Location
Johannesburg, South Africa
School
University Of The Witwatersrand
Expertise
British Royals, The "Real Housewives" Franchise, Old Hollywood Stars
- As a self-professed pop culture and royal news nerd, for Tessa, celebrity news has always gone far beyond recreation; it's her bread and butter in every sense of the word.
- Throughout her time as an entertainment reporter, she's interviewed countless reality stars, including Kyle Richards and Ashley Darby — and even the legend himself, Andy Cohen.
- She loves any opportunity to learn more about royals across the globe, and some of her happiest memories include wedding viewing parties for the British and Monegasque royal families, alike. Naturally, each party was preceded by flip files of prior research.
Experience
Tessa's love for pop culture stems back to her childhood, when she would craft school assignments as her very own entertainment reports. Her foray into professional reporting began in 2017, when she started writing the pop culture section for an edutainment app. She's since gone on to obtain her Master of Arts (with a dissertation on "The Real Housewives of Johannesburg," naturally), and has done over 100 interviews for TheThings. Tessa joined Static Media in early 2022, providing regular articles for Nicki Swift, and the occasional guest report on royal occasions for TheList.
Education
Tessa has a bachelor's degree in politics and media studies, and honors and master's degrees in media studies, all from the University of the Witwatersrand. She came away from both postgraduate degrees with distinction – and a love of seeing how pop culture, social factors, and politics intersect at every turn.
Nicki Swift covers celebrity and entertainment news by way of an expert group of editorial professionals. We drive the conversation on everything from trending Hollywood news to star transformations, always striving to deliver the most compelling commentary, bolstered by quality expert opinions.
As we cover a wide breadth of pop culture, we're constantly reviewing, fact-checking, and updating stories to ensure they're accurate and current. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
"Sister Wives" star Meri Brown revealed that Kody Brown has made the divorce process an especially unpleasant experience, but looking good is the best revenge.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Kimberly Guilfoyle's ex Eric Villency has been busy running a company that got in a legal pickle with Peloton and enjoying a hobby that resulted in an accident.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Politics
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
It tends to get tense inside the White House press briefing room when Donald Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, calls on CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Lara Trump’s Fox News show may have kicked off with big ratings, but plenty of viewers are already over it and are sounding off on social media.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
News
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Donald Trump might be telling tall tales about his height in his official medical report, which also includes a not-so-humble brag about his golf game.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Politics
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Before she found love with Don Jr., Bettina Anderson hoped being profiled as one of The Palm Beaches' most eligible bachelorettes would improve her dating life.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Politics
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
She may have married into money, but Karoline Leavitt didn’t spend a fortune on her wedding dress. The price tag was actually surprisingly modest.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Sarah Palin has never been your typical politician, but even she looked out of place showing up in a club-ready outfit to talk about the election.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Politics
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
From those pesky divorce rumors to that bizarre couch story, these are the rumors surrounding JD Vance that just won’t seem to go away anytime soon.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
According to an ex of the new man in Christina Haack's life, Christopher Larocca, he's a big spender with deep pockets. In other words, nothing like Josh Hall.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Jeff Bezos has been spotted photographing his fiancee, Lauren Sanchez, posing in a bikini, and she's also not shy about showing off her bod while working out.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Politics
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
While Barron Trump hasn't publicly spoken about his relationship with his sister Tiffany Trump, she's made it clear that she values her bond with her baby bro.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
While trying to prove that she brings a lot to her marriage, Tomi Lahren also revealed that her husband, J.P. Arencibia, needs help with some basic tasks.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Politics
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
As the youngest-ever White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt might be overdoing it when trying to dress like she has the maturity level for the job.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Exclusives
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
From awkward those Christmas cards to that wild #FakeMelania theory, Melania Trump’s faced major Photoshop drama, so we asked an expert to break it down.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Laughter is a medicine Kat Timpf needed in large doses while recovering from a life-threatening ordeal and receiving a difficult diagnosis before giving birth.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Long before he tied the knot with Cheryl Hines, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was wed to a woman named Emily Ruth Black. Here's why their marriage didn't last.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Gregory Peck was one of Hollywood’s ultimate leading men, and now his grandchildren are all grown up, with a few following in his famous footsteps.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Fox News anchors have flubbed up by trying to be funny, sharing creepy details about their love lives, and floundering when being called out by guests.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Martha MacCallum has enjoyed plenty of success in the news industry, but she's also faced sexism, harassment, and difficult questions about her Fox News boss.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Kate Middleton rocked hot pants back when she and Prince William were dating, and she didn't stop showing off a lot of leg when she joined the royal family.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
From being an indie darling to her role in the critically acclaimed "The White Lotus," Parker Posey has had quite a journey during her years in the spotlight.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Politics
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
When making these questionable outfit choices, maybe Melania Trump focused too much on what she finds aesthetically pleasing instead of how others would react.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
With Tiger Woods allegedly dating Vanessa Trump, his daughter and Donald Trump’s youngest son might cross paths, and they actually share a surprising hobby.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Is Kurt Russell facing serious health concerns? Rumors have been swirling about Goldie Hawn’s longtime partner, but how much truth is there to the speculation?
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
What does success in Tinseltown get you? If you’re Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, it’s a fortune to splurge on luxury cars, pricey jewelry, and more.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More
-
Entertainment
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Thanks to the way the press unfairly portrayed Chelsy Davy, she became known primarily as being a party girl, but there's so much more to her sad story.
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Read More