Latest news with #MormonWives
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Secret Lives of Mormon Wives on swinging scandals, friendship fallouts and religious backlash
From allegations of infidelity to swinging scandals, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives offers a look into a version of Mormon life far removed from traditional public in suburban Utah, the TV series follows a group of Mormon women – most of whom rose to fame on TikTok and became MomTok influencers – as they manage scandals, confront marital breakdowns and clash over everything from business ventures to party beneath the sensational plotlines is a more complex story about the evolving dynamics within a tight-knit group of Mormon mothers have been making content online for the past five years but say the concept of reality TV still feels very new to them. "I've heard that eventually people learn how to play the reality TV game but that's not us yet, we're still trying to figure it out," Jessi Ngatikaura tells the BBC. "So you're getting to see the real us." What started off as a hobby has now become a job and the women speak openly on the show about the amount of money they make from reality TV and brand deals."It is totally our job now but we chose this and we could all walk away any time if we didn't want to be part of it," Jessi says. Whitney Leavitt explains that "naturally dynamics will change when there's more money and family involved and definitely some people get competitive" but reassures me the group are still friends off camera. Across the two seasons of the show, Jessi and Whitney have had challenging storylines play out - Whitney is presented as the villain in season one and at the end of season two it is alleged Jessi has had an affair. The pair speak candidly about the impact having your life watched and commented on by millions of people worldwide has had on them. "It's been hard coming to terms with the fact we have no control over the narrative and you don't ever really get over it," Whitney explains. "But you have to accept that and let it go."As the show follows the lives of nine friends, it's easy to see how some of them may create more drama for themselves in order to guarantee some screen time but Jessi insists that's not the case and no one "plays up but naturally emotions are heightened"."We're actually recording four or five days a week so we don't know what will make the final edit."Jessi says her explosive Halloween party was not manufactured by producers and there is just "naturally so much drama that we don't need to create more just for the show". 'Lots of resentment' Given the intensity of drama and filming demands, the presence of strong aftercare is essential and both women praise the production for its duty of care standards. "There are always therapists on hand and at first I was like why are Taylor and Jen having therapy all the time and now I'm having five or six hours of it a week," Jessi confesses. "I've found it's useful even if you're not going through a hard time." Whitney also accessed some aftercare in season one after being presented as the villain of the show."It totally sucked being the villain and I was angry, had a lot of resentment and was really sad. There were so many overwhelming emotions for me but I was proud that instead of running away I stayed and had those hard conversations I didn't want to have," Whitney says. Whitney was one of the members of the MomTok group that Taylor Frankie Paul publicly revealed was involved in "soft swinging", something she denies and caused a rift to form in their friendship. The open discussions around sex, marital affairs and alcohol on the show has caused some backlash from the Mormon church. "When the first trailer came out there was some backlash from the church because they were scared but actually we're showing you how we live the Mormon life and we all live it differently," Whitney says. Jessi adds the docudrama shows how "we are all normal and everyday girls, not people wearing bonnets and churning butter like you might think". The women say that not only has the church come to accept the show, they are also helping young women think about their faith differently. "We've definitely influenced people to question their faith, dive deeper into it or be more honest about it and I've had messages from some people saying that they're joining the church because of me," Jessi says. While their religion plays an important part of their life, they're keen to tell me that they are not the face of Mormonism. "There are Mormons who still get upset about it but we're just showing our version of it and I think that's empowering as hopefully people can relate to our stories and struggles."
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast banned from discussing politics amid wild pro-Trump accusations
The cast of Hulu's hit series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives have reportedly been banned from discussing their political views. The show, which follows a group of Mormon momfluencers from the notoriously conservative Utah, have often been accused by viewers of supporting Donald Trump. Cast member Mayci Neeley broke her silence on the group's politics this week on TikTok after a follower commented, 'If only you weren't a Trump supporter.' Firing back, the 30-year-old wrote, 'These assumptions are wild. Contractually we aren't allowed to talk about our political views.' She continued, 'So I'm sick of seeing these comments on every post even though no one knows my views. They assume since I'm Mormon that I am super conservative and that's not the case.' This isn't the first time that the Mormon Wives cast have been pegged as Trump supporters. There are countless threads on Reddit speculating about the group's political leanings, with some fans even finding out which political figures the cast follow on social media. While the cast refuse to comment on their personal political views, Utah is one of the most conservatives states in America. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a significant influence on the state's culture and politics. Around 60 percent of Utah residents are members of the LDS Church, which traditionally supports conservative values. The second season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been a blockbuster hit so far. In its first five days, the series amassed over five million on Hulu and Disney+. Season two saw the addition of TikTok influencer Miranda McWhorter, 26, who is an original member of MomTok and was once best friends with Taylor Frankie Paul. Unsurprisingly, she was also implicated in Taylor's swinging scandal. Season one of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives revolved around MomTok, a group of glamorous Mormon influencers led by Taylor who were plunged into a sex scandal when Taylor outed herself as a swinger. Last year, The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives was ranked the number one unscripted show on Hulu, becoming the streamer's biggest premiere since The Kardashians. The 30-year-old wrote, 'These assumptions are wild. Contractually we aren't allowed to talk about our political views' Sparks flew between the members of the principal cast, which was made up of Taylor, Jen Affleck, Demi Engemann, Whitney Leavitt, Mikayla Matthews, Mayci Neeley, Jessi Ngatikaura, Layla Taylor. The show caused a stir both online and in the LDS church thanks to the outrageous antics of the cast. Some of the wild scenes on the show have included a sex act involving breakfast cereal, a swinging scandal, a drunken arrest, and a trip to a male strip revue in Vegas. One cast member also revealed the results of her labiaplasty on camera, while another confessed to getting pregnant to her now-husband when she was just 16 and he was 21. The series is produced by the team behind Netflix's My Unorthodox Life, which followed designer Julia Haart after leaving her strict orthodox Jewish community behind to become a hotshot in the fashion world.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Want to be the next member of #MomTok? Here's 10 MUST-HAVE buys for fans of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives returned for its second season on May 15, and if, like me, you couldn't peel your eyes away from the drama, we've got everything you need to get your #MomTok fix before season two, part two, returns. The show, which centers around Taylor Frankie Paul and her 'soft swinging' scandal, follows nine Mormon influencers and their journeys with friendship, motherhood and MomTok - TikTok content that the group records together that initially shot them to internet fame before they landed the show. Whether you love or hate (or love to hate) reality TV, you can't argue that the Hulu series, which is available to watch on Disney+ in the UK, makes for great entertainment. And with the season two premiere hitting five million views in just five days of streaming, it's undeniably popular. From Sodastreams so you can get your 'dirty soda' fix at home (petition for the UK to get its own Swig location, please), to Taylor's exact lip combo, we've gathered all of the SLOMW-inspired buys you'll want to buy, ASAP. Now, if we could just get the theme tune out of our heads. SodaStream Terra Bundle Kit The #SLOMW girls are obsessed with 'dirty sodas', and since its release date, fans have been taking to TikTok to recreate or create their own versions of the girl's favourite drinks. Since, unfortunately, we don't have Swig in the UK, we're using a SodaStream to get our 'dirty soda' fix at home. The luxe machine allows users to create an endless variety of carbonated drinks at the push of the button, and customers have noted it's a great way to save on the expense of buying fizzy drinks at the supermarket. What's your favourite combination? £149.99 Shop Stanley Rose Quartz Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler Of course, you'll need somewhere to store your soda, and the #MomTok girls are rarely spotted without their trusty Stanley cups in tow. We love this baby pink option, with a convenient carry handle and straw for on the go sipping. Not only does it look super cute, but it also boasts vacuum insulation which keeps drinks cold for up to nine hours. £32 Shop Brushworks Pink Cloud Headband MomTok member Whitney Leavitt was widely regarded as the 'villain' of #SLOMW season one, and shocked viewers when she returned for season two groveling to become part of the group again. Whether you're a fan of Whitney or not, many TikTok users have dubbed her as the best dressed on the show, and she's rarely without a headband in tow! This bubble-shaped design would definitely get the Whitney stamp of approval, and customers have noted it's great for keeping hair out of your face when doing skincare or makeup. £8.99 Shop Will MomTok Survive This Graphic Sticker After the shocking revelation in the season two, part one finale, we've all been left wondering one question: will MomTok survive this? Made from a durable, water-resistant material, this graphic sticker is great for adding a SLOMW spin on your laptop, water bottle or notebook, and is the perfect gift for a friend who's equally obsessed with the show. £1.64 Shop Revlon ColorStay Lip Liner in Nude As if we couldn't love #MomTok queen Taylor Frankie Paul anymore, she took to TikTok to share her much-requested, signature lip look - and it's under £18 (and available in the UK, thankfully). Taylor shared that she uses Revlon's ColorStay Lip Liner in shade Nude to overline her lips - and the long-wear formula lasts for hours without smudging or bleeding. We're obsessed! £5.59 Shop Milani Keep It Full Lip Plumper in Soft Rose The next step in Taylor's lip routine is to slather on Milani's Keep It Full Lip Plumper in Soft Rose. The muted, pink-nude gloss applies like butter, and boasts a slight cooling sensation that provides a plumping effect to the list - you'll want to make sure it's always in your handbag. £13 Shop Free People Sprint To The Finish Pants Though we can't peel our eyes away from the on-screen drama, the fashion on SLOMW keeps us interested, too. The MomTok girls effortlessly stay looking comfortable and cute, often clad in athleisure get ups and coordinating sets. Taylor recently took to Instagram and shared a video in these Free People tracksuit bottoms, which, of course, prompted a flurry of comments asking where she got them. We've tracked them down for you, and the bottoms will not only pair great with an oversized tee or other items of workout wear, but also boast cosy fleece-lined interior to keep you snug when the weather cools down. £98 Shop Told You So by Mayci Neeley SLOMW star Mayci Neeley is set to release her own book in October, and it's now available to pre-order on Amazon - and we can't wait to read it. Described as a 'dark and funny memoir', the book will detail what growing up Mormon is really like, as well as her experience becoming an early mother and losing her son's father in a tragic accident. As well as providing readers with the inside happenings of the MomTok group, the book will also offer an insightful glimpse into Mayci's journey with love and loss. £21.46 Shop Amazon Basics Extendable Tripod On the latest season, MomTok member Mikayla Matthews revealed that she makes her husbands entire yearly salary off one brand deal alone. Tempted to start your own MomTok, yet? If so, you'll want to invest in this tripod from Amazon, which doubles as a selfie stick, with universal smartphone compatibility and a wireless remote. 100 per cent beginner friendly, it's a must have for those looking to form MomTok 2.0. £14 Shop
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Paddy McGuinness jokes 'where do I sign up?' in very cheeky chat with Mormon Wives stars as they tell him about their swingers lifestyle and risque 'Daddy' lip tattoo
Paddy McGuinness joked 'where do I sign up?' in a cheeky This Morning interview with Mormon Wives stars as they told him all about the cast's swingers lifestyle. Paddy, 51, joined Alison Hammond to present Friday's episode of the ITV chat show, which saw them chat to two stars from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives - Whitney Leavitt and Jessi Ngatikaura. The American Disney+ reality show, the second series of which came out earlier this month, follows a group of Utah-based Mormon mothers and TikTok influencers. The programme captured attention after cast member, Taylor Frankie Paul, went viral for admitting her husband and she had been swinging with other Mormon couples. But Paddy, who split from his wife and mother of his three children Christine in 2022 after 11 years of marriage, didn't appear dissuaded as he joked about joining the show and becoming a Mormon husband. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Reality star Whitney Leavitt pulled back her bottom lip to reveal the tattoo, which read 'Daddy' Seemingly referring to the so-called 'soft-swinging' scandal - with the term denoting romantic and sexual intimacy outside a partnership, without full intercourse - Paddy joked: 'Where do I sign up? I'm in!' As he thanked the guests for coming on the show, he then did a double fist pump. During the interview, Alison made it clear that Whitney and Jessi no not participate in the swinging lifestyle, clarifying: 'Let's be clear, Whitney and Jessi did not "soft swing".' Paddy then cheekily interjected, referring to other cast members who are swingers as he quipped: 'Doesn't make them bad people.' Alison agreed: 'No, it doesn't', before Jessi joked: 'Maybe next season!' Jessi - who left the faith several years ago but still features on the show due to her continuing links to Mormon family and friends - then explained some of the values of the religion. They include not having tattoos - but both women admitted they do actually have inkings themselves. Whitney revealed, 'I actually have one too but mine's hidden', gesturing to her mouth. Alison said, 'So naughty, you've got a tattoo in the mouth?', adding: 'You are the naughtiest Mormon wives!' Jessi, who encouraged Whitney to show off the ink, commented jokingly, 'You have like a hardcore tattoo', before adding: 'No, she's like a bad Mormon!' Whitney then pulled back her bottom lip to reveal the tattoo, which cheekily read 'Daddy'. Alison turned to her co-host Paddy to ask, 'Do you know what it says?', before he confirmed: 'I do, it says Daddy!' He then asked jokingly: 'Sorry, I just need to check, does that say Paddy?' as the studio descended into laughter. An amused Jessi quickly replied, 'Yes, it does, she's a fangirl', while Paddy responded: 'Oh, right, OK, it's meant to be!' The two Mormon wives explained another aspect of the faith means they are unable to drink coffee, as part of treating their body as a temple. They instead drink fizzy beverages, mixed with a variety of flavoured creams and syrups - and brought in their regular orders for Alison and Paddy to try. Both were very complimentary about the drinks, praising how delicious they were, with Alison saying lightly: 'Could I join the Mormon wives? How do I do it?' But Paddy interjected to say: 'More importantly, how do I become a Mormon husband? These are the main questions, how do we become a Mormon husband?' Jessi jokingly replied: 'You got to get married in the temple, you gotta move to Utah, go to BYU [Mormon-sponsored university in Utah], there's so many requirements.' Towards the end of the interview, Alison praised Jessi for being so open about the cosmetic surgery procedures she has undergone. 'You're so open Jessi, like I know you've had a little bit of surgery down below and you've had some surgery up above as well, you've had a breast reduction', she said. The reality star confirmed, 'Yeah, everywhere!', before Alison cheekily continued, turning to Paddy: 'Which you're not happy about are you?' A taken aback Paddy stuttered: 'Sorry, I came on the tail end of this, I was still thinking about... [a comment made just before about Whitney being a Great British Bake Off fan].' Jessi quipped, 'He's like, "I just heard breast, what?"' 'You're so open Jessi, like I know you've had a little bit of surgery down below and you've had some surgery up above as well, you've had a breast reduction', Alison said Jessi also noted that the very popular Mormon Wives reality show was only commissioned because of her co-star Taylor's frank admissions online about swinging - despite the sexually conservative reputation of Mormonism. She said: 'Well, I think Taylor was the one who originally came out with it because there were rumours going around about her and she's like, "I'm going to set the record straight", which thank God she did because we got a show so…!' Paddy's divorce from former model Christine, 37, was finalised last summer, following their split in 2022. The couple share three kids - ten-year-old twins, Penelope and Leo, and seven-year-old daughter Felicity - who are all autistic. Despite their split, they remain living under the same roof at their £2.5million family home in Cheshire for the sake of their young family. But earlier this year, MailOnline revealed Paddy had put their £6.5million Cheshire house up for sale. Christine had reportedly grown increasingly tired of cohabiting with Paddy, who was happy for the arrangement to continue. Christine had already flown to Ibiza to begin filming with the rest of the cast but told fans she was 'returning home to her family' after a change of heart Speaking about their split, Christine said: 'I've never spoken about the reasons for our divorce, and I don't know if I ever will. 'It was a difficult time. It wasn't something that, you know, I just decided to do overnight, or that we chose to do. 'We tried, and, yeah, there just, unfortunately, there was no repairing it, you know?' Christine also pulled out of her scheduled appearance on Celebs Go Dating earlier this month, revealing she felt it was 'too soon' for her to date so publicly following her divorce. Christine had already flown to Ibiza to begin filming the series with the rest of the cast but told fans she was 'returning home to her family' after having a change of heart. Revealing the news on Instagram at the start of this month, she said: 'I joined Celebs Go Dating with great intentions but have realised that dating on a public platform and the attention is brings is just too soon for me.' She added she may appear in the future though: 'They've said the door is always open for me which I'm so grateful but for now I'm returning home to my family.' This Morning is available to watch on ITV on weekdays at 10am and to stream on ITVX.
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
'Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives': Taylor Frankie Paul On What To Expect Next
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 2 ended on a huge cliffhanger and while Taylor Frankie Paul couldn't reveal exactly what happens, she's offering a glimpse into what viewers can expect to see in the upcoming episodes. "There's some unexpected storylines that popped up," Paul told Newsweek of the 10 remaining episodes. The Context In the last episode of Season 2 that has been released, Vanderpump Villa star Marciano Brunette tells Mormon Wives cast member Layla Taylor, that he had an affair with cast member Jessi Ngatikaura. He claimed in the episode that it wasn't just a one time thing, leaving Taylor shocked. Earlier in the season there were rumors that something transpired between Brunette and cast member Demi Engemenn when some of the Mormon Wives cast visited Vanderpump Villa. Engemenn denied anything happened between herself and Brunette, calling it a shame that a man and a woman can't have a friendly interaction and Ngatiukaura has denied that Brunette's account of what happened is accurate. What to Know In the fall, Hulu greenlit 20 more episodes of the show and has only released 10 more as part of Season 2. The last episode ended on a "to be continued" message, leaving viewers wondering if there would be a second part to Season 2 or if viewers would have to wait for Season 3. Unlike after Season 1, the Mormon Wives cast didn't get a break between filming what viewers saw in Season 2 and what they'll see on the upcoming episodes. Paul said it's difficult to do back-to-back filming, partially because it blurs together and they don't want to reveal spoilers about what viewers haven't seen and partially because it is a lot of time away from their kids. "A lot of us were feeling a lot of shame, I think," Paul told Newsweek, referencing the mom guilt the cast feels. "However, there's this different mindset where I'm like, okay, we have to think about this as a crunch back to back but then we're gonna have the majority of the summer with our kids." Taylor Frankie Paul of 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' visits SiriusXM Studios on September 11, 2024 in New York City. Taylor Frankie Paul of 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' visits SiriusXM Studios on September 11, 2024 in New York filming was continuous, Paul said viewers will get to see the aftermath of the drama between Brunette and Ngatikaura, and of course, more conflict between the women on the show. But, she added that there's also conflict between different people. "It's actually crazy. It's mind blowing to me because I know there's a lot of people that think this is all produced or scripted, but it's not. It's all real, unfortunately," Paul said. While Paul thought that she'd get a break from the drama, that turned out not to be the case last season and she said it isn't the case for the next batch of episodes that will be released. What They're Saying Ngatikaura on "The Viall Files" podcast: "Relationships are hard and they're nuanced. There's so much more that I'm excited to share because I think people will be able to relate to my story. I think it may help people." Miranda McWhorter told People: "You'll get answers and maybe a little bit of closure, regarding [the end]." What Happens Next With filming expected to wrap before summer, it's possible viewers could get new episodes before the end of the year. But, the exact timeline of when episodes will be released – and whether it'll be Season 2, Part 2 or Season 3 – has not been confirmed by Hulu.
