Heavy/Getty Jessel Taank.
“Real Housewives of New York City” star Jessel Taank shared her grandmother has died at the age of 100.
In a July 25 Instagram Story, Taank wrote that her “grandmother passed away before we landed in London.” Taank was born and raised in the United Kingdom.
“She lived 100 incredible years and was a force of nature.. [sic] a true testament to living life to its fullest.. [sic] with grace, dignity, & the purest of light,” continued Taank in the Instagram Story.
Jessel Taank Opened up About Being ‘a Daughter of an Immigrant’ in a September 2023 Interview
During a September 2023 interview with TooFab, Taank mentioned that her parents, Kishor Taank and Nicky Taank, who are of Indian descent, immigrated from East Africa to the United Kingdom. She noted that her RHONY season 14 co-stars criticized comments she made about her family’s background.
“I really am very proud of my background, and I will always, as a daughter of an immigrant, share how or where my parents came from. Which is what I did, but it obviously didn’t resonate,” said Taank. “I will always start by that, because it informs my identity. It informs the color of my skin. We don’t have a straight lineage. We’re Indian but my parents are East African. And then I’m British, so it’s quite a dynamic.”
She explained that her parents left East Africa because of a “political uprise.”
“They were very happy in East Africa,” said Taank during her TooFab interview. “When all this turmoil started to happen, they were sort of forced to uproot their lives and come to England. And so I think that changed the course and trajectory of everything for them. They weren’t able to get an education, they had to sort of dive into their workforce. They had to support their families.”
She clarified that she did not intend to compare her family’s situation to how her co-stars Brynn Whitfield and Sai De Silva were raised. As fans are aware, Whitfield and De Silva were open about having difficult upbringings in RHONY season 14.
Jessel Taank Stated That She Believed She Received an ‘Unfair Edit’ on RHONY in a June 2024 Interview
During an appearance on a June 2024 interview on the “It’s Me, Tinx” podcast, Taank stated that she believed she received an “unfair edit” in RHONY season 14. She noted that she was seen snapping at her mother and husband, Pavit Randhawa, in RHONY season 14, episode 1. According to Taank, the RHONY episode did not include a wholesome moment before she got upset with her mother and Randhawa.
“We were talking, we were laughing. We were talking about how my mum actually told me I should marry my husband. It was a cute story. So they purposely chose to cut to the point to where I was being a little diva. And that was my introduction to the world,” said Taank.
She stated that she was upset with how she was initially received by fans.
“I started reading the comments. I spiraled,” said Taank on the podcast episode.
The mother of two also stated that she felt “this pressure” to be seen in a positive light as she is the first person of Indian descent to star in a “Real Housewives’ franchise.
“I was getting comments like, ‘Well this is the girl they chose to represent us?’ And I was like, ‘Oh my god,” said Taank during the “It’s Me, Tinx” podcast episode.
The upcoming 15th season of RHONY does not yet have a release date.