If you love loud, brash and unapologetic reality television, you’ve undoubtably seen Aussie Shore. Inspired by cult-favourite reality shows Jersey Shore and Geordie Shore, the Aussie version features the country’s biggest party animals getting up to no good in a house up in Cairns.
In the Aussie Shore house, nothing is off limits as the cast are seen drinking, partying and hooking up with one another like there’s no tomorrow whilst also attempting to complete hilarious tasks given to them by host Charlotte Crosby.
The show, which premiered in October 2024, has introduced Australia and the world to a host of fun-loving party animals but not everyone agrees with their lifestyle. As a result, some cast members — like 23-year-old Lily Stephenson (or Lily Jade as she’s known online) — have found themselves receiving significant amounts of online hate.
For Lily, the backlash started after she received a “villain” edit and was accused of not being a “girl’s girl” during season one. While the Aussie Shore star has come to terms with the public’s reaction now, it definitely had a negative impact on her.
“The response has been pretty full on,” Lily tells TV WEEK.
“I get a lot of love and also get a lot of hate too. I get that not everyone will like [what I do on the show] but that’s their issue not mine. I’m here to entertain and for everyone that does hate on me, they still come back every time to watch what I’m doing so I must be doing my job right.
“But sometimes people take things way too far online. When you’re getting death threats, threats about my family or about wanting me to hurt myself, it really just shows more about the person sending them. It’s a reminder of how dangerous social media can get when people forget we’re still human beings behind the screen.”
Despite the hate from season one, Lily didn’t think twice about returning to season two of the gloriously debaucherous reality show. But this time around, she wants to remind people that what you see on TV isn’t always how it went down in reality.
“A lot of people think the person they see on screen is who I am in real life, but that’s just not true,” she explains.
“At the end of the day, it’s a job and I’m getting paid, I try to take it professionally and deliver what is needed for the show which is entertainment, what happens on set stays on set and I try not let it affect my personal life.”
“I take my mental health seriously and if that means disconnecting from the show sometimes I do it. I think a lot of people struggle with that balance but I feel like I manage it pretty well.”
While it’s been a rough road for Lily, she’s over the moon that Aussie Shore is back on our screens with season two and is open to more reality opportunities in the future.
“I love what I do but I’m not going to say yes to just anything,” she admits.
“It has to be exciting, the right fit, and something that pushes me but I’m definitely open. If I could chose two shows that have always caught my eye is either Survivor or Love Island USA.”
You can watch Aussie Shore on Paramount+.
