SUNDAYS WITH JOE WOODWARD & NIOMI SMART
The original interview with UK’s Gorgeous couple
When Joe Woodward met Niomi Smart, the two just clicked. It’s easy to see why. Aside from their undeniable good looks, palpable chemistry and mutual ambition, Joe and Niomi both possess the same kind hearted, laid back nature.
It’s a rare thing to find and makes them the perfect Sunday companions.
When we meet the pair, they’re lounging effortlessly in Niomi’s covetable, sun soaked, Notting Hill home. Her flat is something straight out of most girl’s dream, filled with a selection of beauty products so vast, it would rival most department store’s ground floor.
It’s hardly surprising to find such a collection given that Niomi is a lifestyle vlogger with a penchant for beauty. She may be one of the best in the business but you would never know this from how humble and hardworking she is.
Evidently, her millions of worldwide followers have not gone to her head.
In between vlogging, Niomi is the co-founder of Sourced Box, a healthy and natural snack subscription company, she’s also the author of the cookbook, Eat Smart.
Joe is the son of English rugby legend, Sir Clive Woodward, and is the shyest member of his tight knit family.
He’s yet to be converted to an Instagram boyfriend and instead spends his days working for XIX Entertainment, the group behind the Spice Girls, American Idol and David and Victoria Beckham.
At the mention of David, Joe flashes a sheepish smile and just says, “It’s a great place to be.”
Joe may be quietly spoken but when he talks about his future ambitions it becomes blatantly clear that he’s inherited his Dad’s drive and dedication.
Whilst their passions vary at times, the two share a strong love of food.
Joe may have had to Google what a vegan was when the two met, Niomi’s a vegan, he isn’t, but it’s clear now that most of their treasured tales centre around this mutual love.
At the mention of food, the two swiftly change out of their D&Ds and are off for a long Granger & Co lunch. It’s Sunday after all, and if Sundays weren’t made for long lunching, than when was?
How did you two meet?
Joe: It’s a good story, you tell it better.
Niomi: My best friend Charlotte was set up on a blind date with Joe through a mutual friend theirs.
Before the date she sent me a photo of Joe and I thought he was so good looking and I was very excited for her, so I started calling him Dreamy Joe. The two went on their date and she called me afterwards.
I said how did it go with Dreamy Joe? She said it was great, he’s so lovely, but he’s your dream man, not mine.
Anyway for about a good two months she was on my case about meeting Joe, but I was so against it because there was no way I was going to go on a date with a guy who’d been on a date with my best friend.
Eventually she very sneakily set up drinks with Joe, herself their mutual friend. As soon as we met we just clicked.
I bet Charlotte is very smug about it now.
Niomi: Definitely, she now thinks I owe her a dreamy guy.
Where did you go on your first date?
Joe: For our first date I took Niomi to the Brown Cow, I love it there. As I walked in I was like shit, how can I invite a vegan to the Brown Cow? It’s virtually a steak restaurant so I started freaking out over whether they could go vegan.
Niomi: It was actually more a pub that did really good British food. It was great in the end.
Joe: As I walked I just remember being like idiot, idiot, idiot. Then I started freaking out over whether I should eat vegan too? My mind was racing, but yeah, I loved it.
You have a huge social media following Niomi. When did Joe make his Instagram debut?
Joe: It was during our first holiday together. We went to Bath for a couple of nights to see the Christmas markets.
Niomi: It was amazing. It rained everyday, but it didn’t matter. One evening as we were heading back to the hotel we noticed these people standing in the Bath Cathedral with clipboards. We asked them what was going on and it turns out they were letting people up the tower to the roof.
So we ended up, really spontaneously, going up the top of Bath Cathedral and standing literally on the rooftop in the rain. I very nervously asked someone to take a photo of us.
What was the reaction like from your followers?
Niomi: They loved it. The comments are very sweet.
Lucky you’re an alright looking guy Joe…
Niomi: I put up a 30 second video with Joe and all the comments were, we want more videos of Joe.
Joe: I’m not a natural on camera.
Niomi: No you’re so good, people love you.
Does Joe take your photos Niomi?
Niomi: He’s not a blogger boyfriend just yet. It’s funny because so many friends who do what I do, their boyfriends are literally Instagram boyfriends and take all their photos and it is sweet as it works for them, but I’d never want that with us.
Joe: There’d be some pretty average photos that would come out of it if I did.
Niomi when did you officially become a full time blogger?
Niomi: Throughout my whole time at uni I worked as a shop assistant at Kurt Geiger. The second I started earning a little more through blogging I quit Kurt Geiger, I was like bye, catchya.
What’s the biggest challenge you face being a full time blogger Niomi?
Niomi: It’s kind of like the best things are also the worst. So being self employed is great as it’s flexible, I make my own decisions, but it’s also the worst thing as it means that there is no one above me to ask advice, it all rests on me.
It’s a lot of pressure
Niomi: Totally. Essentially I am the brand, I film everything myself, I edit everything myself and I come up with the creative side myself. I’m a one man band.
What are your plans for the future:
Niomi: I definitely want to bring out another book. It would have food in there, but be a little more lifestyle based. So I’d have beauty, fashion, fitness, and also recipes.
Joe: I would like to launch a youth culture collective focused on sport. At the moment youth culture isn’t represented within the sporting media… It’s all people like my Dad talking about sport.
Joe you obviously inherited your Dad’s love of sport, but did you inherit his rugby skills?
Joe: I’d like to be more involved in creating digital sports content, there’s lots going on in that space and some great people and brands to work with.
How did he feel about that?
Joe: He loved it. He actually played football first, but he was shipped off to Wales to a naval boarding school where they didn’t play football and instead had to play rugby. That’s where it all began. Funny really.
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