Luisa Zissman has publicly defended the UAE, responding to accusations that she and other social media personalities living in Dubai are receiving payment for their posts.
Thirty-eight-year-old reality TV star, known from The Apprentice, moved to the UAE in December with her husband, Irish millionaire Andrew Collins, and two of their three children: nine-year-old Indigo Esme and Clementine.
She’s been a strong public supporter of the UAE government, recently calling it the ‘safest country in the world.’ This statement came despite recent attacks on the country involving missiles and drones.
Luisa is back in the UK after a scheduled work trip, but she’s still actively supporting the city she recently moved to.
On Thursday, she shared a video from Dubai-based entrepreneur and influencer allaia.wealth that jokingly said, ‘What it looks like when people assume Dubai is paying you to create content.’
‘Reality: You just genuinely love living here and appreciate how they keep everyone safe.’
Ugh, it’s just awful! I’ve been reading everywhere – like, the Daily Mail reported it – that so many of my favorite social media stars are seriously scared. They’re terrified to say anything real because they’re worried they’ll get deported, arrested, or even lose everything they’ve worked for! It’s heartbreaking to see them walking on eggshells all the time, and honestly, it’s just not fair.
In the UAE, you could face hefty fines – as much as £200,000 – or up to five years in prison for criticizing the government, spreading false information, or harming the country’s image. After serving any prison sentence, you would also be deported.
People who have left Dubai are often afraid to speak negatively about it, fearing they might not be allowed to return.
Dubai has become a hotspot for influencers—with over 50,000 now based there. It’s not just the warm weather and lack of taxes that attract them, but also a government program called Creators HQ. This initiative provides significant support and guidance to help influencers establish and grow their businesses.
Luisa has mostly focused on complaining about crime and the weather since returning to the UK, but on Wednesday she enjoyed margaritas with Carrie Johnson.
Former Apprentice contestant Luisa Zissman said she’s enjoying life in the UK while spending time with her close friends, including Anna Williamson and Carrie Johnson (Boris Johnson’s wife), as well as Lucie Cave.
She shared a happy photo of the four of them with the caption: ‘Spending time with my best friends in the UK – and margaritas! – makes everything better.’
Luisa intended to return to the UK this week to record her podcast, LuAnna. However, she decided to bring her daughters with her, worried they might face difficulties returning to Dubai.
On Tuesday, she posted the popular, unimpressed Cillian Murphy meme to express her annoyance with the widespread panic among people stuck in Dubai for several days.
People in the UAE are noticing tourists describing their experiences in interviews as if they’ve been through a difficult or dangerous situation.
Earlier today, Luisa shared that she feels like a refugee, uprooted from her home, and expressed fear about facing crime when she returns to London. She said this while walking through Chinatown.
‘Back in Blighty,’ she told fans. ‘I’m in Chinatown, I’m heading into the Global studios this morning.
I’ve left Dubai and returned home with the kids. I was already scheduled to come back for work, and with the children being on school break, it seemed like the right time to bring them with me.
She paused as she looked around and said: ‘I’m really paranoid someone is going to steal my phone.’
She described feeling like a refugee, having been forced to leave her home. She then expressed gratitude for the UAE and emphasized how smooth her trip back had been.
Leaving Oman was surprisingly simple. It only took about 15 minutes to clear the border, and then we flew from Muscat to Heathrow.
I’m back with the Team Luanna crew for the next couple of days and really happy to see everyone. It’s freezing and incredibly gloomy though!
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2026-03-12 18:34