THE ONLY PLACE IS ESSEX

Reality TV star and Brentwood local Frankie Sims discusses moving to LA, missing home comforts and looking for love

By NATALIE LI

There really is no place like home for Frankie Sims, who has returned to her beloved hometown Brentwood for one month. But the UK’s cold snap has left her shivering. “It’s absolutely freezing here; I am confined to my bedroom and trying to keep warm,” she laughs.

We chat a few weeks before she jets back to Los Angeles to film House of Sims, a new reality OnlyFans TV show that follows Frankie and her sisters Chloe, Demi, brother Charlie, and his fiancée Georgia Shults.

It’s a huge break for the reality TV star who spent four years on ITVBe’s The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE). Frankie followed in her sisters’ footsteps by joining Demi and Chloe in 2019. Fame and reality TV never featured high on her list of ambitions, admits the events management graduate who attended Brentwood County High School.

“Growing up, I was always shy. I am an introvert. I went to university in Manchester and stayed up north for five years. I wanted to move back to Essex because I wasn’t progressing with my job. Demi and Chloe persuaded me to make an appearance on TOWIE and that was it. Now to be working on our own family show… well, it feels like it was meant to be.”

Fame has brought plenty of opportunities for the 28-year-old who has modelled for fashion brands such as Pretty Little Thing, Boohoo, and Miss Pap. But the glare of the media spotlight and social media commentary on her appearance and relationships hasn’t always been easy, reveals Frankie.

“The only relationships I’ve had are with people on TV, so I haven’t really dated anyone who isn’t in the same industry. I find it hard,” she admits. “It’s a di erent world. The media has ruined some of my past relationships, but it’s part of the job.

“Before I was even on the show I saw my sister, brother and cousins in the spotlight experiencing social media trolling. We’re thick-skinned and handled it well.”

House of Sims, reportedly a £1million deal for the family, is a huge venture for Frankie. “After four years in TOWIE it felt like the right time to leave. You can’t stay in the same job forever.”

Frankie, alongside Chloe and Demi, left TOWIE in 2022 to film the first series of House of Sims, which took three months. It follows the family at home in Essex and adjusting to life in LA.

“We have four seasons of the show planned which will be filmed over two years,” explains Frankie. “The cameras followed us from the minute we woke up – no make-up, messy hair – to the minute we went to bed. This unscripted style was a huge adjustment, but it’s what we signed up for – capturing every side of our life and personalities that you just don’t see in TOWIE. It’s going to be raw, super funny and emotional.”

Flying across the pond has provided its fair share of starstruck celebrity encounters, admits Frankie. “We went to our friend Vas’s (Vas J Morgan) Halloween party and met Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly. There were so many famous faces – Rebel Wilson, Tobey Maguire, Paris Hilton. It was a cool experience.”

As for dating stateside, Frankie is still on the hunt for ‘the one’. “I was excited to go to LA, I am so single! I’m 28 and thought ‘I’ll meet the love of my life’. I got out there and didn’t fancy one guy. On our show they set me up on a date – he was 43 and we had nothing in common. It put me o and I haven’t been on a date since. I am still looking for my Jack Harlow,” she giggles. Despite the glitz and glamour of LA, returning to Essex to pack up her flat and say goodbye to family and friends has been a welcome relief for the reality star. “It’s honestly been so lovely coming back to see everyone,” she smiles. “We don’t have a circle of friends in LA because we were only out there for a short period. It feels good to be around people you’re comfortable with.”

Home comforts are everywhere and Frankie is wasting no time in indulging in them. “I have a routine back in Essex. I go to Brentwood Kitchen a lot, it’s a popular spot for brunch. Getting a co ee and swanning about is what I love – it’s always busy and buzzy in Brentwood. I feel safe and at home there.

“In Essex everything is within walking distance and I know it like the back of my hand. There are so many things you can’t get in LA. I miss going to church on Sunday in Chelmsford with my family, and then a roast dinner in the George and Dragon in Brentwood.

“You can’t get a roast in LA. No spuds, stu ng, or Yorkshire puddings! You can’t even get the same ingredients for a roast – it’s one of those things I crave. In the few weeks we’ve been back, Demi and I have been ordering from our local Chinese restaurant, Happy Garden, and Village, an Indian takeaway. We’re making the most of it!

“In LA there are no local shops, you have no choice but to drive everywhere. I am missing living in a small town and having everything close by,” confesses Frankie.

Her heart may be firmly in Essex, but Frankie reveals she is eager and ready to return to LA to embark on new adventures. “Sometimes you need to go back to where you’re from to appreciate what you’re doing. I’m ready to explore LA.”

Looking to the future, Frankie has her heart set on her own ventures. “I enjoy reality TV and would love to do shows on my own – a Big Brother style show, cameras on you 24/7. I want the British public to know me, who I really am. I’d also like to start a business, too.”

As for returning to Essex, Frankie is uncertain. “I’m 50/50 – I don’t want to make my mind up yet. We’ll see. Who knows, I might meet someone, so I am keeping my options open.”

House of Sims will air on OnlyFans TV in 2023