As half of a Hollywood power couple in The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, Paul ‘PK’ Kemsley is a celebrity in the US along with his American wife Dorit.
The London-born businessman is one of the spouses on the reality show dealing with the fallout when their glamorous women trade insults as cutting as their manicured talons.
Now PK is relaunching his career on this side of the Atlantic after his ignominious exit 15 years ago. PK lost his £500 million UK property empire in the 2008 financial crash and was declared bankrupt before reinventing himself in America.
In his jet-setting days he was vice chairman of Tottenham Hotspur and, as a friend of Alan Sugar, one of the tough interviewers on The Apprentice. But then the bubble burst. ‘When I left in 2009 I didn’t think the UK would give me another chance,’ says PK, 56.
‘I got very firmly knocked off my pedestal and had to rebuild,’ he says. ‘It makes you humble. I knew America was the land of comebacks and I took my second chance.’
‘PK’ Kemsley, London-born businessman, is relaunching his career on this side of the Atlantic after his ignominious exit 15 years ago. Pictured with wife Dorit
In the US, PK became an entrepreneur and investor as well as Boy George’s manager and, as of last month, Lulu’s too.
‘I’ve had this burning ambition to come back to do real estate again in the UK,’ he says. ‘I thought, “What if I took everything I’d learned in America and found a new way back into the business?”
'I’ve bought and sold over 1,000 buildings. I’ve had huge ups and downs in the industry so I’ve got a lot to teach the kids.’
His new Channel 4 show, Selling Super Houses, is a mash-up of The Apprentice and glitzy US property series Selling Sunset and sees him as an Alan Sugar type looking to polish a rough diamond to hire as a high-end estate agent at London agency RIB, in which he’s bought a 50 per cent share.
He sets weekly tasks for the eight contestants (who include a fashion designer, a photographer and a single mum), such as holding an open house for potential buyers and furnishing a property to appeal to buyers. He critiques the contestants’ performances and eliminates one each week.
But if you’re expecting Apprentice-style boardroom fireworks you’ll be disappointed, as PK seems like more of an indulgent uncle than a finger-jabbing tyrant.
PK claims he has bought and sold more than 1,000 buildings and says he's got a lot to 'teach the kids'
A scene from twice-married PK's new show, Selling Super Houses, Tuesday, 9pm, Channel 4
‘That behaviour’s disgusting,’ he says. ‘A lot of these kids have social and mental health issues. I’m a father and I talk to these people the way I’d expect someone to talk to my kids. The idea is to build them up, not rip them down.’
PK didn’t ask Lord Sugar for advice about his new TV venture, saying the pair are no longer close. ‘But I’m very close with Alan’s son Daniel. Alan and I are in competition. Why would I go to him?’
PK ropes in Dorit and Boy George for one amusing task. The candidates have to give a house tour for a demanding owner with bizarre provisos such as insisting the estate agents wipe down every surface they touch and remain silent in the yoga room.
But it’s all made up – it’s Boy George’s mansion and he and Dorit are watching it all on hidden cameras.
As half of a Hollywood power couple in The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, Paul ‘PK’ Kemsley is a celebrity in the US along with his American wife Dorit (pictured)
‘George is very supportive of what I do,’ says PK. ‘He’s part of our family and I wanted to get that chemistry between him and Dorit on screen in a task that was about learning to respect owners’ ridiculous wishes.’
Twice-married PK, whose children are aged between seven and 28, says losing everything taught him some valuable life lessons.
‘It’s fair to say I’m worth a fraction of what I was, but I don’t need a big number in the bank. It’s not what gets me out of bed any more.
‘If I can help someone achieve what they want to achieve, it’s far more gratifying than selling a building and making a million.’
Paul Kemsley stepped out with best friend Sadie Turner amid his split from his estranged reality TV star wife Dorit.
PK, 56, looked downcast as he went for a stroll with English entrepreneur Sadie in Beverly Hills on Monday.
The businessman ditched his ring and kept things casual in sweatpants, stylish sneakers, and a grey cardigan.
PK has turned to Sadie during his divorce proceedings, with the pair being spotted out in Los Angeles in early March.
In 2022, he posted a gushing tribute to Brighton-born Sadie on Instagram.
Paul Kemsley stepped out with best friend Sadie Turner amid his divorce from his estranged reality star wife Dorit
The businessman ditched his ring and kept things casual in sweatpants, stylish sneakers, and a grey cardigan
Their outing comes just days after Dorit was spotted filming scenes for season 14 of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills at a party hosted by co-star Erika.
Dorit and PK posted a joint statement about their separation on May 9 after Bravo reportedly threatened to downgrade her to a 'friend' of the Housewives if she didn't admit she and her husband were living separately.
PK has been residing at the Beverly Hills Hotel for some time now, according to insiders.
That demotion would have reduced Dorit's appearances to just three episodes in the upcoming 14th season of the long-running show.
'She really does not want to be seen as a single mother in Beverly Hills, because once you are labeled that you don't get invited to as many parties, you lose friends, you aren't an insider,' a source told DailyMail.com, adding that PK has all the social ties.
'He has a lot of celebrity friends and pull, so she doesn't want to lose him at the end of the day,' the source said.
PK has turned to BFF Sadie during his divorce proceedings, with the pair being spotted out in Los Angeles in early March
