An Exclusive Interview with Oliver Proudlock

It’s been a crazy couple of months for The Travelista. After cramming two trips to Tanzania and The Maldives in June, I had my calendar fully booked. So when an invitation landed in my inbox to experience Ibiza with Thomson Scene and Made in Chelsea’s Oliver Proudlock, I had an unfortunate case of diary clash! Luckily, I had a back up plan in the form of my Travelista Guest Blogger Harriet Harper. I asked her if she could jet off to Ibiza on my behalf to represent The Travelista and do an interview with Oliver Proudlock. As you might have guessed, she didn’t need too much convincing.

The incredible 3-night trip was hosted by MIC’s Oliver Proudlock himself, who is a proud brand ambassador for Thomson Scene. So in between the cocktails, partying and jeep rides through Formuntera, Harriet sat down for 15 minutes with to interview him all about his travels. Here’s the full interview…

The sun had just began to set as I walked into the plush Sky Bar on the roof of Ibiza’s Ushuaia Beach Hotel. Framed by glimmering ocean, picturesque mountains and chilled house music in the background, the scene was perfectly fitting for my interview with one of Chelsea’s finest. As the drinks started flowing and the conversation got going, I realised there was much more to this stylish gentleman than just the SW3 postcode…..

Oli, Welcome to Ibiza!

Thank you very much

Have you been here before?

I have been here twice before, first time I came here was for my friends 21st birthday, we actually stayed in a place called Jet apartments, which is not nearly as glamorous as this place, I mean horrid! It’s the first time I’ve stayed here (Ushuaia Beach Hotel) and I love it. Coming back now makes me realise how special this place is and I want to make it a yearly thing.

What makes Ibiza so special to you?

For me the one thing is the energy, the atmosphere of everything. Everyone is here to have a good time, and all the people who work here. In terms of the people, everyone is here to have a good time and everyone’s spirits are high. It basically has everything you want from a holiday. So if you want to relax and chill by the beach you can do that, and if you want to go out then that’s what Ibiza is known for.

Ushuaia is great for that…

This is perfect, there’s so many different sections within the hotel that you get a bit of everything. If you do want to really ‘pardy’ then there’s the beach club, and if you want to relax you can chill by the pool, its just awesome.

So Made in Chelsea obviously opened up a lot of doors for you in terms of travelling, what’s the best place you’ve travelled with the show?

Best place I travelled with the show was Morocco, that was awesome, I loved that.

Did you get the chance to go with the other cast members to LA recently?

They are actually all in LA now, but no I didn’t go. They could only take 10 people and a lot of that is obviously to do with the storyline and who’s involved etc. For me now I’ve been doing this for 4 years and I’m taking a bit of a step back. I’m focusing on my business and focussing on my relationship with Emma (Connolly), so unfortunately I couldn’t go to LA.

How is your business going?

It’s good! Its hard work but I love it. I had my clothing line before I started the show and I’m learning everyday and meeting amazing people, so it’s great. It’s what I want to do for the rest of my life.

So where is on your travel bucket list?

Bali is for sure, and my girlfriend Emma and I are going to Australia at Christmas and New Year to spend time with my family out there, my two sisters. I LOVE being in the heat for Christmas, in Australia waking up on Christmas day and we go down the beach and swim in the sea. I love it. I love the beach. I also want to go to India. I’ve never been and I really want to go. Also one of my factories is in Nepal and I’ve been meaning to plan a trip out there. However recently with all the earthquakes out there it’s been quite brutal, but definitely would be an amazing place to see.

What was your most memorable travel experience?

It has to be my gap year, I went away for 6 months when I was 18, and I went to South America. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to South America but for me it was most memorable because its where I really grew up. I was 18, I had been in school and that was the first time I had probably gone away on my own. It was just unbelievable. I was meant to be in Brazil for 3 weeks and ended up staying there for 3 months! I fell in love with a Brazilian girl and I fell in love with the place. I’ll never forget that trip.

So you’ve got really into your health and fitness recently. When you travel do you like to have a break from the regime or do you stick to your routine?

I think if you train and eat well then its important when you go away to relax, so when I come on holiday then obviously I don’t train and I eat and drink what I want. It’s important, you can’t do that constantly otherwise it becomes too obsessive. You’ve got to have fun. You’ve got to have those holidays to relax, eat and drink, and have your cheat days. I always have my cheat days! Yeah I love food, so for me, I prefer to train more in order to be able to eat what I want, as oppose to doing it the other way round.

If there was one place you could whisk your girlfriend off to in the world, where would it be?

I do think The Maldives would be the top of the list! I also really want to take Emma to Harbour Island in The Bahamas. I haven’t been there in 5 years now but it used to be our family holiday. We used to go every year. I know it well and it’s just such a special place so I really want to take her there and I know she would just love it.
When you’re not travelling and you’re back in London, what are your favourite hangout spots?

Shoreditch House, I love it! The fact that it has a lot of space and it has a huge rooftop with a pool and it has amazing restaurants. I think especially in summer it’s such an amazing spot to be able to just go up onto the roof to the pool.

What about a favourite London restaurant?

Yauatcha is one of my favourite places to eat. For me if I want to go out to nice restaurants and bars I like to go to Soho. Soho just does so many cool restaurants and bars. There is actually a really good restaurant on the Kings Road called Kurobuta, its Asian Fusion, and the guy who set it up used to be a chef at Nobu. He set it up as a pop up and it did so well that now he’s got a permanent site, which is a huge sight that used to be the restaurant Sushinho. It’s unreal. If you go, get the Pork buns and the miso aubergine. The sushi there is amazing too!

What’s your favourite bar in London?

I love to go to Whitley’s Lounge, I don’t know if you like the cinema but you go to the Lounge there and they have reclining sofas. You order the sliders, you get a bottle of red. I’m actually going this Sunday with Emma when we get back in from Ibiza. I like being able to kick back and order food and wine and watch the film. If I’ve got a day off in the week or on a Sunday that’s where ill go! That’s my chill out spot!

So any exciting future projects that you want to let The Travelista know about?

Yes, iv just recently done a collaboration with a hat company called ‘BYSJU’. So we are launching mid-July, we’re going to be going into Topman and Bluebird store on the Kings Road so that’s super exciting! I’m also in talks with…. I can’t really say… but all I’m going to say is there’s some sort of collaboration with glasses which I’m very excited about!

You do like your glasses and your hats!

Yes I do! I’m really excited! I’m also working with a really cool company called Shopa, so I’m the male face for the next year which is really great for me because obviously it’s related to fashion and style and it’s a really exciting project. They are launching in New York in August so Emma and I are flying out for that. I can’t wait.

Very cool! Ok so last question, favourite travel blogger?

The Travelista, Duh! I mean come on! Easy! I can’t wait to see all her photos from the Maldives!

Thomson Scene offers seven night holidays to Ibiza staying at the 4T+ Scene Style Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis from £974 per person. Price is based on two adults sharing and includes flights departing from London Gatwick airport on the 26^th September 2015 and transfers. To find out more about this holiday or to book visit your local Thomson travel shop,thomson.co.uk or call 0871 230 2555. Harriet’s trip to Ibiza was kindly provided as part of an exclusive press trip with Thomson Scene