Toddlers & Tiaras returns for Season 7 on August 24 — three years after the hit show last graced our screens.
In the world of child beauty pageants three years is a super-long time, and they’re now more glitzy and cut-throat than ever before.
Ahead of Toddlers & Tiaras’ Season 7 premiere next week, here’s 10 things you need to know.
1 The pageants are now on another level
While the biggest prize in the weird world of toddler beauty pageants used to be the the Ultimate Grand Supreme, today it’s all about the Mega Ultimate Grand Supreme — which is even more big and brash than before.
Give it another three years and the pinnacle will no doubt be something like the Massively Amazing Super Epic Incredible Mega Ultimate Grand Supreme.
2 Some of the kids use collagen sprays
Yup, you read that right. They may only be five — but some of these little girls get sprayed with collagen — which helps keep wrinkles at bay.
Responsible? We’ll leave that up to you to decide.
Leading coach Cambrie Littlefield says: “Some people think the collagen spray’s kind of crazy, but I wish when I was three years old somebody gave me collagen spray so I wouldn’t have to worry about getting wrinkles from happy eyes all day.”
3 Things don’t always go well
It’s probably to be expected when you’re putting kids under such huge pressure at such a young age, but for some of the mums an error during competition is the be all and end all.
So prepare for mums despairing as girls come a cropper during routines — and lots of tantrums and tears.
4 Some of the kids take private jets
The mums of these little tiara-wearing-toddlers go all out to pamper and prune them — and that even extends to the mode of transport they use to get around.
Some mums even fly their little treasures to pageants on private jets! As one mum says: “Yes private jets are a luxury, yes they are expensive, but I don’t settle for anything less than perfect.”
5 Coaches are now a must-have
As is evidenced above, no expense is spared in the world of child beauty pageants — and a whole industry has built up around it where kids can get trained by professional coaches in everything from acting and skin care to fitness.
As coach Cambrie admits: “You have to have a good body, even when you’re five years old.”
6 One of the two top coaches is Cambrie…
Cambrie runs the Cambrie’s Court team and was a child beauty queen herself — winning her first pageant when she was just two!
She lives and breathes child beauty pageants, and will goes to huge lengths to have her young prodigies win, putting them through a rigorous training regime ahead of events.
But her services don’t come cheap.
7…and the other is Jaimie
Jaimie of the Sassy Supremes is one of Cambrie’s fiercest rivals — and like her fellow coach starred in child beauty pageants from a very young age.
She also demands a high price tag for her services, and is known for her strict training, describing success as “dedication to your skin, your lifestyle, your health…everything”.
Jaimie even transports a portable spray tan machine around with her to brown her girls before contests.
8 Kids even get HYPNOSIS to help them perform
If collagen spray, acting classes, and thousands of dollars on coaches wasn’t enough — how about a little mind control to top things off?
Yup, some of the girls in Cambrie’s Court get hypnosis this season to help them relax and perform better.
9 The mums often care about it more than the kids
This one probably comes as no surprise — as behind every child pageant queen is a mum who has some deep-seated desire to have her daughter regarded as a beauty by others.
And if they don’t win, often times the mums think the whole competition has been rigged. Obviously it’s nothing to do with the fact that they’re child just wasn’t good enough to win.
10 There are 13 episodes this season
Toddlers & Tiaras was originally cancelled after its sixth season in 2013, but producers at TLC decided to bring it back because of all the changes that have gone on in the world of beauty pageantry.
There will be 13 episodes, the same number as in Season 6.
Will it be unlucky 13 for the show — or will it see as much of a smash hit as it was in previous series and be renewed for an eighth season?
Only time will tell.
Toddlers & Tiaras Season 7 trailer
Toddlers & Tiaras returns Wednesday August 24 at 9/8c.