Real Housewives of London Hit by Dramatic Feud and Potential Bombshell Lawsuit – Panthea Steps In!

IT’S the sort of storyline that wouldn’t be out of place on The Real Housewives of London – a blazing row over the colour of a designer dress.

But this time, it isn’t a plotline cooked up for television – it is a reality which has sparked a huge legal row behind-the-scenes.

A blazing row has been sparked behind-the-scenes at The Real Housewives of London over dresses in the promotional shot released by Hayu Credit: Hayu What the ladies would have looked like if the colour of their dresses weren’t deliberately changed

We can reveal that a backstage bust-up has erupted after producers digitally changed the colour of one of the Housewives’ dresses – leaving the designer who loaned it to the show absolutely fuming.

Josh Birch Jones – whose designs have been worn by royals Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer as well as , Vanessa Willams and – loaned a striking fuchsia pink gown after being approached with a colour brief for a promotional photoshoot to launch the new series of the reality show.

However, Josh was left furious when the show’s creative team at programme-maker Hayu digitally altered the dress to burgundy – a colour the halterneck floor length gown is not available in – leaving him concerned that viewers could be misled about the design.

“Josh was understandably very unhappy,” a source told us. “He immediately contacted the production team to ask what had happened as he was worried that people would want to buy the dress in that colour, when he only designed it in a fuchsia pink. He didn’t want people to be disappointed.

“There was also the issue that he had loaned the dress on the agreement he could use it for his own promotional purposes, which he was now unable to do seeing as the burgundy dress doesn’t exist.

“He asked the production team if they could at least supply him with an image showing the dress in its original colour, so he could show everyone what the actual design looked like.

“However, the production team dismissed his concerns and said it was all part of the creative process, though his feedback would be taken on board.

“They then said that they could not provide him with the original image with Panthea’s dress in the correct colour, which he found totally baffling given that the original image obviously exists. He felt it was a case of put up and shut up.”

Josh Birch Jones loaned Panthea Parker a striking fuchsia pink gown for a photoshoot – but producers deliberately digitally changed the colour of it Credit: Supplied Unsatisfied with Hayu’s response, Josh is now seeking legal advice Credit: Getty

For Josh, who is the youngest member of the British Fashion Council, the issue is about more than just a change of shade. He is understood to be upset that fans of his work could be given a false impression of his designs, with the colour of the dress being a key part of the creative vision behind the garment.

He is now considering legal action.

When the promotional poster appeared online, Josh publicly commented: “Stunning Panthea!! If only people could see the REAL fuchsia pink colour the dress was.”

Panthea replied: “I know, it’s so sad as this colour didn’t do it justice. Always in the edit!”

But while the exchange may have appeared light-hearted, we understand that behind the scenes Josh – who designed Mica Paris’s dress for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee performance in 2022 – is taking matters very seriously.

Unsatisfied with Hayu’s response, he is seeking legal advice over whether the unauthorised alteration could amount to copyright infringement or another legal issue.

It is also claimed that the colour of dress by another designer and worn by was altered in the promotional material – the original was lilac but for the promotional shot it was switched to gold.

Sources say she was also left unhappy after the edit left her with a “distorted” face including a “black eye” and “odd” coloured hair.

“Josh has loaned enough dresses over the years to know that creative directors and production teams will often use colour grading in their creative editing where the colour might not appear exactly true, but maybe slightly light or darker,” our source said.

“This is completely different. Changing the colour of a designer’s dress to a completely different colour is wrong on so many levels.

Josh and Panthea exchanged their disappointment about the colour change online Credit: Instagram It is also claimed that the colour of dress by another designer and worn by Juliet Mayhew was altered in the promotional material Credit: Supplied

“It is misleading, it misrepresents his design and the dress they are portraying doesn’t actually exist. It’s fake! They may as well have just airbrushed any old dress onto Panthea, at least that way it wouldn’t have insulted Josh’s design.

“As a designer, he carefully considers every aspect of a garment, and the colour is actually an important part of his creative expression. It isn’t something that can be simply or flippantly changed by someone in production when they feel like it.

“If Josh thought the dress would look better in burgundy, he would have designed one. At no stage did anybody from Hayu raise any concerns about the colour, nor was he asked to provide an alternative garment, which is a huge shame, because he could easily have done so from his vast collection.

“Ultimately, he feels the whole situation could have been avoided with a simple conversation.”

A spokesperson for Josh said: “Josh is extremely disappointed about what’s happened and has made his feelings and position clear to the NBCUniversal and Hayu team.

“He is taking legal advice and will consider the options available to him.”

And so, before the new season has even begun, it seems the Housewives have already found themselves embroiled in their first real-life drama.

Hayu have been approached for comment.

Series two of Real Housewives of London will air in September Credit: Getty