POSING with her three children in Lapland, Sam Faiers certainly looks like a woman who has it all – a stunning family, money to spend on extravagant trips and a supportive partner.
But we can reveal that behind the glitz and the glamour, the former Towie star is set for her loneliest Christmas yet – and insiders tell us why the ruthless businesswoman’s pals and telly execs have turned on her as she still continues to cause friction in Essex years after ditching the place.
A source close to the Faiers family told us: “Christmas used to be the time when Sam’s house was buzzing with people, but things feel different now. Her circle is much smaller these days, she keeps to herself, and outside of Paul, her kids and Billie, she doesn’t really have many friends or see many people.
“Her old friends in Essex have been talking about how it seems like the only people she spends time with now are the ones she works with – all of the people on her payroll – because nobody else is ever around.
“There’s her business partner, her PA, Billie and her Revive Collagen team and that’s it.
“She seems to have now been permanently frozen out of her old life by the Essex wives.”
Sam – who quit Essex to live in a £2.25million mansion in leafy Surrey – is said to have been desperate to get away over Christmas but a compromise was made and the family headed to Lapland beforehand.
She shared numerous snaps alongside Paul and her kids – son Paul Jr, nine, Rosie, eight, and youngest son Edward, three, and gushed about how grateful she was to share the magical moment with them.
In the past, Sam would never have made the trip without sister Billie in tow – even her mum Sue usually joins the family. But in recent years when the camera isn’t rolling. pals tell us there have been fewer and fewer group trips.
The sisters surprised fans when they reunited for a new series earlier this year – Sister Act – which focused on their lives as entrepreneurs.
Sam is now a multi-millionaire thanks to her hugely successful collagen business, which has seen her travel the world promoting it.
But the show didn’t have the impact that ITV bosses were hoping for and was axed after just one outing.
It was perhaps not surprising considering a series of controversies surrounding it – viewers were left furious when Sam offered medical advice to Billie they branded “dangerous”.
Sam has become increasingly invested in holistic therapies and has raised eyebrows with her claims she cured her chronic health condition, Crohn’s, with diet and her refusal to use sun cream on her children.
And it’s not just those watching at home that noticed a difference in Sam, insiders tell us her former pals are saddened by the recent changes.
One source said: “People remember the old Sam with affection but it looks like she has gone for good now.
“It’s sad to see her preaching about natural medicines and things like that.
“They see Sam flaunting her wealth on Instagram with her fancy holidays to Dubai, her designer handbags and her extravagant Christmas decorations and it looks very spectacular but actually people feel sad for her.
“It’s also sad that she feels the constant pressure to show off like she’s got something to prove and it’s sad there’s not really many loved ones around anymore to enjoy it all with.”
Earlier this month, Sam’s mum Sue organised a girly get together and people were surprised that Sam was seen putting the effort in with her old friends.
The insider continued: “It’s not that she doesn’t care about people at home anymore, she’s just poured so much of herself into her work, that the rest of her life has shrunk without her realising.
“She’s incredibly focused on her brand and it appears that has come with a price. Sam’s always been ambitious, but the pressure to constantly be perfect, constantly be seen to be more fabulous than anyone else and constantly sell her brand, it can make anyone retreat a bit.”
Sam co-founded her brand Revive Collagen five years ago, and it now has a string of celebrity ambassadors from Amanda Holden to Kardashian hair stylist Chris Appleton.
The business has been so successful, it is stocked in US stores and sales have notched up more than £13 million in revenue.
But earlier this year we told how her partner Paul Knightley has been struggling with their relationship ‘dynamic’ as Sam’s business ventures reach new peaks.
And there has been heightened chat about the fact that Paul still hasn’t proposed – despite being together since 2014.
Insiders tell us: “Don’t expect a proposal over Christmas. Paul really does have no plans to make things official, despite everyone’s constant nagging.
“Sam might be the main breadwinner but at home it’s Paul who calls the shots.
“He can be incredibly traditional when it comes to male and female roles, which makes it even more surprising that he doesn’t plan to wed Sam.”
Sam appears to be very much resigned to the fact and is thought to have big plans for 2026 – not just about business.
Our insider added: “She puts on a brave face because she wants people to think she’s thriving but it’s been a year where she’s done a lot of reflecting about who’s really in her life.
“She’s realised how much she misses having real, everyday friends, the ones who knew her before all this success.
“She has mentioned how she feels very out of sorts, she reflects on her old friendships and how she misses people – it’s like she needs to repair old wounds so she can feel grounded and more like herself once again. It’s a private goal for herself in 2026.”
