Ampika Pickston (born 23 July 1981[1]) is an English model, reality TV star and business owner. She is best known for starring in The Real Housewives of Cheshire from 2015 to 2017. Pickston is the CEO of Ampika's Aesthetics, a training school based in Hale, Greater Manchester, which teaches aesthetic procedures.[2]
Early life
editPickston was born in Oldham, Lancashire, and grew up in Shaw, Lancashire, where she was raised by her grandfather, William Fawcet. Her father, Paul, worked for British Telecom during her early years. Pickston attended Rishworth School. Her mother is Thai.[3]
The Real Housewives of Cheshire
editIn January 2015, the British reality TV series The Real Housewives of Cheshire debuted, with Ampika Pickston as one of the original cast members, along with Leanne Brown, Magali Gorré, Tanya Bardsley, Lauren Simon and Dawn Ward. A British adaptation of the long-running American series The Real Housewives of Orange County, the series follows the lives of a group of wealthy women in Cheshire. Pickston left the show at the end of season 5 (2017) after appearing in 55 episodes and three reunions. Pickston returned to the show for season 17 (2024) in a recurring capacity.
Pickston won the Best Female Personality Award at the Sixth Annual National Reality TV Awards.[4]
Other television appearances
editPickston has appeared on Celebrity Ghost Hunt Live, broadcast on Channel 5 in 2017 alongside former Love Island contestant Chris Hughes.[5] She also took part in a cooking mini series for ITVBe,[6] and an episode of Rich House Poor House for Channel 5.[7]
Business career
editAmpika's Aesthetics
editPickston is the founder and CEO of Ampika's Aesthetics, a cosmetic training business with schools in Hale, Edinburgh, Bristol, Newcastle and London's Harley Street. It was founded in 2019.[2] The training academy offers aesthetic and cosmetic training for beginners and medical professionals to gain experience and CPD accreditation. It is regulated by OFQUAL through Qualifi.[8] All of the courses are led and taught by medical professionals.
AP Care Homes
editPickston is the Director of AP Care Homes, a company based in the North West of England which provided residential care for children.[9][10] The home catered for the needs of children aged 12-16 with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It was a long term solution for vulnerable children. It employed a registered manager, deputy manager and seven full time key workers. Following an inspection on 16 and 17 November 2023, Ofsted concluded AP Care Homes Limited had "serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress".[11] Ofsted inspectors said that Ampika Pickston had overseen the management of the home but "did not have the skills and experience" to run it in line with children's home regulations. It was also found that Pickston took one child to her home and, after an internal investigation found that “professional boundaries had been blurred”, she allegedly offered to do it again three weeks later.[12] The home closed in December 2023 after Ofsted issued a notice suspending the registration of the home.[13]
Skinny Revolution
editPickston founded Skinny Revolution[14] to help people to lose weight after she gained 7 stone in 14 months, partly whilst pregnant,[15] using a Wegovy (semaglutide) injection, which is a 2.4 mg injectable prescription medicine used as an appetite suppressant.[16]
Personal life
editPickston is currently engaged to West Ham United co-chairman David Sullivan. She has a son, Jake, with her former husband Mark Pickston.[17]
She currently lives in Hale Barns, in the house which was filmed for the Real Housewives of Cheshire episodes that she appeared in.[18]
References
edit- ^ "Ampika Pickston". IMDb.
- ^ a b "Ampikas Aesthetics - Ampikas Aesthetics". Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ Gibb, Bill (12 October 2016). "Real Housewife of Cheshire Ampika Pickston thinks the Far East is glam, but Llandudno lives on". The Sunday Post. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ "Ampika Pickston And Lisa Vanderpump Big Winners At UK's 6th Annual National Reality TV Awards — See Full List Of Winners!". Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Katie (17 August 2017). "Why is Ampika Pickston "spooked out" with Love Island hunk Chris Hughes?". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ Be Tasty - Ampika Pickston - Fish Pie - ITVBe, 26 April 2017, retrieved 18 October 2022
- ^ Duke, Simon (13 September 2021). "Newcastle family swap with Real Housewife on Rich House Poor House". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ "level 5 - Ampikas Aesthetics". Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "AP Care Homes - Coming Soon". Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "AP Care Homes Limited". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "Ofsted". Ofsted. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "Suspended children's home company run by reality TV star still recruiting roles". Daily Mirror. 19 January 2024.
- ^ "TV star's Altrincham children's home temporarily shut after damning Ofsted report". BBC News. 19 January 2024.
- ^ "Skinny Revolution". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "Ampika Success Story". Skinny Revolution. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "Weight-Loss Prescription Medication - Wegovy™ (semaglutide) Injection 2.4 mg". www.wegovy.com. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ Wilson, Emma (4 October 2021). "Real Housewives star enjoys cosy date night with West Ham boss David Sullivan". mirror. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ Marshall, Esther (12 September 2021). "'Are you having a laugh' Rich House, Poor House shocks Twitter". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 17 October 2022.