When the Noughties rolled in, Club Reps ruled the TV airwaves with its steamy antics of booze, bonking, and brawls. If you were a fan, you’d undoubtedly remember the iron-fisted Marie ‘Maz’ Slater, who once booted out a young Joe Swash for calling her ‘Treacle’!
But behind the camera’s glare, the reality was far removed from the glitter and glamour of TV stardom. Hailed overnight as the “middle manager from hell”, Maz’s tabloid journey began in January 2002 when the first episode aired. Yet, she was left shattered when the curtains closed on the first series. The editing, she claimed, painted her as an always-fuming, never-smiling taskmaster. “The producers never showcased the nice bits,” an emotional Maz recounted.
Yet, there’s no denying that “Maz Effect” — Club 18-30 holiday bookings skyrocketing after each episode — proves she was the show’s true driving force. But the fame came at a cost. After just one series, and having handpicked 25 new recruits for a new season in Greece, she left the spotlight and returned to the UK.
Maz later dabbled in presenting for Thomas Cook’s television segment on Sky. But her TV image haunted her. Blinded by the TV persona, people on the streets found it challenging to separate the reel from the real. Once, a girl even attempted to assault her! “To get back to being Marie, I had to leave the industry,” she confessed.
But the charismatic Maz couldn’t be kept away from the limelight for long. In 2007, hinting at a possible return to TV, she shared having received multiple presenting offers. Though Club Reps brought her trauma to the extent she needed counselling, she remained thankful for the doors it opened. Eager to follow in the footsteps of legends like Jeremy Spake and Jane McDonald, Maz’s spirit remained unbroken.
In 2006, her candid interview bore her soul to the world. “Reality TV ruined my life,” she said, adding, “I want people to realise I’m nothing like what reality TV made of me.”
Life after TV stardom saw Maz channel her experiences into a business venture. She opened H. Nicholsons, a restaurant bar in Altrincham in February 2006. And nodding to her past, the eatery was Faliraki-themed, celebrating the Club Reps’ spirit. Additionally, she resumed her work as a presenter, with significant gigs on Sky Travel.
So Maz’s time on Club Reps may not have been portrayed as she had desired, but it appears she has managed to move on and create a good life for herself. Gonna go and check the reviews on her restaurant now!