"We've definitely got big shoes to fill."
Jessel Taank is one of the main cast members of The Real Housewives of New York City but there was one reason why she joined the reboot.
The reality show focuses on the personal and professional lives of several women in New York City.
First launched in 2008, it became a popular show and UK viewers can watch it on Hayu.
But in 2022, it was announced that the 14th season would be completely recast after a negative reaction to the 13th season.
In came Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Brynn Whitfield and Jessel Taank.
The 15th season premiered on October 1, 2024, and Racquel Chevremont was a new cast member.
The new cast is one of the most diverse groups of women on any Real Housewives show, bringing in many different cultures and sexualities and Jessel admitted “that was one of the biggest reasons” she joined the show.
She told the Daily Star: “New York is such a cultural melting pot, and the DNA of the city is so diverse.
“Hopefully, we showcase that, we’re like a microcosm of what the city is.”
However, she confessed “it was so nerve-wracking” to be part of the reality show.
Jessel continued: “I remember the moment when Andy [Cohen], during BravoCon, introduced is. I was half expecting people to boo us off-stage.
“New York is such an OG franchise, it’s been running for 13 years and people are so invested in these women.
“Then for us to just come in and stand in their shoes, it’s big.
“We’ve definitely got big shoes to fill. I hope we’ve proved ourselves at this point.”
Born in London, Jessel Taank is a fashion publicist who had her sights set on the American dream.
Since moving to New York, Jessel has launched Oushq, a fashion platform that curates exclusive and innovative designs from emerging designers around the world.
Jessel is married to Pavit Randhawa, a food influencer who goes by ‘thewiiingman’ on Instagram.
The couple are parents to twin boys and Jessel hopes to have another baby but Pavit is not too keen on expanding their family.
Jessel Taank previously revealed she felt the pressure of being the first South Asian cast member.
She said: “I did feel an immense amount of pressure. It’s kind of like all eyes on you.
“I just want to focus on being myself and representing what being Indian means to me.”
Jessel stated that it did not help that she felt misunderstood by her fellow cast members.
Her grandparents were born in India, moving to Kenya before going to London, something Jessel said “was really confusing” for others on the show.
She added: “A lot of the cast mates didn’t understand that.
“They were confused as to why I was from Africa or assumed that because I’m Indian, I grew up wealthy.”
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