⋆˚࿐ [ alex kingston, cis woman, she/her ] hey, i think i just served RHEA HARRISON ! you mean the FORTY EIGHT year old MORNING TALK SHOW CO-HOST known for their WILD CURLS AND SLEEK SKIRTS ? no way, what did they order ? MIMOSA. wow, no surprise for someone whose garnered a reputation for being PATIENT AND TEMPREMENTAL. i heard the hostess say they were being targeted by @ROBINHOOD because of MULTIPLE PUBLIC DIVORCES / ‘MORNING FAVOURITE MS HARRISON TO BE BOOTED OUT BY NEW HOST!’ maybe it’s just me but it doesn’t align with the tabloids screaming about A SHARP TONGUE HIDING A BROKEN HEART, TRUST FOUGHT FOR AND FIERCELY DEFENDED, A SKILL AT BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME whenever their name comes up. make sure to deliver the drink to the VALMONT MEDIA SUITE ( TABLE 3, DRINK B) and let’s hope they’re a good tipper. if not, i’ll happily send in some stories of my own. ⸻ [ C + 28 + BST]
BASICS
Name: Rhea Elizabeth Harrison
Age & DOB: 48 13/04/1978
Sexuality: Bisexual
Hometown: London, England
Languages: English, German, little bit of Spanish
Occupation: TV Talk show host, previously a newspaper journalist
Marital Status: Divorced x3
INSPO
Miranda Priestly (Devil Wears Prada), Rebecca Welton (Ted Lasso), Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing), Mary Foster (Shoot the Messenger)
BIOGRAPHY
Rhea was born into priviledge and it’s something she’s always been aware of. Her parents were both experts in their field; her father a surgeon and her mother a novelist. She had two elder brothers and her her family didn’t hide the fact that she was a surprise addition to the happy family of four.
The age gap and her parent’s busy careers meant that she was often left in the care of nannies and after school activities. It left her feeling on the side lines a lot. She wasn’t an unhappy or unlucky child and even from a young age she knew she had opportunities that others didn’t, but she was just lonely.
Because of this as she became a teenager she started to act out, nothing major but ignoring curfew, missing homework (but never assessments) and hanging out with people her parents didn’t approve of (even though they were wonderful people).
tw teenage pregnancy, adoption
It was enough for her to get a bit more attention without damaging her future. That was until she was 18 and sitting on her boyfriend’s bathroom floor with a positive pregnancy test.
Her parents were furious, she’d not long started university (English Literature degree) and due to the boyfriend’s working class background they didn’t approve at all. They tried to pressure her, but she refused saying she wanted to keep the baby.
Unfortunately her boyfriend decided when their son was only two months old that he didn’t want to be a Dad, he basically ghosted Rhea. She had no support system and was struggling, er parents said they’d help her but only if she gave up her sonfor adoption. It was the hardest decision she’s ever made but she felt she couldn’t give him the life he deserved. The majority of people do not know this.
Her family then set her up in New York with a distant aunt and paid for her education. She graduated with an internship set up at a newspaper and had majored in journalism and communication.
Professionally her life’s only gone strength to strength. From being an upcoming journalist, praised her her interviewing techniques and ability to find a story just as it was breaking. She is now a household name having been a part of people’s morning routine for years on “rise and shine” tv show. It isn’t always the breaking news and journalism but she loves it all the same.
Personally though she hasn’t been so lucky, lasting trust issues and a lack of positive relationships has left her with three failed marriages (the last still going through the courts now). She does have a close knit group of friends but it’s taken quite a while for them to be able to break through.
In the last year the network has made it clear that they’re potentially looking for a younger audience (and withita younger presenter) so the duo has become a trio. Rhea has tried to welcome Paoma to the team but she’s all too aware that she’s likely working with her replacement and can’t help but be a little bitter.
Being up in the morning was now an ingrained part of Rhea's habits. So even when she had a day off of work she was usually up and about in town. She wasn't usually aware of how busy things could be during the week, a rare day off fixing that, but she did notice someone looking around for a seat.
"I'm not expecting anyone if you would like to join me."
setting : backstage at one of sienna’s gigs. status : open to anyone [ 0 / 6 ]
Sienna could still feel the adrenaline thrumming through her veins, rattling against her ribs like something trying to escape. Her eyes burned from the relentless camera flashes, her ears still ringing with bass-heavy music and the roar of applause that lingered long after the runway lights had dimmed. There was nowhere she felt more alive than on a runway, suspended in that strange fever dream of glamour and spectacle, but God, it was exhausting.
Now seated in front of the vanity mirror, cotton pad in hand as she wiped layers of expensive makeup from her face, she finally felt herself beginning to breathe again. The glittering dress they’d practically sewn onto her body earlier that evening was gone, abandoned in a shimmering heap across the room, and without it she felt lighter, more like herself. For the first time all night, she could unclench.
The show had been a success. The crowd had loved the collection, every look earning hungry flashes of cameras and murmurs of approval, and the designer had seemed more than satisfied with her performance. Sienna found herself replaying the details in her mind anyway, every turn, every pose, every split-second expression, when the sound of approaching footsteps pulled her from her thoughts.
Her gaze lifted to the mirror, catching sight of the figure behind her, and a small smile tugged at her lips as she shifted in the chair. “You made it,” she greeted softly. “Did you enjoy the show?”
At times Rhea would get invited places after or during the talk show, she was sometimes uncertain if they'd meant it seriously but when the invitation had come through for Sienna's fashion show she'd been intrigued and gone along with a smile.
"Oh I wouldn't turn down an invitation from yourself," She said with a grin as she walked in after having been escorted. "It was brilliant I loved it, your outfit was my favourite of course."
his favorite bar and bartender for a reason, the gossip overheard during their shifts getting spilled as tobi listened intently. an extra tip and they sang like a canary, song that tobi enjoyed listening to whenever he had the time. “ that's crazy, ” murmurs in response to the tidbit dropped in a way he knew was for maximum impact, dark hues landing on the other as he turns to greet them. “ oh, hey you made it. table's ready, hope you don't mind i already ordered a drink for you. ”
"Oh gods you're an actual angel have I mentioned that recently?" It was with no small amount of enthusiasm that Rhea took the drink offered to her and a sip. "Please do lead the way to the table,"
STATUS open to all
LOCATION the set of “ rise & shine ” , valmont studios
paloma knocked twice before letting herself into the green room. she had slipped out mid-blowout. “ hi there! we are so happy to have you on the show. i've been looking forward to this interview all week. ” she walked closer, hand smoothing the front of her blazer out of habit. “ is there anything i can get for you before we go out there? the coffee here is amazing. ”
"I'm afriad you're in the wrong spot, this weeks demand list wants a dressing room facing north and with natual sunlight. So they're in my room today." Was Rhea frustrated yes? Was she going to try her best not to take that out on Paloma? Maybe. "Do you really find the coffee that good though? I much prefer the tea."
OPEN STARTER : laurence riordan
a random cafe near graham records
laurie looks up at the footsteps beside their table, flipping its notebook closed and pulling it out of the way to make space for their guest. the other goes to speak, and laurie holds up a hand. “ give me a sec, ” they say, downing the last of their coffee before setting the cup down. “ okay, i'm all ears. what's got you looking like someone hid vegemite in your chocolate ? ”
Rhea had paused by the table before deciding to sit down when he took a drink. She waited patiently, her face showing she wasn't very amused though. "Because I feel like someone hid vegmite in my chocolate." She huffed. "Do you need another coffee? I'm dying for cafeine."
❝ this is exactly what i needed after our time away. ❞ reclined on the chaise, sinking into its plush pillows after her facial and massage, zehra felt more like a princess than she had when fluttering about the german palace — corsets exchanged for swimsuit and fluffy robe. trip's posts had garnered many likes her posts, everyone wanting to vicariously experience a fairytale. cerulean hues drifted over toward her companion. ❝ i could stay here forever. ❞
The spa wasn't somewhere that Rhea spent a lot of her time, but whenever she did it took her a while to fully relax. Being in media meant she was all too familiar with what people were spotted doing. But she could ignore it, sometimes, especially when someone spoke with her.
"A holiday that you feel the need to break from afterwards isn't really a break though is it?"
“I know you’re hot for this story, but I don’t want to have to write your obituary.”
Alex Kingston as Mary Foster in Shoot the Messenger ep 1.3, “I Shall Be Released” (½)
“It’s nice to see that journalistic rage still burns somewhere around here, but from here on in we tread extremely carefully.”
Alex Kingston as Mary Foster in Shoot the Messenger ep 1.6, “News Travels Fast.”
