Tessa Hayley Hellberg
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.
- In her time as an entertainment reporter, she's interviewed countless reality stars, including among others 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.
Stories By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
-
Kate Middleton's latest birthday photo of Princess Charlotte is just further proof of what we've been saying all along about the young royal.
-
There's no denying Larsa Pippen is stunning, and the "RHOM" alum isn't too shy about her efforts to maintain that look with a few cosmetic procedures.
-
While a parade of celebs has ditched Hallmark for Great American Family, there are signs that Lacey Chabert has planted her heels firmly in place.
-
Even if he's stripped of his liberty, Donald Trump won't be saying goodbye to this one particular perk that is afforded to former presidents.
-
Lacey Chabert is known for finding love onscreen in Hallmark Channel movies, but she prefers to keep her real-life marriage out of the spotlight.
-
Not long after launching the Magnolia Network, Chip and Joanna Gaines faced a major hiccup due to a massive scandal involving one of their shows.
-
Much to the dismay of fans, "Home & Family" was canceled in early 2021. Here’s a look at what the cast of this beloved talk show has been up to since then.
-
Marjorie Taylor Greene and her boyfriend, Brian Glenn got called out after engaging in some hypocritical behavior involving their past comments on drag queens.
-
Jon Bon Jovi prides himself on his loyalty, but he openly admits to having cheated on his wife, Dorothea Hurley, whom he met when they were just teens.
-
Lara Trump isn't afraid to take some fashion risks, but they're often a swing and a miss. We've compiled her biggest fashion statements that didn't pay off.
-
After being crowned runner-up on "American Idol" Season 8, Adam Lambert became one of the show's most successful alumni - but not without some tragic moments.
-
Hallmark co-stars turned real-life married couple Victor Webster and Shantel VanSanten didn't get the fairy-tale ending they were hoping for.
-
Although Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are happily in love today, Swift's lyrics about past relationships on "imgonnagetyouback" could rock the boat with Kelce.
-
Taylor Swift and The 1975 frontman Matty Healy only dated for a short time, but the relationship appears to have left an indelible mark on Swift.
-
Thought the Kim Kardashian-Taylor Swift feud was over? Think again. The singer just dropped a scathing song that puts the reality star squarely in the hot seat.
-
Thanks to their family ties in politics and entertainment, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s six children are following in his footsteps to varying degrees.
-
Amid the allegations against Diddy, his former bodyguards have spoken up about what they apparently saw while working for the rapper and mogul.
-
Recent reports suggest that Tom Cruise parted ways with the Church of Scientology, but it seems he's still involved with the controversial religion.
-
Although Oprah Winfrey leaving the board of WeightWatchers was shocking after her long association with the company, she had a solid reason for doing so.
-
While she's the mother of the future Queen of England, will Carole Middleton snag a coveted royal title? The situation is more complicated than you'd expect.
-
Sophie Turner is dating once again. According to multiple reports, social media posts, and paparazzi photos, her new partner is Peregrine Pearson.
-
Long before his divorces from Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise parted with a whole movie salary worth of cash in his split from Mimi Rogers.
-
Before his death, O.J. Simpson had a certain condition for loved ones to follow. It's unknown why he had this rule in place, but it certainly raises eyebrows.
-
Melania Trump's former aide Stephanie Grisham has spilled some tea on her reaction to Donald's alleged affair, which is in the spotlight due to his trial.
-
Al Cowlings was the driver of O.J. Simpson's Ford Bronco during the infamous 1994 car chase, but since Simpson's murder trial, he's stayed out of the spotlight.
-
Since Michael Jackson's death in 2009, his friend-turned-bodyguard Matt Fiddes has given interviews defending the King of Pop's eccentric personality.
-
Beleaguered rapper Diddy recently settled with his ex Cassie out of court. Now, she's cooperating with officers in the ongoing sex trafficking case against him.