Motorsport enthusiast Lisa Christoffersen doesn’t have enough patience for trivial drama. She’s broken up a couple of fights and arguments among the ladies because “some of them feel like they’re stuck in a gramophone.”
“I am always the one standing in between the ladies when they’re arguing or when there’s drama going on, and trying to calm down one or two of the ladies,” she reveals.
Get to know more about the peacemaker of The Real Housewives of Nairobi, premiering only on Showmax on 23 February.
How did the opportunity to appear on The Real Housewives of Nairobi come up?
I received a phone call from the producer, Carol Ngunjiri, asking for a meeting. And of course, I was curious what this meeting was about. When she told me it was about The Real Housewives of Nairobi, I laughed so hard at first because, first of all, I’m nobody’s wife and I’ve never been a housewife. So I went for the meeting, and Carol convinced me that it was a reality show so it would also reflect who Lisa was, and things that I’m passionate about in my life. And thinking about it, this is also like being an ambassador; I can show the world how beautiful Kenya is, and it is magical.
Has the show met your expectations?
I have had a very interesting journey thus far. I have met incredible people, and I am very positively surprised about my fellow cast members because we’ve actually developed a form of sisterhood. There’s a beautiful camaraderie between us, and an understanding and sticking together through thick and thin, and that was very unexpected.
In your own words, what does it mean to be a real housewife of Nairobi?
To be a real housewife of Nairobi is to reflect who you are as a strong, independent, fearless woman. Living in a society that is quite male-dominant, it’s just a beautiful opportunity for us strong women to reflect and show who we really are, and be an inspiration to the youth – those young girls out there – to just do it because there’s nothing to be afraid of. Embrace opportunities and run with it.
What’s the one thing that people are going to love about you when they watch The Real Housewives of Nairobi?
They’re going to love the things that I do that are very different, from being a female motorsports rally driver to taking the ladies to tyre clinics and other adventurelust things that I’m all about. Like loving safari life, and being positive at all times.
Tell me about your love for motorsport and safari rally, and how it feels to showcase that in a show like The Real Housewives of Nairobi?
This is a wonderful opportunity for me to show how empowering women in motorsports are. When I founded the Lioness Rally (the first women-only rally team in Kenya), it was to take women to a different level in life, just like steering a vehicle in the direction that you want to go, fearlessly with a lot of focus. Motorsport is a male-dominated sport but we want to try and change that, and take it to the next level.
How does it feel to introduce the other housewives into your world of motorsports?
I really love showing the girls this part of my life that is motorsport; I took them down to Machakos for a rallycross. It was a wonderful opportunity where they could see that it’s actually fun. The energy is up there, and they all had a great time and enjoyed the adrenaline that everybody sometimes lacks in their life. Motorsport gives you that.
What can we expect from you from the show?
You will see Lisa always on time at every event. You will also see me engaging the women in a fun and positive way. I am always the one standing in between the ladies when they’re arguing or when there’s drama going on, and trying to calm one or two of the ladies down. You can call me the peacemaker, like now, wrap up, it’s time to go home.
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