Louise Thompson and Millie Mackintosh reflected on their 2013 TV BAFTA win as ‘young and naive’ Made In Chelsea stars on Monday.
As they reunited at this year’s awards ceremony, which took place on Sunday, the reality TV personalities, said they had both ‘aged like a fine wine’ as they noted the ‘significance’ of scooping a BAFTA for the series all those years ago.
In a lengthy update shared to her Instagram, Louise, 36, explained how their ‘confidence, knowledge, and life experience’ was now much greater than it was when they attended the event at 23-years-old.
Louise and her castmates took home the award for Reality & Constructed Factual at the 2013 ceremony, a first for the show which she said ‘altered the landscape of reality TV.’
In her post, she shared a throwback photo and wrote: ‘A feast for your eyes. Take a look at this MEGA throwback. 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.’
Louise Thompson and Millie Mackintosh reflected on their 2013 TV BAFTA win as ‘young and naive’ Made In Chelsea stars on Monday (L-R Millie, Louise, Lucy Watson and Binky Felstead)
As they reunited at this year’s awards ceremony, which took place on Sunday, the reality TV personalities, said they had both ‘aged like a 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.
‘Millie and I spent a chunk of time together last night reminiscing about the earlier era and reflecting on what winning a bafta actually 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.
‘I’m sure there were so many furrowed brows in the audience because we won, but we had power in numbers and ultimately the powers that be behind this huge accolade chose us.
‘It was the first time I had my hair styled for an event and I also traipsed all the way to a trendy fashion studio in Brick Lane to have something tailored to wear. So at least I had some initiative at the age of 23. I feel like kids these days are so grown up and glamorous. I wasn’t.
‘Anyway this moment was genuinely significant. 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.’
Louise and her castmates took home the award for Reality & Constructed Factual at the 2013 ceremony, a first for the show which she said ‘altered the landscape of reality TV’ (pictured in the series)
Louise added: ‘Back then, reality TV was still dismissed by many as unserious television. Disposable. 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.
‘Looking back, I really do think Made in Chelsea (and TOWIE which was set up by the same producer as us) altered the landscape of reality TV in Britain. Now nearly 4 in 10 (39%) people in the UK watch some form of reality TV.
‘And I do feel that there has been a bit of resurrection of early reality television culture recently. I know a lot of people who are watching reruns of things (even those with a penchant for high brow content). Many of my friends are watching MIC from the beginning on mat leave.
‘Moving forward to 2026 and a large focus of last night’s show was around the impact of AI and the changing landscape of TV.
‘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.
‘Also, on a much more vacuous note – it’s slightly poetic that I was wearing gold then and accidentally decided to wear gold again last night. Some things change. Some things don’t.
‘Sorry this is written so erratically it turns out I’m off to my next red carpet. How totally and utterly cringe of me.’
