an expert on pets and science. She is the owner of Bondi Vet Hospital, TV presenter and now the queen of the Australian Housewives series.
Kate will explain that she thought she would be the mushroom on the side of the plate with a daring decision to join the other Sydney socialites on the Foxtel / Binge reality-show and it will be interesting to unpack what has been a well received update to reality series.
- I will find out how Kate was cast and what Dr Adam's worried about when signing on.
- Dr Kate will discuss fur-gate and explain what she thought of Victoria’s decision to wear fur to an animal conservation park.
- I will also find out if Kate will return for another series and how she feels being compared to Gina Linao.
Plus we will get plenty of exclusives from behind the scenes of ‘Real Housewives of Sydney’ Which drops on Tuesday nights on Binge and Foxtel.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's in the news today, but it was actually on
TV Reload the podcast past week that line.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Welcome back, guys to TV Reload. As you may know,
my name is Benjamin Norris and this is your podcast
to get all the inside goss on the popular TV
shows that you may be watching from around the world. Undeniably,
our TV sets are a major part of our home entertainment,
and yet very little is known about how our favorite
shows get made. So each episode I've been finding the
guests that want to dive just that little bit deeper
(00:25):
into the shows that they're currently making, so that you
can hear all their exclusive stories and gain access to
some of the biggest names in Australian television. I want
to thank you for downloading or subscribing to my podcast
however you've found me. I love hearing your feedback, so
if you can leave a review or a comment on
your chosen podcast platform. On today's episode of TV Reload,
I'm joined by doctor Kate from the Real Housewives of Sydney,
(00:48):
who I think is the breakout star from the rebooted
Sydney version of the popular Housewives franchise. Doctor Kate Adams
is an expert on pets and science. She is the
owner of Bondi Vet Hospital, well TV presenter and now
the Queen of Australian Housewives series. Kate will explain that
she thought that she'd be the mushroom on the side
of the plate with her daring decision to join the
(01:10):
Sydney socialites on Foxtail and Binge's reality series, and it
will be interesting to unpack what she thinks of the
fans who have really taken to her. On this series
of the show, I will find out how doctor Kate
was cast and why she worried about signing onto a
Housewives franchise. Doctor Kate will discuss fergate and will also
explain exactly what she was thinking as Victoria decided to
(01:32):
wearfer to an animal conservation park. I will also find
out if Kate will return to another series and how
she feels being compared to Gina Liano. Whilst we will
get plenty of exclusives from behind the scenes of the
Real Housewives of Sydney, which drops on Tuesday nights until
it finishes on Binge and Foxtail. Anyway, let's bring Doctor
Kate into the podcast and guys, I hope you really
(01:55):
enjoy this exciting chat with one of my favorite new
reality TV stars.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Hi Van, how are you?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I'm very excited to be talking to you. I'm very well,
thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
I'm very excited too.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
You know that you are the queen of reality television
in my home for twenty twenty three. I didn't see
this coming, but we, my partner and I were obsessed
with you.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Ah, that is so lovely. Look to be honest with you, Ben,
I really didn't see it coming either. I was planning
on being the mushroom on the side, and then I
was like, oh, here we are.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
We are I just I don't think I've always been
drawn to assertive women, But do you think the world
has changed in the sense that you can now be
a woman in control and not be played off as
a bitch.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Look, I think it's definitely changing. I don't know if
it's completely changed. I think that we have come a
long way, and you know what, I think that there
are enough voices out there telling me that, yes, that
is where we're at to think, Okay, well that's where
we're headed, right. I think they're still the Hangar Honors,
particularly in Australia, but probably also in the us as well,
(02:59):
where they're really sort of hanging onto this like you're
not a housewife, and I'm like, guys, I got a house,
I clean clean it.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I think, you know, that's what's so interesting about this
franchise is that where it started was that you needed
to have a husband who made a lot of money.
Where here we are in twenty twenty three and you
are the breadwinner. You you have all of the cachet
and it's all rolled into one who needs a man.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Yeah, I think we're kind of moving towards that, and
you sort of seeing the franchises around the world were
starting to move into this new era of housewives where
you know, it's celebrating women and the you know, the
successful in their own right. And I think that's that's
that's amazing really. I mean you look at the New
York Housewives these days, and yeah, it's a new generation
and your housewives reimagined.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
You are also the housewife to your cats at home.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
So exactly just because my children do not have skin,
they have fur.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
What I thought was amazing was you going on that
date with that man. Did the uses go and pick
like a man who was very flawed for you to
chew up and spit out like how did that happen?
Or did you or it.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Really wasn't a setup. It wasn't So the guy wasn't
an actor. He was a real gentleman that was actually
on a dating app. Look, he was originally chosen, like
he was set up through a dating app on with
the producer. Yeah, so that happened with the producer. So
I'm sure there was some degree of like, well, you know,
I had specifically said, you know, would it be okay
if you could try and find someone that doesn't make
(04:28):
me look like a giraffe? And he they said yeah, sure.
And actually, prior to the date, I said, do you
reckon I could wear really tall heels, like how tall
is he? Because I just it's not necessarily about him
being short. And I think there was that whole sort
of thing about you know, Kate, like so discriminatory, and
I was like, no, guys, it makes me feel like
a giraffe. And so I had said, look, you know,
(04:50):
can I wear giant heels? And they said yeah, he's
six foot four, So there's some degree there off. You know,
someone had obviously said let's just tell her this, so
they obviously he knew, but was it technically a setup? No?
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, right, I mean you could have found him, you
could have married him, he could have been the man
of your dreams.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Right, And I was hoping for that, I thought, and
I think that that that, to be honest with you,
how they had originally hoped it because they had this
hope that maybe I was going to become non single
by the end of the series and everyone would like
clap clap and be like, oh wow, doctor Katis finally
found himself a man.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Then you'd have to have all some of these housewives
as bridesmaids. And we don't need that to.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Happen, oh one hundred percent. And do you know what,
I think they figured out pretty quickly that actually, like,
I don't, that wasn't really my intention, and I don't.
I'm not actively running around looking for a man.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
No.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
So there was talk around like sending me to a
dating coach and whatnot, and I was like, no, guys,
I don't need any dating coach. Acting like I'm sitting
around on Saturday nights by myself.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
What's the I mean, you don't strike me And this
is the magic as to why you work so well,
You don't strike me as the sort of person who
would want to be on a reality show like this.
How did this all come about? Like who dubbed you in?
And you know, what was the audition process? Like what happened?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
So I don't really know who dubbed me in, but obviously,
you know, I'd done it on my VET for a while,
so that had you know, and there was some crossover
in terms of actually people that worked on both of
those shows, So you know, there was obviously somewhere at
some point someone my name in. Look, I was one
of those housewives. I'm a massive fan of the franchise. Wow,
you know Beverly Hills in particular, you know, back from
(06:24):
when I was young, like, I absolutely loved Beverly Hills,
And as much as a lot of people kind of
you know, are very don't say good things about housewives
in general, I always thought they were absolute fucking heroes,
you know, And I think, wow, like these women probably
get more respect than what you would if you're a politician.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Yeah, no, I think it is very true. Although you know,
reality TV contests, reality TV people had politicians I've found
have a lot in common. But that's a different podcast.
But this is the thing though, to be good reality TV,
you have to be authentic, and some of these women
on this series come across like they've been on a
long lunch since nineteen ninety five, where you look like
you've walked in just from doing a shift at work.
(07:05):
Sometimes I really have those, Yeah, But and you still
look more glamorous than all of them put together with
the work and the clothes. But what did you have
as an expectation of how you were going to be
on this show?
Speaker 1 (07:17):
One hundred percent myself.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Just being yourself.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Okay, one hundred percent myself. So you know, I went
on this show because for me, I guess it was
a bit of a personal challenge. And the way that
I see the world is I kind of think that,
you know, even though showing vulnerability can be seen as
a weakness, like I think it's actually really courageous. Yeah,
And I felt like watching lots of reality TV show,
(07:42):
I think that you really do come undone when you
start not being yourself. And you know, I've seen previous
series where they've had housewives that have rented houses and
done all these things and not been true to who
they were. And you know, even for me, like I
don't have a stylist, as an example, and I didn't
want to stylist because I don't have a stylist. I
style myself and that might mean that sometimes I get
(08:04):
it wrong, but that's what it is right that my
real life.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
I think you've also redefined the way in which conflict
can happen between people, not just necessarily women. I think
you show a way in which you're able to present
your case and stay strong on how you feel. Is
there advice that you have for people when they do
find themselves in conflict with their girlfriends or in a
workplace on how they can stay strong, stay true to
(08:30):
who they are and what their message is without being
overcome by their own emotions.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
I think that probably just comes with practice, and it
probably comes with practice as from being a vet to
be honest with you, because our lets get yelled at
quite frequently. I think that there's two parts to conflict.
I think that there's active listening, and I do actively
listen to my opponent without emotion, really trying to actually
understand what their point is and trying to see it
(08:58):
from their perspective. But then there's all so active speaking.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Well think about and you're saying I think is important.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Yeah, and you have to speak your truth, right, you
have to. And I think that like everything, you know,
if you're going to fight about shoes and handbags or
something that's not important to you, and then there's there's
no point. So you do need to choose your battles,
particularly when it comes to you know, friendships for example,
So if it's something that you know, something that you
don't really care about, you know, And there was a
(09:25):
lot of earlier on in that series there was you know,
talk of you know, me being an onion and me
being Mona Lisa and all that kind of stuff, moaning Lisa,
and I was kind of like, I don't care enough
to argue about this. What I do care about is this,
you know, questioning my sexuality. That was a thing for
me that I felt that that was important. And then
obviously then there was there was fur. So those two
(09:46):
things for me were big enough that I thought, okay,
well this is where rubber hits the road, like we're
going to have to I'm going to have to say
something about these two things.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Victoria, you know, really jumped in with this whole thing
and in a way that I I thought was unfathomable.
Like I've met her, I've had her on the podcast.
She's lovely, But had she really set herself up and
done herself a doozy by wearing some fur while going
to an animal conservation park like as in it seems
unfathomable that she would even do that. Is she being
set up by producers to go and to go to
(10:18):
that with fur on her sitting next to.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
You like, No, No, I don't think any of that
was set up, And I think that, you know, a
criticism from the other side is is that I was
set up, that I was being prodded by producers to
say something, and that is not how it went down.
So you know, how it really happened was that the
night before, we'd had that discussion, which I felt was
reasonably respectful on both sides, and we'd had that kind
(10:44):
of robust discussion, and I thought it had ended there,
And it really wasn't until the next day that that
incident sort of happened in the car that I thought, Okay, wow,
this is not what I had for seen at all.
So I really don't think it was a deliberate on
Victoria's part. I don't, and I don't believe it wasn't.
Certainly wasn't on my part. I did know that obviously.
(11:07):
You know, Tim Faulkner, who is the head of OSSIERC,
is a very good friend and I've done lots of
work with OSSI ARC and Tim is a force, and
I honestly in that car felt like, if I don't
say something in this car, I am going to get
accused of saying something, which I'd been accused of previously
in ambushing someone publicly, because I'm going to have to
(11:27):
say something in front of everyone, and then I'm going
to get attacked about the fact that I had said
it in it at an inappropriate time. So I actually
chose that car. I thought I've got to do it
now because otherwise we can't do it well and get
there without coming off as I'd waited until the last minute.
And interestingly, obviously I was still attached for when I
(11:49):
said it, and that I had ambucher in the car,
and then I thought, well, it was better than being
ambushed by Tim at the park, and that would have
embarrassed me to no end, because I did set that
up personally to go to the Wildlife Park, and I
had felt I guess quite frankly embarrassed, and I thought,
I just I can't have Tim see this. It's disrespectful.
(12:10):
And there was that joke about being made of Tasmanian devil,
of which it wasn't, but I thought, Babe, like, do
you realize like people spent put their whole lives into this.
This is not like some like whim for them, Like
people put their whole lives into this. And regardless of
what you think to me, I just think it's like
you know, walking into a church that is not your
religion and then asking them to take your shoes off
(12:31):
like you do it just out of a sign of respect.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Absolutely. I mean the evolution of this as well, kay,
is that today we're hearing that she didn't take fur
out of her you know, her range of clothing. And yes,
interesting thing was that when you went to go and
unpack this whole situation at a lunch afterwards, some of
the fans were like, oh, you know, Victoria's trying to apologize,
but you really came across like you hadn't really taken
(12:55):
that apology or you didn't believe that she was going
to take her out of her clothing. Line. Was that
what it had happened, Because now that we know that
she hasn't, how does that make you feel about the argument?
Speaker 1 (13:04):
I mean, I knew at that time that it wasn't
going to be so, you know, I certainly think that
there was a lot of planning that went involved into
the cape coat and the idea around taking for out
of the equation, but I knew that there was a
lot of resentment there about having to do that.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
And you know, it's really funny about that lunch. Well
not funny, I say funny, but I mean strange, not
ha half funny, but like when Chrissy jumped in to
try and join that conversation, you kind of just put
an end to that, and you know, it was a
little bit brutal, but it also was very important to
stay on trend of will stay on the topic. That's
what I saw that you were doing.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
But yeah, is it interesting to.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Be a housewife for the first time with two women
that have done it before and they have they been
affected or are they more seasoned than everybody else? Like
what do you think their relationship is with the show
coming back for a second time?
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Yeah, I certainly think so. On having done this once before,
I think, Wow, like the advantage of having done it
once before is significant, you know, because you kind of
then can see like what type of things that they're
going to edit in and what they're going to edit
out and those types of things. So I think, like
a season you get and you know I haven't I
probably even knew that even from the day, you know,
(14:11):
watching Erica Jane's first season as to what she is
now like a completely different housewife, So you know, there
certainly is some practice involved in this. So you know
you're definitely coming at at a disadvantage when you haven't
done it before, but you know, hopefully next series well.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Also it's great though that you see housewives come onto
these franchises and you know, you've watched Beverly Hills, so
we've watched the evolution of how those shows happen when
a housewife joins and the expectation that they want to
be a certain person on the show. You know, I
feel like with this series in Australia, it's like everyone
wants to be the next Genaliano. Where you've come on
the show just being yourself, not trying to be Genialiano,
(14:48):
but now everyone's saying you're the Queen of Australian Housewives. So,
you know, I think there's something really important in being yourself.
But can you see any similarities when the fans call
you that, Can you see any similarities to who Gina
was on the show and who you are?
Speaker 1 (15:03):
I definitely can. I think that. Obviously Gina and I
are from completely different you know, different parts of the world,
but we we communicate reasonably similarly. I think that probably
Gina is better at it than I am. Like I've
watched some Gina scenes and I've thought, oh, wow, you're
pretty good at that. Gina and I never really intended
on being Gena.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
No, I don't think I'm actually not a. It's funny.
I'm not accusing you of that at all. I'm actually
saying that everyone wants to try and emulate something. Yeah
it works. You have not tried to emulate it, and
you've landed there. That's what's interesting to me.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Yeah, and you know, there was there's a certain level
of you know, knowledge I had about myself. Obviously, I
went into this thinking I'm going to be the mushroom
on the side. I'm just gonna and I am a
girl's girl, right, So I thought Okay, it's going to
be fine. I'm just going to make friends. I'm going
to make friends here, and it's all going to be fine.
I'm just going to be like la da lah. And
of course, like I walk in and you know, Quzzy
calls me a nun and I thought, okay, and then
(15:59):
she has a crack about anal Gland Monday, and I thought, okay,
well this is not going well, is it. So I
kind of thought from that very first moment that I
walked in, I was like, oh gosh, I have a
target on my back here. So you know, it took
me a while. It took me a couple of episodes
to start to realize, like, I'm probably going to need
to start picking up a sword here, otherwise I'm just
about to get youed.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Oh I think you arrived. Like the only thing that
Gina's got that you don't don't have is that she
got that European tongue. You know, she can put together
a really sassy you know, absolutely much faster and that's
what my europe I grew up in Doncaster, Yeah, very
European area, Albourne, and they were all that was classic
for them, you know, a classic you know, Italian thing
to just roll something. Yeah, that could be quite sassy
(16:42):
and disarmed.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Yeah, And I think the other probably shocked for people
is is that, you know, I come from Bondivet. You know,
we've kind of trained our audiences, particularly, I guess, you know,
into thinking that our female bets are like puppies and
kittens and they could just probably be on like being
a wiggle, you know, or on play school.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Or something, and so far from that though, you know.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Yeah, it's absolutely but that's how we've always portrayed our
female vets, you know. So there's always been this kind
of sideline of this female vet that's cycle like love,
like puppies and kittens type kind of energy. And you know,
I for a long time there, I started to feel
as though that, you know, Bondo Vett is a really
big part of my life, but it only that show
(17:27):
only really allowed me to show a certain side of
myself that wasn't as authentic as what I could have been.
And so my intention in going into this was really, Okay,
well this is who I am. If everyone doesn't like me,
I get that I'm polarizing, but I guess we're here, right,
and I.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Don't communicate it. Sorry to jump in there, especially because
now I'm very conscious of your active listening, and I'm like,
I've got to actively listen. I've got to make sure.
But like I also think being a presenter is a
two dimensional role. You know, you don't necessarily get to
show you warts at all, and that's what people are
fascinated by. People are asassinated by the nuances of who
you really are. But then you go as far as
(18:05):
being on a show like this, which does talk about
conflict and it does talk about putting women and pitting
women together, were you worried that that could affect Bondai Vet?
Speaker 1 (18:14):
And you know, there was you know, talk particularly about
you know, will I come back to Bonda Vette after
I finished filming, And my first thought was actually I thought, well, guys,
you might not want me on that. And there was
a billboard down in Melbourne actually that had my head
on it as bond I Vet. And you know, there
was a lot of questions being asked, you know, are
(18:35):
we able to sort of keep that up? And I thought, oh, gosh, guys,
maybe by the end of this year, is you're going
to be up there with a button knife like kind
of pick my head off.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Mate, You're going to get your check book out and
ask them to pay you double because you've just gone
on a reality show which could have chewed you up
and spat you out, but you've held your integrity. Fans
are clamoring for you, like this is good press, like
this is good public. You know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Yeah? Well, few few.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
I really couldn't have gone that way. I mean, you
know this is a dangerous ground.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Did you get always there is right?
Speaker 2 (19:08):
It's we've seen people like Lisa Rinner as well. Hey,
just before you go, it's just going to quickly ask
you about the idea of coming back next year. There
seems to be a fairly clear divide that's happening between
the girls. Do you think when the show picks up
next time we see you girls, that we will see
more of a divide? Do you think that those sort
of teams are going to solidify a little bit more
(19:28):
before you will return?
Speaker 1 (19:30):
I don't really know. You know. What I do know
is that when you know, alliances start to form, I
think that the show starts to not work. And you know,
you see that in season one fairly clearly, and I
think that it starts to become uncomfortable when there is
alliances there. So I mean, I just don't really know
how that's going to how that's going to go. I
(19:52):
don't know anyone.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Well, producers for real Housewives of Beverly Hills will tell
the women, you know, by the way that relationships beg
having a little bit boring by being like that, you know, yeah,
but you go and see Sutton, you know, how about
you go and imagine your relationships at least, right, you
know what I mean? And then when the housewives don't
want to do that aka LVP Lisa van a Pump,
then the show doesn't work. And then you know, long, yes,
(20:16):
you know.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
That's right, right, And I think everyone does forget right,
Like everyone says, you know, whatever they might say about
you know, someone being a shit sir or whatever. I'm like, guys,
it is housewives. Like We're not going to sit around
and have a cup of tea.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
It is a show which you can get kay before
you go. The last question I ask everyone who joins
the podcast is what is something from behind the scenes
of the housewives experience for you? Something we didn't get
a chance to see, but kind of like a behind
the scenes secret for doctor Kate Bang on this series.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Behind the scenes. Well, you know, I think it was
really really tough for me to actually juggle work and filming,
and I did do that, and my girls at the
clinic will tell you sometimes I had to have my
hair and makeup done out the back in the treatment room.
So that is yep, that is there. And the other
thing is I think that everyone always asks, is that
(21:09):
do we, for example, like pay for our own clothes
and our like organize our own glam and we do.
We organize all of that on our own.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Why the hell's doing your makeup? Your makeup is impeccable.
The hair actually no, I don't know what's better that.
What's your opinion, the hair or the makeup? Like you
this season, every time you turn up in your piece
to cameras, you are like a vision.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Ah, that is lovely. I definitely think that my hair
is harder to do because I have so much hair.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Yeah's I think.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
And a lot of people ask me if I have
hair extensions because of the amount of hair that I have,
and I don't. It's just that I have a very skilled,
skilled hairdresser, So for me, the hair is much more
important and although sometimes my hair doesn't look very good,
that's because I've got a lot of it.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Well, I mean, to be a good housewife, you've got
to have a good name.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
So you know, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
I just want to say thank you so so much
for being so generous, thanks for having me. I've absolutely
loved talking to you. It's a real bucket list.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
I love it. I love to hear that you like
from people that have something positive to say. And you
would know from reality television, you know, you get a
lot of you know, you're like, oh, every day for
a battle of the death threats.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
You know, polarize your audience and this goes across a
lot of media. Like Kate Lambrook told me this years ago,
and she was like, you know, straight after I did
Big Brother and people savaged me online. I didn't like
that I'd won. You know, you can't please everyone. Yeah,
but yeah, Kate said, you know, if you don't polarize people,
you don't have a job, and so your percentages of
likability and you know, people that don't like you actually
(22:36):
need to be a lot closer together than people realize.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
So Okay, actually said right, you know, I love that advice.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
You're fifty percent hated and you're fifty percent loved. You've
got the perfect sweet spot to be on television and
in the media. You know, if you're ninety percent liked,
then you're out of the job, and if you're notice hated,
you're out of the job.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Yeah, okay, that's good. That's good. I like those stats.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
So you're resonating girl anyway, and you enjoy treading. Keep fire, right, Ben, Yeah,
look after yourself.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Choked your light after you bye?
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Fine now yeh yeah,
It's in the news today, but it was actually on
TV Reload the podcast past week that line.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Welcome back, guys to TV Reload. As you may know,
my name is Benjamin Norris and this is your podcast
to get all the inside goss on the popular TV
shows that you may be watching from around the world. Undeniably,
our TV sets are a major part of our home entertainment,
and yet very little is known about how our favorite
shows get made. So each episode I've been finding the
guests that want to dive just that little bit deeper
(00:25):
into the shows that they're currently making, so that you
can hear all their exclusive stories and gain access to
some of the biggest names in Australian television. I want
to thank you for downloading or subscribing to my podcast
however you've found me. I love hearing your feedback, so
if you can leave a review or a comment on
your chosen podcast platform. On today's episode of TV Reload,
I'm joined by doctor Kate from the Real Housewives of Sydney,
(00:48):
who I think is the breakout star from the rebooted
Sydney version of the popular Housewives franchise. Doctor Kate Adams
is an expert on pets and science. She is the
owner of Bondi Vet Hospital, well TV presenter and now
the Queen of Australian Housewives series. Kate will explain that
she thought that she'd be the mushroom on the side
of the plate with her daring decision to join the
(01:10):
Sydney socialites on Foxtail and Binge's reality series, and it
will be interesting to unpack what she thinks of the
fans who have really taken to her. On this series
of the show, I will find out how doctor Kate
was cast and why she worried about signing onto a
Housewives franchise. Doctor Kate will discuss fergate and will also
explain exactly what she was thinking as Victoria decided to
(01:32):
wearfer to an animal conservation park. I will also find
out if Kate will return to another series and how
she feels being compared to Gina Liano. Whilst we will
get plenty of exclusives from behind the scenes of the
Real Housewives of Sydney, which drops on Tuesday nights until
it finishes on Binge and Foxtail. Anyway, let's bring Doctor
Kate into the podcast and guys, I hope you really
(01:55):
enjoy this exciting chat with one of my favorite new
reality TV stars.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Hi Van, how are you?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I'm very excited to be talking to you. I'm very well,
thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
I'm very excited too.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
You know that you are the queen of reality television
in my home for twenty twenty three. I didn't see
this coming, but we, my partner and I were obsessed
with you.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Ah, that is so lovely. Look to be honest with you, Ben,
I really didn't see it coming either. I was planning
on being the mushroom on the side, and then I
was like, oh, here we are.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
We are I just I don't think I've always been
drawn to assertive women, But do you think the world
has changed in the sense that you can now be
a woman in control and not be played off as
a bitch.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Look, I think it's definitely changing. I don't know if
it's completely changed. I think that we have come a
long way, and you know what, I think that there
are enough voices out there telling me that, yes, that
is where we're at to think, Okay, well that's where
we're headed, right. I think they're still the Hangar Honors,
particularly in Australia, but probably also in the us as well,
(02:59):
where they're really sort of hanging onto this like you're
not a housewife, and I'm like, guys, I got a house,
I clean clean it.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I think, you know, that's what's so interesting about this
franchise is that where it started was that you needed
to have a husband who made a lot of money.
Where here we are in twenty twenty three and you
are the breadwinner. You you have all of the cachet
and it's all rolled into one who needs a man.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Yeah, I think we're kind of moving towards that, and
you sort of seeing the franchises around the world were
starting to move into this new era of housewives where
you know, it's celebrating women and the you know, the
successful in their own right. And I think that's that's
that's amazing really. I mean you look at the New
York Housewives these days, and yeah, it's a new generation
and your housewives reimagined.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
You are also the housewife to your cats at home.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
So exactly just because my children do not have skin,
they have fur.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
What I thought was amazing was you going on that
date with that man. Did the uses go and pick
like a man who was very flawed for you to
chew up and spit out like how did that happen?
Or did you or it.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Really wasn't a setup. It wasn't So the guy wasn't
an actor. He was a real gentleman that was actually
on a dating app. Look, he was originally chosen, like
he was set up through a dating app on with
the producer. Yeah, so that happened with the producer. So
I'm sure there was some degree of like, well, you know,
I had specifically said, you know, would it be okay
if you could try and find someone that doesn't make
(04:28):
me look like a giraffe? And he they said yeah, sure.
And actually, prior to the date, I said, do you
reckon I could wear really tall heels, like how tall
is he? Because I just it's not necessarily about him
being short. And I think there was that whole sort
of thing about you know, Kate, like so discriminatory, and
I was like, no, guys, it makes me feel like
a giraffe. And so I had said, look, you know,
(04:50):
can I wear giant heels? And they said yeah, he's
six foot four, So there's some degree there off. You know,
someone had obviously said let's just tell her this, so
they obviously he knew, but was it technically a setup? No?
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, right, I mean you could have found him, you
could have married him, he could have been the man
of your dreams.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Right, And I was hoping for that, I thought, and
I think that that that, to be honest with you,
how they had originally hoped it because they had this
hope that maybe I was going to become non single
by the end of the series and everyone would like
clap clap and be like, oh wow, doctor Katis finally
found himself a man.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Then you'd have to have all some of these housewives
as bridesmaids. And we don't need that to.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Happen, oh one hundred percent. And do you know what,
I think they figured out pretty quickly that actually, like,
I don't, that wasn't really my intention, and I don't.
I'm not actively running around looking for a man.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
No.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
So there was talk around like sending me to a
dating coach and whatnot, and I was like, no, guys,
I don't need any dating coach. Acting like I'm sitting
around on Saturday nights by myself.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
What's the I mean, you don't strike me And this
is the magic as to why you work so well,
You don't strike me as the sort of person who
would want to be on a reality show like this.
How did this all come about? Like who dubbed you in?
And you know, what was the audition process? Like what happened?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
So I don't really know who dubbed me in, but obviously,
you know, I'd done it on my VET for a while,
so that had you know, and there was some crossover
in terms of actually people that worked on both of
those shows, So you know, there was obviously somewhere at
some point someone my name in. Look, I was one
of those housewives. I'm a massive fan of the franchise. Wow,
you know Beverly Hills in particular, you know, back from
(06:24):
when I was young, like, I absolutely loved Beverly Hills,
And as much as a lot of people kind of
you know, are very don't say good things about housewives
in general, I always thought they were absolute fucking heroes,
you know, And I think, wow, like these women probably
get more respect than what you would if you're a politician.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Yeah, no, I think it is very true. Although you know,
reality TV contests, reality TV people had politicians I've found
have a lot in common. But that's a different podcast.
But this is the thing though, to be good reality TV,
you have to be authentic, and some of these women
on this series come across like they've been on a
long lunch since nineteen ninety five, where you look like
you've walked in just from doing a shift at work.
(07:05):
Sometimes I really have those, Yeah, But and you still
look more glamorous than all of them put together with
the work and the clothes. But what did you have
as an expectation of how you were going to be
on this show?
Speaker 1 (07:17):
One hundred percent myself.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Just being yourself.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Okay, one hundred percent myself. So you know, I went
on this show because for me, I guess it was
a bit of a personal challenge. And the way that
I see the world is I kind of think that,
you know, even though showing vulnerability can be seen as
a weakness, like I think it's actually really courageous. Yeah,
And I felt like watching lots of reality TV show,
(07:42):
I think that you really do come undone when you
start not being yourself. And you know, I've seen previous
series where they've had housewives that have rented houses and
done all these things and not been true to who
they were. And you know, even for me, like I
don't have a stylist, as an example, and I didn't
want to stylist because I don't have a stylist. I
style myself and that might mean that sometimes I get
(08:04):
it wrong, but that's what it is right that my
real life.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
I think you've also redefined the way in which conflict
can happen between people, not just necessarily women. I think
you show a way in which you're able to present
your case and stay strong on how you feel. Is
there advice that you have for people when they do
find themselves in conflict with their girlfriends or in a
workplace on how they can stay strong, stay true to
(08:30):
who they are and what their message is without being
overcome by their own emotions.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
I think that probably just comes with practice, and it
probably comes with practice as from being a vet to
be honest with you, because our lets get yelled at
quite frequently. I think that there's two parts to conflict.
I think that there's active listening, and I do actively
listen to my opponent without emotion, really trying to actually
understand what their point is and trying to see it
(08:58):
from their perspective. But then there's all so active speaking.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Well think about and you're saying I think is important.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Yeah, and you have to speak your truth, right, you
have to. And I think that like everything, you know,
if you're going to fight about shoes and handbags or
something that's not important to you, and then there's there's
no point. So you do need to choose your battles,
particularly when it comes to you know, friendships for example,
So if it's something that you know, something that you
don't really care about, you know, And there was a
(09:25):
lot of earlier on in that series there was you know,
talk of you know, me being an onion and me
being Mona Lisa and all that kind of stuff, moaning Lisa,
and I was kind of like, I don't care enough
to argue about this. What I do care about is this,
you know, questioning my sexuality. That was a thing for
me that I felt that that was important. And then
obviously then there was there was fur. So those two
(09:46):
things for me were big enough that I thought, okay,
well this is where rubber hits the road, like we're
going to have to I'm going to have to say
something about these two things.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Victoria, you know, really jumped in with this whole thing
and in a way that I I thought was unfathomable.
Like I've met her, I've had her on the podcast.
She's lovely, But had she really set herself up and
done herself a doozy by wearing some fur while going
to an animal conservation park like as in it seems
unfathomable that she would even do that. Is she being
set up by producers to go and to go to
(10:18):
that with fur on her sitting next to.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
You like, No, No, I don't think any of that
was set up, And I think that, you know, a
criticism from the other side is is that I was
set up, that I was being prodded by producers to
say something, and that is not how it went down.
So you know, how it really happened was that the
night before, we'd had that discussion, which I felt was
reasonably respectful on both sides, and we'd had that kind
(10:44):
of robust discussion, and I thought it had ended there,
And it really wasn't until the next day that that
incident sort of happened in the car that I thought, Okay, wow,
this is not what I had for seen at all.
So I really don't think it was a deliberate on
Victoria's part. I don't, and I don't believe it wasn't.
Certainly wasn't on my part. I did know that obviously.
(11:07):
You know, Tim Faulkner, who is the head of OSSIERC,
is a very good friend and I've done lots of
work with OSSI ARC and Tim is a force, and
I honestly in that car felt like, if I don't
say something in this car, I am going to get
accused of saying something, which I'd been accused of previously
in ambushing someone publicly, because I'm going to have to
(11:27):
say something in front of everyone, and then I'm going
to get attacked about the fact that I had said
it in it at an inappropriate time. So I actually
chose that car. I thought I've got to do it
now because otherwise we can't do it well and get
there without coming off as I'd waited until the last minute.
And interestingly, obviously I was still attached for when I
(11:49):
said it, and that I had ambucher in the car,
and then I thought, well, it was better than being
ambushed by Tim at the park, and that would have
embarrassed me to no end, because I did set that
up personally to go to the Wildlife Park, and I
had felt I guess quite frankly embarrassed, and I thought,
I just I can't have Tim see this. It's disrespectful.
(12:10):
And there was that joke about being made of Tasmanian devil,
of which it wasn't, but I thought, Babe, like, do
you realize like people spent put their whole lives into this.
This is not like some like whim for them, Like
people put their whole lives into this. And regardless of
what you think to me, I just think it's like
you know, walking into a church that is not your
religion and then asking them to take your shoes off
(12:31):
like you do it just out of a sign of respect.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Absolutely. I mean the evolution of this as well, kay,
is that today we're hearing that she didn't take fur
out of her you know, her range of clothing. And yes,
interesting thing was that when you went to go and
unpack this whole situation at a lunch afterwards, some of
the fans were like, oh, you know, Victoria's trying to apologize,
but you really came across like you hadn't really taken
(12:55):
that apology or you didn't believe that she was going
to take her out of her clothing. Line. Was that
what it had happened, Because now that we know that
she hasn't, how does that make you feel about the argument?
Speaker 1 (13:04):
I mean, I knew at that time that it wasn't
going to be so, you know, I certainly think that
there was a lot of planning that went involved into
the cape coat and the idea around taking for out
of the equation, but I knew that there was a
lot of resentment there about having to do that.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
And you know, it's really funny about that lunch. Well
not funny, I say funny, but I mean strange, not
ha half funny, but like when Chrissy jumped in to
try and join that conversation, you kind of just put
an end to that, and you know, it was a
little bit brutal, but it also was very important to
stay on trend of will stay on the topic. That's
what I saw that you were doing.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
But yeah, is it interesting to.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Be a housewife for the first time with two women
that have done it before and they have they been
affected or are they more seasoned than everybody else? Like
what do you think their relationship is with the show
coming back for a second time?
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Yeah, I certainly think so. On having done this once before,
I think, Wow, like the advantage of having done it
once before is significant, you know, because you kind of
then can see like what type of things that they're
going to edit in and what they're going to edit
out and those types of things. So I think, like
a season you get and you know I haven't I
probably even knew that even from the day, you know,
(14:11):
watching Erica Jane's first season as to what she is
now like a completely different housewife, So you know, there
certainly is some practice involved in this. So you know
you're definitely coming at at a disadvantage when you haven't
done it before, but you know, hopefully next series well.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Also it's great though that you see housewives come onto
these franchises and you know, you've watched Beverly Hills, so
we've watched the evolution of how those shows happen when
a housewife joins and the expectation that they want to
be a certain person on the show. You know, I
feel like with this series in Australia, it's like everyone
wants to be the next Genaliano. Where you've come on
the show just being yourself, not trying to be Genialiano,
(14:48):
but now everyone's saying you're the Queen of Australian Housewives. So,
you know, I think there's something really important in being yourself.
But can you see any similarities when the fans call
you that, Can you see any similarities to who Gina
was on the show and who you are?
Speaker 1 (15:03):
I definitely can. I think that. Obviously Gina and I
are from completely different you know, different parts of the world,
but we we communicate reasonably similarly. I think that probably
Gina is better at it than I am. Like I've
watched some Gina scenes and I've thought, oh, wow, you're
pretty good at that. Gina and I never really intended
on being Gena.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
No, I don't think I'm actually not a. It's funny.
I'm not accusing you of that at all. I'm actually
saying that everyone wants to try and emulate something. Yeah
it works. You have not tried to emulate it, and
you've landed there. That's what's interesting to me.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Yeah, and you know, there was there's a certain level
of you know, knowledge I had about myself. Obviously, I
went into this thinking I'm going to be the mushroom
on the side. I'm just gonna and I am a
girl's girl, right, So I thought Okay, it's going to
be fine. I'm just going to make friends. I'm going
to make friends here, and it's all going to be fine.
I'm just going to be like la da lah. And
of course, like I walk in and you know, Quzzy
calls me a nun and I thought, okay, and then
(15:59):
she has a crack about anal Gland Monday, and I thought, okay,
well this is not going well, is it. So I
kind of thought from that very first moment that I
walked in, I was like, oh gosh, I have a
target on my back here. So you know, it took
me a while. It took me a couple of episodes
to start to realize, like, I'm probably going to need
to start picking up a sword here, otherwise I'm just
about to get youed.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Oh I think you arrived. Like the only thing that
Gina's got that you don't don't have is that she
got that European tongue. You know, she can put together
a really sassy you know, absolutely much faster and that's
what my europe I grew up in Doncaster, Yeah, very
European area, Albourne, and they were all that was classic
for them, you know, a classic you know, Italian thing
to just roll something. Yeah, that could be quite sassy
(16:42):
and disarmed.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Yeah, And I think the other probably shocked for people
is is that, you know, I come from Bondivet. You know,
we've kind of trained our audiences, particularly, I guess, you know,
into thinking that our female bets are like puppies and
kittens and they could just probably be on like being
a wiggle, you know, or on play school.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Or something, and so far from that though, you know.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Yeah, it's absolutely but that's how we've always portrayed our
female vets, you know. So there's always been this kind
of sideline of this female vet that's cycle like love,
like puppies and kittens type kind of energy. And you know,
I for a long time there, I started to feel
as though that, you know, Bondo Vett is a really
big part of my life, but it only that show
(17:27):
only really allowed me to show a certain side of
myself that wasn't as authentic as what I could have been.
And so my intention in going into this was really, Okay,
well this is who I am. If everyone doesn't like me,
I get that I'm polarizing, but I guess we're here, right,
and I.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Don't communicate it. Sorry to jump in there, especially because
now I'm very conscious of your active listening, and I'm like,
I've got to actively listen. I've got to make sure.
But like I also think being a presenter is a
two dimensional role. You know, you don't necessarily get to
show you warts at all, and that's what people are
fascinated by. People are asassinated by the nuances of who
you really are. But then you go as far as
(18:05):
being on a show like this, which does talk about
conflict and it does talk about putting women and pitting
women together, were you worried that that could affect Bondai Vet?
Speaker 1 (18:14):
And you know, there was you know, talk particularly about
you know, will I come back to Bonda Vette after
I finished filming, And my first thought was actually I thought, well, guys,
you might not want me on that. And there was
a billboard down in Melbourne actually that had my head
on it as bond I Vet. And you know, there
was a lot of questions being asked, you know, are
(18:35):
we able to sort of keep that up? And I thought, oh, gosh, guys,
maybe by the end of this year, is you're going
to be up there with a button knife like kind
of pick my head off.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Mate, You're going to get your check book out and
ask them to pay you double because you've just gone
on a reality show which could have chewed you up
and spat you out, but you've held your integrity. Fans
are clamoring for you, like this is good press, like
this is good public. You know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Yeah? Well, few few.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
I really couldn't have gone that way. I mean, you
know this is a dangerous ground.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Did you get always there is right?
Speaker 2 (19:08):
It's we've seen people like Lisa Rinner as well. Hey,
just before you go, it's just going to quickly ask
you about the idea of coming back next year. There
seems to be a fairly clear divide that's happening between
the girls. Do you think when the show picks up
next time we see you girls, that we will see
more of a divide? Do you think that those sort
of teams are going to solidify a little bit more
(19:28):
before you will return?
Speaker 1 (19:30):
I don't really know. You know. What I do know
is that when you know, alliances start to form, I
think that the show starts to not work. And you know,
you see that in season one fairly clearly, and I
think that it starts to become uncomfortable when there is
alliances there. So I mean, I just don't really know
how that's going to how that's going to go. I
(19:52):
don't know anyone.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Well, producers for real Housewives of Beverly Hills will tell
the women, you know, by the way that relationships beg
having a little bit boring by being like that, you know, yeah,
but you go and see Sutton, you know, how about
you go and imagine your relationships at least, right, you
know what I mean? And then when the housewives don't
want to do that aka LVP Lisa van a Pump,
then the show doesn't work. And then you know, long, yes,
(20:16):
you know.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
That's right, right, And I think everyone does forget right,
Like everyone says, you know, whatever they might say about
you know, someone being a shit sir or whatever. I'm like, guys,
it is housewives. Like We're not going to sit around
and have a cup of tea.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
It is a show which you can get kay before
you go. The last question I ask everyone who joins
the podcast is what is something from behind the scenes
of the housewives experience for you? Something we didn't get
a chance to see, but kind of like a behind
the scenes secret for doctor Kate Bang on this series.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Behind the scenes. Well, you know, I think it was
really really tough for me to actually juggle work and filming,
and I did do that, and my girls at the
clinic will tell you sometimes I had to have my
hair and makeup done out the back in the treatment room.
So that is yep, that is there. And the other
thing is I think that everyone always asks, is that
(21:09):
do we, for example, like pay for our own clothes
and our like organize our own glam and we do.
We organize all of that on our own.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Why the hell's doing your makeup? Your makeup is impeccable.
The hair actually no, I don't know what's better that.
What's your opinion, the hair or the makeup? Like you
this season, every time you turn up in your piece
to cameras, you are like a vision.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Ah, that is lovely. I definitely think that my hair
is harder to do because I have so much hair.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Yeah's I think.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
And a lot of people ask me if I have
hair extensions because of the amount of hair that I have,
and I don't. It's just that I have a very skilled,
skilled hairdresser, So for me, the hair is much more
important and although sometimes my hair doesn't look very good,
that's because I've got a lot of it.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Well, I mean, to be a good housewife, you've got
to have a good name.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
So you know, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
I just want to say thank you so so much
for being so generous, thanks for having me. I've absolutely
loved talking to you. It's a real bucket list.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
I love it. I love to hear that you like
from people that have something positive to say. And you
would know from reality television, you know, you get a
lot of you know, you're like, oh, every day for
a battle of the death threats.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
You know, polarize your audience and this goes across a
lot of media. Like Kate Lambrook told me this years ago,
and she was like, you know, straight after I did
Big Brother and people savaged me online. I didn't like
that I'd won. You know, you can't please everyone. Yeah,
but yeah, Kate said, you know, if you don't polarize people,
you don't have a job, and so your percentages of
likability and you know, people that don't like you actually
(22:36):
need to be a lot closer together than people realize.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
So Okay, actually said right, you know, I love that advice.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
You're fifty percent hated and you're fifty percent loved. You've
got the perfect sweet spot to be on television and
in the media. You know, if you're ninety percent liked,
then you're out of the job, and if you're notice hated,
you're out of the job.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Yeah, okay, that's good. That's good. I like those stats.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
So you're resonating girl anyway, and you enjoy treading. Keep fire, right, Ben, Yeah,
look after yourself.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Choked your light after you bye?
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Fine now yeh yeah,
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