Learn to Love Yourself With Your New Best Friends, the Updaters.
In divided Britain where relationships could not be more conflicted and the future seems frightening, a team of six superheroes will aim to bring us closer with warmth, compassion, heart, a load of laughs and just the right amount of tinted moisturiser…. one makeover at a time!!!
Get ready for the Updaters, an online make-over show starring celebrity and royal hairdresser, Richard Ward, BAFTA-winning makeup artist, Lisa Armstrong, celebrity stylist, fashion editor and YouTuber, Erica Matthews, photographer, Abby Cohen, writer and journalist, Matt Charlton and Communications expert and public speaking coach, Kolarele ‘Kola’ Sonaike.
Yvonne Alexander (Jet TV Productions) serves as Executive Producer for the new series. Yvonne’s credits include Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!, the Pride of Britain Awardsand Trinny and Susannah Undress the Nation.
Each day, stripped across the week, a new 10 min episode will be uploaded onto the website updatersmakeover. The site will also serve as a one-stop make-over shop for advice, information and a ‘shop the products’ section with links to the clothes, makeup, hair products featured on the show and other recommendations from the experts – from Erica’s fashion picks for day to night dressing to Lisa’s six makeup bag essentials.
There will also be links to ‘uncut’ videos of the experts including 4 x 10 minute detailed makeover tips from Lisa Armstrong. May’s episodes air daily at 8pm from Tuesday 14th May – Friday 17th May via the web-site and on YouTube.
The Updaters is all about transformation. With a ton of skill, the right amount of charm plus a tsunami of kindness, the sassy six try to put lives back on track with their makeover skills.
The show is all about positivity – the team have all overcome their own hurdles. They are relatable, friendly and want to make participants look and more importantly feel their best. Unlike other makeover shows, this one comes with tailored advice, direct from the experts.
It’s the age old adage that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’. So in the first few episodes the team teach us how get it right! It takes less than 1/10 of a second for someone to decide whether to click on your profile picture or swipe left. So first impressions are all important! No matter how fascinating or funny you are, Mr or Mrs Right could be just passing you by because your picture doesn’t show you at your best.
Going forward the Updaters won’t just be tackling dating profile pics, they will be making people who have had all sorts of life changing experiences look and feel their best – from bad breakups to illnesses – or losing a job. The Updaters will come to the rescue!
THE EXPERTS
LISA ARMSTRONG
Celebrity makeup artist, Lisa Armstrong is at the top of the beauty game. She is the winner of the Royal Television Society Award recognising her high achievement in the television community and as Chief Makeup and Hair Designer for Strictly Come Dancing she received the prestigious CRAFT BAFTA award for her team. Lisa’s the glue that holds the whole Updaters team together, she’s hilarious and straight-talking and not afraid to say it how it is. She is everyone’s bestie and will go that extra mile to make everyone feel super-special!
Lisa said: “ The celebrity version of perfection that bombards us every day is not real. Nobody is immune to insecurities, nobody! We all have issues that chip away at our confidence on a daily basis. Social media makes us hold ourselves to unrealistic standards… There is no such thing as perfection and uniqueness is what makes us all so very special. Make-up has the power to bring out your best features, it highlights rather than distracts. I hope to show that with faith and with courage we can all shine!”
ABBY COHEN
Top portrait and lifestyle photographer, Abby Cohen has a natural talent for photography and working with people. She is used to a challenge whether photographing a high society event or a highly-strung thoroughbred horse, creating great images come rain or shine. Six years ago, when she split her husband former England rugby star Ben Cohen after his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing, Abby was spurred into focusing on her own career as a professional photographer. Her portfolio featuring stunning natural portrait and lifestyle images is a testament to Abby’s ability to really ‘click’ with people.
Abby commented: “ Connecting with our makeover participants is the key to this show. I know from personal experience what it’s like to hit rock bottom and it’s devastating. With wonderful family and friends I’ve built myself back up… and that’s what we are trying to do with this show. The show really it is about building self confidence and making lasting change in an individual.
RICHARD WARD
Top London hairdresser Richard Ward is well-known and respected throughout the world. Creative and charismatic, it’s no wonder that he has A-lister royalty and celebrity clients including the HRH Duchess of Cambridge, Pippa Middleton and Susanna Reid. For the kudos record, he and his team were the hair stylists for the entire bridal party at Kate and William’s royal wedding in 2011. As well as creating ‘couture’ hair at his prestigious Chelsea salon, Richard is one of the leading authorities for British style and hair trends, the ultimate hair guru. His philosophy is that hair should make you look and feel fantastic. Also that “great hair doesn’t happen by chance it happens by appointment”. He can talk about hair all day but he also listens to his clients, the perfect confidante empathising with them to further understand their lives and image goals.
Richard commented: “ The transformative power of a great hair cut can not be underestimated – it defines us! An amazing haircut brings with it a whole new sense of self and a positivity and confidence that can be absolutely life changing. The key to transforming a person’s self–esteem is to listen! My celebrity clients have always confided in me and I am naturally interested in people’s lives and relationships. Ultimately, understanding who THE person is and who they want to be can help us create the ultimate transformation!”
ERICA MATTHEWS
London fashion stylist, image consultant and style editor, Erica Matthews is an influential arbiter of style who ‘lives and breathes fashion’. Her portfolio of fashion styling credits include Vogue UK, Vogue Australia, Stylist Magazine and visionary photographer, Nick Knight’s award winning fashion website SHOW Studio. With around 18,000 followers on Instagram and 8,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel Erica is used to presenting her invaluable styling tips and giving advice about styling as a career showing how what you wear is an essential part of making an impression be it for a profile picture, a date or a job interview.
Erica said: “As a team we’ve all had our dark moments and I think that helps us understand our makeover clients far better. For example, I’ve previously had mental-health issues relating to body image. Fashion is my dream job and in the early part of my career I lost a massive amount of weight to try fit in. Extreme diets, excessive workouts, you name it I tried it! But it doesn’t work – we are all individual and loving the skin you’re in and the body you have is the best thing you can do for yourself! There is so much power in fashion, literally you can transform the way you look and how you feel. If you look great you feel great and that can be life-changing!”
KOLARELE ‘KOLA’ SONAIKE
A public speaking and communications expert Kolarele ‘Kola’ Sonaike is used to training people how to communicate with impact and give outstanding speeches. He is the founder of The Great Speech Consultancy and host of The Great Speech Podcast. Effective communication is essential for Kola as a practising barrister, also a speechwriter for executives and author of the public speaking guide How to Give a Great Speech.
With his vast experience, Kola is the ultimate conversation coach with plenty of tips for everyone to help improve their communication skills whether for public speaking to a room full of people or getting to know someone on that first date.
Kola commented: “ Sharing our own experiences and speaking from the heart we believe we can help others. Does effective communication come from making an emotional connection What have you got to try and achieve with that first moment when you meet someone? Eye contact. And from there ? -Anything is possible! ”
MATT CHARLTON
Matt has been a professional writer for over ten years. Starting at Radio 4, the comedy side of stuff has since included scribing for the likes of Charlie Brooker, Greg Davies, The GQ Awards, Royal Variety Performance, Greg James, this profile, and many other TV shows. He is also the host of music and comedy podcast ‘Side 1/ Track 1’.The print and long-form side of things has seen him write satirical, musical, and travel pieces for Esquire magazine, The Telegraph, CLASH, Digital Spy, and The Book of Man amongst others. Basically, he knows words, and knows how to put them in some form of entertaining order. He is also allergic to emojis, so don’t make him eat one.
Matt said; “There’s more to life than striving to enter the Love Island villa! Continually hitting the gym, tanning shop, dentist, plastic surgeon and overindulging in steroids does not make you more desirable!!?? Ok maybe to some …… but in any REAL relationship, it should take a lot, lot more…. And that’s where I come in! Communication and laughter is the key to forming a meaningful relationship and I hope my expertise in this area can help .”