Contentious scenes that aired on The Real Housewives of Auckland last week, in which Michelle Blanchard was on the receiving end of a racist insult, may have upset fans, but the British model is ready to move forward.
“Emotionally I’m fine,” says Michelle, 43. “I think that it is important to know I am not a wounded victim.”
While the shocking episode only recently made it to our screens, in reality it was filmed back in June, giving Michelle – who was disgusted by the “boat n—–” comment made by her co-star Julia Sloane – time to heal.
Michelle has two children, Curtis, 14, and Cristelle, 12 with her husband Dave, and tells Woman’s Day their constant support, especially that of her hubby of 17 years, was invaluable.
“Dave and I talked a lot, but we tried not to dwell on it,” says Michelle, “our main concern was really how we were going to work through it with the children.”
Although the mum-of-two reveals to Woman’s Day that she had her reservations about letting the controversial episodes go to air, she says she has made peace with Julia and is pleased the confrontation has sparked an important conversation around race relations in New Zealand.
“The positive thing to come from all of this is that people are talking about racism,” says Michelle. “It’s something that can’t just be brushed under the carpet because it wouldn’t be fair to anyone who has put up with racial slurs.”
Michelle also reveals in her exclusive family story with Woman’s Day how she first met Dave on a holiday in the Bay of Islands, reminiscing that she had an “instant attraction” to the man who would later become her husband.
For the full story on Michelle and Dave’s romance and gorgeous family pics, check out this week’s Woman’s Day.