Tori Spelling says she ‘hated’ being away from her five children for a month filming new show Love at First Lie in Malta.
The Beverly Hills 90210 legend, 49, told MailOnline that the MTV dating series is more dramatic than Love Island after producers were forced to call security when a huge row kicked off on set.
In an exclusive interview, Tori, who’s based in Los Angeles, revealed she was ‘nervous’ to take on the presenting role but channelled American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, 47, to make the debut series a success.
‘I felt safe they had their dad there’: Tori Spelling says she ‘hated’ being away from her five children for a month filming new show Love at First Lie in Malta
She said: ‘I was away from my children for almost a month, which was brutal.
‘I hated being away from my kids and that was the longest I’ve ever gone. It was right when their school started so it was really hard to pull them out.
‘I was so excited that Dean was with the kids and so I felt safe that they had their dad there the whole time and I was grateful for that.
‘The good thing is we were filming for so many hours and I never had a day off because it’s filmed in real time so working and not having a moment to focus on how sad I was without them – that was good.’
‘Drama unfolds’: The Beverly Hills 90210 legend told MailOnline that the MTV dating series is more dramatic than Love Island after producers were forced to call security when a huge row kicked off on set
Talking about the show, Tori added: ‘Drama unfolds like no other, I was there for it and I got to watch the drama play out in such crazy ways. You mix people in relationships and money – and people go nuts.
‘There was one moment where there was so much drama happening that security had to be called onto stage to break it up – that was crazy.’
Tori, who shares Liam, 15, Stella, 14, Hattie, 11, Finn, 10, and Beau, five, with husband Dean McDermott, 55, believes Love at First Lie has the potential to garner as many fans as popular dating series Love Island.
She said: ‘I hope it will have audiences as big. That’s your jam in the UK isn’t it? Love Island?
‘I think this show is so unique, but it has a fun, cheeky flair to it and I think people are going to love it.’
‘Brutal’: The actress said filming for a month in Malta was the longest time she’s ever been away from her five children (Tori pictured with her family and brother Randy)
Family: Tori says she was ‘grateful’ her children had their dad to take care of them while she spent the month away from her home in Los Angeles filming the MTV series
Tori explained the new show, which airs tonight on MTV at 10pm, will see 12 couples compete to win a cash prize.
Some of the pairs are in genuine relationships while others are faking their romances for the chance to walk away with the lump sum.
It is up to the cast to eliminate the fakers but if they choose to out one of the real love birds then the money pot will decrease in value.
The couples live together in Malta and are filmed 24/7 so there’s every opportunity for the deceiving pairs to get found out.
Tori said: ‘Even when they’re in bed, we never stopped filming them.
‘Even the fake couples pulled it off, getting into a tiny bed together.
‘I used to watch the live feed even after my hosting duties were done, I used to go to the producers and just stare at them – this is how invested I was.’
Show time: Tori explained the new show, which airs tonight on MTV at 10pm, will see 12 couples compete to win a cash prize – some are in genuine relationships and others are faking their romance
Tori admits she was apprehensive taking on hosting duties – but says she rose to the challenge by becoming emotionally invested with the contestants and wearing glamorous outfits.
She said: ‘I was nervous taking on a show like this because I was like wow it’s a lot of pressure. In my mind I’m like okay what am I doing here?
‘So, I put on my best Ryan Seacrest hosting voice except I was totally glam and all about the fashion but then I was such like a fan girl – I’ve been told I’m a very unique host because I was so invested the whole time.
‘When people were eliminated, I was crying on stage. It was so silly, but I felt like their room mother, the den mum in the dorm or something. I definitely got really close to them and invested and it was hard to see them go.’
She even says filming the show, which stars a mix of contestants from the US and UK, has enhanced her love for British men – though she’s useless at imitating the accent.
Tori added: ‘I love British men because I think they’re so brilliant.
‘I’m a joker so I love that cheeky, banter and everything they say sounds so great. They sound smarter. It’s a British production company and a lot of the times the writing in my script there would be lines and I’d say ‘we don’t say that in the US’, but I was like, but I want to say it because I just sound so chic. But no, I cannot do a British accent!’
- Love at First Lie airs every Thursday at 10pm on MTV
‘I love British men’: Tori says filming the show, which stars a mix of contestants from the US and UK, has enhanced her love for British men – though she’s useless at imitating the accent
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