Tears, tantrums, holidays – The Mummy Diaries is a no-holds-barred look at the lives of sisters Sam and Billie Faiers. Georgia Humphreys finds out more from the former Towie stars

SAM and Billie Faiers' latest TV venture The Mummy Diaries is a long way from their The Only Way Is Essex (Towie) roots. These days the blonde duo, who became household names on the long-running reality show, are more likely to be changing nappies and organising play dates than partying in the famed Sugar Hut.

The glamorous siblings are getting used to their new roles. Sam, who is mum to two-year-old Paul and three-month-old Rosie, has been the star of The Mummy Diaries for two successful series. But this, the third run, is the first time Billie (mum to Nelly, three, and Arthur, 12 months) will take a leading role.

In the first episode of the new series, viewers will see Sam talk openly about her nerves ahead of her new baby arriving. How did she find the adjustment in the end?

"I mean, it did throw me," admits the 27-year-old, who met her partner, property developer Paul Knightley, three years ago. "The first month was hard, I didn't really leave the house at all. You think, 'How am I ever going to get through it?' But you do. "I'm getting the hang of it now and I think in another three months, it will be even easier."

The sisters have a huge fan base - Sam describes the experience of how excited people were to find out Rosie's name as "overwhelming". But even though they're in the spotlight, the down-to-earth mums want their fans to find The Mummy Diaries relatable.

"We want people to see that we don't have nannies, and extra help; we're just doing it ourselves," says 28-year-old Billie. "OK, we might do photoshoots instead of going to a normal office job, but you're still juggling having family, and life at home, and working."

From big decisions about their business ventures, to home water births, to Billie's wedding plans (she's engaged to businessman Greg Shepherd), there's no holding back when it comes to what the Faiers discuss and show on screen.

"People always ask, 'It must be stressful?'" says Sam of opening up her new Hertfordshire home to the cameras. "But it's allowing us to work, have an income but then still be mums and spend time with our family. That's what's so attractive for me. And at the end of it, it gives us an amazing home movie to have forever."

The outgoing duo admit they're more than happy to be opinionated with each other: "When it's your sibling, you should be able to say how you feel," as Sam puts it.

But the best bit about their relationship, both on and off screen, is how obvious it is that they love spending time together.

"This weekend, Mum and Samantha came and stayed at mine. I cooked them dinner," says Billie, who appeared in Towie from 2011 until 2016. "It was nice - when the kids went to bed, we were just chatting." "People always say things like, 'Do you want you time, or date night?'" chips in Sam. "We just like family time, all the time."

With over a million followers each on Instagram, where the sisters regularly post adorable snaps and videos of their kids, the show isn't the only way fans have an insight into the world of the Faiers. And Sam, who rose to fame at 19 after joining Towie, insists she doesn't feel concerned about sharing so much of their lives on social media, even though she's been the target of online trolls before.

"I'm just really proud of my kids and you get such lovely pictures and you just want to share it," she says. "Ninety-nine per cent of the time, people are really nice and positive."

One time social media does annoy the pair, however, is when people use it to share their opinions on how to parent. "Everyone thinks that they're supermum, and that what they're saying is right, but at the end of the day, it's not," declares Sam. "Every mum has their individual way of doing things."

When asked to name their favourite thing about doing The Mummy Diaries together, the savvy pair are refreshingly honest. As well as the benefits they've already touched upon, they hope it will help them grow their businesses - which include their Essex store Minnies Boutique, numerous other fashion and beauty collections, and online fitness websites.

"We've entered a whole new market since having kids - the mum market," shares Sam. "So it's about growing our brand individually as families, and together as sisters. It's going to open hopefully more doors to us in the future."

  • The Mummy Diaries returns to ITVBe on Wednesday, March 7