Louise Thompson and Millie Mackintosh reunited at this year's TV BAFTA awards ceremony on Sunday, reflecting on their 2013 win for the reality series Made In Chelsea. The reality TV personalities described themselves as 'young and naive' back then but now believe they have 'aged like a fine wine.'
Nostalgic Reflection on a Landmark Win
In a lengthy Instagram post on Monday, Louise, now 36, shared a throwback photo from the 2013 ceremony, where the cast won the award for Reality & Constructed Factual. She noted how their 'confidence, knowledge, and life experience' have grown since they were 23-year-old stars attending the event.
'A feast for your eyes. Take a look at this MEGA throwback,' she wrote. 'If you’re enjoying the current wave of nostalgia and all things 90s/noughties revival, then this should satisfy you nicely. Here are some photos of Millie and I (and other cast members) attending the BAFTAs in 2013, when we won a Bafta for Made in Chelsea… THIRTEEN years ago. Which feels both impossible and mildly offensive.'
Aged Like Fine Wine
Louise continued: 'The upside is that we’ve both aged like a fine wine, improving with each passing year. I feel like men have been dining out on the ‘silver fox’ narrative for decades, but it’s important to know that women can do it too. I’m not just talking about looks, I’m talking about style, confidence, knowledge, and life experience. Life isn’t always pretty, but you can certainly move through tough times with grace and come out the other side more beautiful than you were before.'
She added that she and Millie spent time reminiscing about the earlier era and reflecting on what winning a BAFTA meant. 'At the time, it felt surreal. I’d certainly never experienced anything like it before. I was so young and naive, and I’m not sure I even had the chance to research what the whole thing meant, so I slightly skimmed over the nerves part.'
Cultural Significance of the Win
Louise highlighted the significance of the award, noting that Made In Chelsea winning in 2013 marked a real cultural shift. 'We weren’t the first reality television show to win a BAFTA, but Made In Chelsea winning in 2013 marked a real cultural shift. It was one of the first constructed reality shows to be recognised by the establishment in such a serious way, and I think it helped legitimise the genre entirely.'
She explained that back then, reality TV was often dismissed as unserious, disposable, or low culture. 'So the win felt symbolic. The BAFTAs matter because they become part of the cultural archive. They recognise the programmes that shape conversation and change the direction of television itself.'
Impact on Reality TV Landscape
Louise believes that Made In Chelsea and The Only Way Is Essex, which was produced by the same team, altered the landscape of reality TV in Britain. 'Now nearly 4 in 10 (39%) people in the UK watch some form of reality TV.' She also noted a recent resurgence of early reality television culture, with many people watching reruns, including friends watching MIC from the beginning on maternity leave.
Looking ahead to 2026, she reflected on the impact of AI and the changing TV landscape. 'Like everything in life (fashion trends included) I think there tend to be 10 year periods where things cycle in and out of fashion. Every decade we all start to love and appreciate the old things again when the shiny new objects become boring. That will no doubt be the same with TV. We will move from short form to long form again when we realise we need deeper connection and trust as the world moves into a strange new time.'
On a lighter note, she observed that she wore gold to the 2013 ceremony and accidentally chose gold again for this year's event. 'Some things change. Some things don't.' She ended her post with a touch of self-deprecation: 'Sorry this is written so erratically it turns out I'm off to my next red carpet. How totally and utterly cringe of me.'
