From hosting multiple podcasts to becoming a red carpet regular, Sophie Habboo has built an impressive career, interviewing Hollywood’s biggest stars and the UK's coolest couples, alongside her husband, Jamie Laing. It’s an impressive evolution from her Made in Chelsea days.
Her 2023 weddings were undoubtedly one of the most glamorous and talked-about celebrations of the year—not just because she was the woman to finally win the heart of former Made in Chelsea charmer Jamie Laing, but because her breathtaking bridal looks became the blueprint for It-girls everywhere. (Who didn’t fall for that dreamy Vivienne Westwood gown or a version inspired by it?)
© Sylwia SzyplikNow, she and Jamie are not just partners in life but in business, working together seamlessly in a way that would test many couples. While some might struggle with spending so much time with their significant other, these two have only flourished, proving they’re a team in every sense.
With her effortless It-girl style—wedding day and beyond—her enviable partnership with her husband, and a career that sees her in conversation with industry insiders and the UK’s most fascinating couples (with no topic off-limits on her hit podcast), Sophie is the ultimate cover star for H! Fashion’s February 2025 digital issue: The Wedding Edition.
The moment I met Sophie on set for her H! Fashion cover shoot, it was clear—what you see is what you get. She’s every bit as glamorous and gorgeous as she appears on screen, but also warm, chatty, and effortlessly fun. It’s easy to see why her podcasts—Wednesdays, which she co-hosts with best friend and fellow Made in Chelsea alum Melissa Tattam, and Newlyweds, alongside Jamie—have such a devoted following.
For her shoot, she slipped into looks that exuded high-octane glamour, from sleek Tom Ford (an instant favourite, she declared) to Stella McCartney. But when it comes to Valentine’s Day this year? “I’ll probably wear something warm and cosy,” Sophie laughs, revealing plans for a laid-back triple date at the pub with friends. An outfit choice that sums her up perfectly—effortless, relaxed, and refreshingly real.
She certainly knows how to make a statement when it comes to fashion though. "Last night I wore this latex suit (referring to the outfit she wore to host the Bridget Jones: About a Boy premiere) and the reason behind it was because I hosted a premiere last year and I was so cold, so we thought I’d be sweating in latex. But nope – I was still freezing. Plus, the corset was so tight – we put baby oil and talcum powder all over me! It was a lot," she laughs. Despite the outfit drama, she says this is still one of her favourite red carpet looks of all time.
© Sylwia SzyplikShe hasn’t lost her signature style since day one. Sophie can recall exactly what she wore on her first date with Jamie: “We had just come back from filming Made in Chelsea in Cape Town. We were kind of friends, and it was all quite weird, but he asked me if I wanted to get sushi. So I wore mom jeans with a rip in one knee, a Skims-style top, an oversized cardigan, and Gucci loafers.” A look that proves she’s always had that innate It-girl touch.
Though she and Jamie were friends before romance blossomed, Sophie admits she felt “slightly nervous” before their first official date. “He told me he was inviting our mutual friend too—but they never showed up. That’s when I knew we were moving from ‘friend’ territory to ‘not-so-friend’ territory.”
"One year, Jamie got me flowers and literally wrote ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’ on the receipt. That was my card."
Since then, their relationship has been a mix of grand romantic gestures and, as she puts it, “hit or miss” moments. One standout? “Once, he filled a jar with little color-coded notes. On the lid, it said things like, ‘Yellow—open this when you're feeling sad,’ ‘Pink—open this when you’re missing me,’ ‘Red—open this when you want to laugh.’ That was pretty cute.”
But not every Valentine’s effort has been quite so thoughtful. “One year, Jamie got me flowers and literally wrote ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’ on the receipt. That was my card,” she laughs. “So yeah, it’s either hit or miss.”
© Sylwia SzyplikSophie and Jamie tied the knot in 2023, celebrating with not one but two stunning ceremonies—an intimate affair at Chelsea Town Hall (her personal favourite) and a dreamy wedding in the exclusive, picturesque Spanish village of Sotogrande.
Her bridal looks were nothing short of breathtaking, cementing her status as a true fashion girl. For London, she opted for a sculpted satin Vivienne Westwood mini, while in Spain, she walked down the aisle in an ethereal lace Emma Beaumont gown—both instantly adored by style lovers everywhere.
Staying true to her signature aesthetic, Sophie chose pieces that felt effortlessly her. “They’re both quite minimal, streamlined, and figure-hugging. I tend to go for classic styles that flatter my shape and make me feel good.”
© Sylwia SzyplikAs for the Vivienne Westwood dress? It was love at first sight. “I just found it so flattering. It had a corset, which I love, and it felt fun and perfect for London. Plus, I really liked the short length.”
For many brides, taking off their wedding dress feels like admitting the day is over—but for Sophie, she quite literally couldn’t. “The Vivienne Westwood dress was actually hilarious because it was sold out in my size everywhere—we just couldn’t get one. So the dress I wore was a sample, and it had already been worn. The night I got home, the zip completely broke on me, and it was basically screwed to my body underneath. I had to sleep in the corset, and in the morning, my mum had to cut me out of it.”
"The night I got home [after her wedding], the zip completely broke on me, and it was basically screwed to my body underneath. I had to sleep in the corset, and in the morning, my mum had to cut me out of it."
© @sophiehabbooHer Sotogrande wedding dress, a breathtaking lace design by Cheshire-based Emma Beaumont, proved that the smallest details make a bridal look truly special. “I always knew I wanted a fishtail silhouette with long sleeves, but I also wanted it to feel timeless rather than too modern—it was quite modest in many ways,” she explains. “Emma stitched my grandparents' names into the dress, as they weren’t there on the day, along with mine and Jamie's nicknames for each other. There were lots of hidden details that nobody else knew about, which made it even more meaningful.”
That sentiment extended to her accessories, too. She wore her grandmother’s sapphire ring, which had been passed down to her mum and also worn by her sister Georgia on her wedding day, along with earrings made from her grandmother’s other rings—her perfect something old, borrowed, and blue.
Sophie’s Vivienne Westwood wedding dress may currently be 'deconstructed,' but when it comes to her Emma Beaumont gown, she has a more sentimental plan. “I’m keeping it for one day when I have a daughter.”
© @sophiehabbooAs for the wedding planning itself, she happily admits that Jamie was the organised one. “He’s very on top of things—I’m the complete opposite, total chaos,” she laughs. “He had the spreadsheet, scheduled all the calls… I just handled the design elements.”
From the outside, marriage seems to suit them perfectly. Two years on from their magical celebrations, Sophie reflects on how their relationship has evolved. “We’re just so much more of a team, and I know that sounds silly,” she says. “There’s this added sense of security—you just know you’ve got each other’s backs, no matter what.”
Of course, working so closely with a partner can be a challenge for anyone—so what’s their secret to keeping the spark alive? “I think you’ve just got to laugh,” she says. “Even if we’re arguing, Jamie makes me laugh so much I can barely stay mad. That’s what keeps it fun.”
She adds, “You’ve got to be with your best friend. Obviously, you want to fancy them, but you also want to genuinely enjoy hanging out together. I think that’s the key.”
© Sylwia SzyplikIf you’ve listened to their podcast, you’ll know that humour is their bread and butter.
On Newlyweds (which evolved from Nearlyweds before they were married), Sophie and Jamie invite a mix of relationship experts and well-known couples like Peter Crouch and Abbie Clancy, and Olivia Attwood and Bradley Dack, into candid, boundary-pushing conversations.
Starting a podcast wasn’t exactly on Sophie’s radar, though. “Jamie already did Private Parts, so he was already very much into the podcasting thing. He called me the day before we recorded the first episode asking what I was doing tomorrow at 2pm, because he needed help with something in our studio, which was in Southwark at the time.”
© Sylwia Szyplik“I didn’t really know until the day we were filming and he said ‘We’re gonna make a podcast’ – I thought he was doing a bonus episode of Private Parts with me as a guest. But then he listened to it and was like ‘This is actually quite good’ and that was it.”
Their discussions cover everything under the sun (if you want to learn about sexual words you’ve never heard of, I recommend you tune in), but it didn’t come as naturally for Sophie as it did for Jamie. “Jamie is a really different creature to me, he's just so open and I wasn’t used to that. It was a little bit jarring at first, but he understood that in order to have a successful podcast, you’ve got to be authentic.”
“I think reality TV really helps. You have to improvise, you think on the spot, and it also helps you understand cameras and being in a room with multiple people watching you. It helps you adjust to that.”
“As time’s gone on, we’ve both become more attuned to it. I’m incredibly open now and I don’t overthink things. We’ve merged in many ways, and he perhaps thinks things through a bit more, so our pros and cons have almost added together.”
Sophie believes her time on Made In Chelsea has played a significant role in building her career confidence. “I think reality TV really helps. You have to improvise, you think on the spot, and it also helps you understand cameras and being in a room with multiple people watching you. It helps you adjust to that.”
Their journey with Newlyweds has seen Sophie and Jamie host glamorous events, from film premieres for the latest blockbusters like Bridget Jones to other high-profile gatherings. But surprisingly, Sophie finds this less nerve-wracking than the intimate interviews they do on their podcast.
© Sylwia Szyplik“I actually feel much more anxious before interviewing guests on the podcast than hosting a red carpet or a live show – there’s something about the adrenaline. I love it. But something like an intimate interview on Newlyweds, I don’t love. But I think it’s important to be kind to yourself and breathe.”
“I tend to do box breathing,” she continues, “it does wonders for me.”
Being in the public eye certainly has its challenges, and Sophie’s listeners will know that Jamie has occasionally read out some unkind online comments, which they laugh off. However, Sophie prefers to steer clear of them, to protect her well-being.
“Jamie loves to read comments, but I don’t like it. It’s not nice. And even if you think it’s funny, it’s going to affect you at some point.”
“The first time I did Made In Chelsea, I went on to Twitter (now called X), and there were so many comments, and I thought ‘I can’t ever go on the show again’ even though I was only about 23. I told myself I can’t ever look at that again, so I don’t read comments.”
© Sylwia Szyplik
© Sylwia SzyplikHer advice? “Only interact with people who are kind. Try and just expose yourself to the positive side of social media.”
One thing Sophie, along with her fans, can agree is undeniably fun: the hilarious trend-led, homegrown videos that she and Jamie share on their personal socials.
“Can I tell you the real truth? I only love it because it genuinely brings him so much joy. He’s literally like a puppy with how much it makes him laugh. He loves everything about it, including editing them, and then he’s happy all day.”
“The first time I did Made In Chelsea, I went on to Twitter (now called X), and there were so many comments, and I thought ‘I can’t ever go on the show again’ even though I was only about 23. I told myself I can’t ever look at that again, so I don’t read comments.”
Creating videos regularly because Jamie enjoys it perfectly sums up their relationship: lighthearted, humorous and supporting each other’s joy.
For Sophie, one thing she’s always been passionate about, is fashion. Over the years, she’s collaborated with big-name brands, and her social media has become a go-to for sartorial inspiration, filled with classic, It-girl-approved looks.
“I’ve always loved fashion. I get excited about seeing what others are wearing and I appreciate people who take risks with the latest trends, but I stick to what feels right for me. I prefer classic pieces that flatter my body and make me feel comfortable.”
Proving her innate It-girl style agenda, her favourite thing to wear right now is a major fashion go-to: a corset. "I wear a corset pretty much everywhere I go now. Once you start wearing them, you never want to go back."
Looking to 2025, Sophie’s career continues to soar across all fronts, with her infectious energy, undeniable style, and unwavering partnership with Jamie intact. From the couple's production company, Jampot, expanding its podcast offerings, to "lots of fun fashion things”, and our personal favourite – her trip to New York Fashion Week, which is guaranteed to bring fresh fashion inspiration to our feeds.
Sophie’s advice for brides-to-be sums up the essence of both her own journey and this issue – celebrating the beauty of life, love, and romance: "Don't overthink it. I got so in my head about things and was so anxious, but at the end of the day, it's just about being happy. You're going to look beautiful no matter what – you're getting your hair done, your makeup done, you're wearing a beautiful white dress, and everyone’s there to celebrate you and your love for the other person. Don’t let the pressure of the ‘ideal bride’ take away from what it’s really about."
