Have you ever wondered what life was like before Luann de Lesseps joined The Real Housewives of New York City? Before she was The Countess, even?
Well, you're in luck because Bravo is bringing us Before They Were Housewives: Luann tonight, right after a new episode of Real Housewives of New York City, allowing for fans to get a look at Luann's early years, all in her own words. But why now?
"When they approached me to do Before They Were Housewives, I figured it would be nice for people to get to know who I am and where I come from," she told E! News just before the big premiere. "Because a lot of people don't know my background." And what a background it is. From her humble beginnings in Berlin, CT. to nursing school and beyond, prepare for Luann de Lesseps 101.
"People will get to know me through this show," she continued. "I then moved to New York and moved on to Europe and became an Italian TV star, which a lot of people don't know about me either." We know, record scratch. That's right, the Countess had a career on Italian television long before she was one of the reigning Bravolebrities. Press play on the video above to let her tell you all about it.
The revelations won't stop there. In this sneak peek of the special, exclusive to E! News, Luann also goes into detail about how she met The Count, Alexandre de Lesseps. And let us just say, it's a story for the ages. One involving an Italian boyfriend named Roberto, an American friend named (we kid you not) Honey Child, and a trip to Gstad in "the most beautiful chalet you've ever seen in your life."
"When I saw him, I just thought he was the most handsome, most I don't know—he struck me as 'Wow,'" she gushes in the clip. "It was like this automatic chemistry between us, the way he spoke to me, the way he looked at me, it was just magic." Sorry, Roberto. Hope you're not watching!
For the whole story, be sure to press play on the video above. And for all things Luann, be sure to tune in to Before They Were Housewives, premiering Wednesday, June 22 at 10 p.m. on Bravo after an all new episode of The Real Housewives of New York City.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)