Netflix’s planned show Byron Baes has caused quite the stir with angry locals, who fumed a program following ‘influencers’ would damage their beachside paradise.
But residents might be happy to hear the first two rumoured cast members are not ‘vacuous, fake’ influencers as predicted, but rather ‘born and bred’ locals Kathy and Ralph Brauer, reports The Daily Telegraph.
The husband and wife own homeware, furniture and ladies fashion retailer Bisque Traders in Bangalow, a 20 minute drive from Byron Bay.
Meet your Byron Baes! According to a new report, born and bred locals Kathy and Ralph Brauer (pictured) will be starring in Netflix’s upcoming show
And while they do have quite the following on their store’s social media, they’re nothing like the bikini-clad Instagram stars locals anticipated.
The loved-up couple founded their company in 2000, which began as a result of Kathy’s passion for ethically-sourced homewares and the pair’s love for travel.
Their daughter Hannah is the team’s co-creative director, yet it’s not known if she’ll make an appearance on the show with her parents.
Ralph is also a keen photographer, and dedicates his own Instagram page to his art – a page which so far enjoys a modest 1,500 followers.
Netflix declined to comment on the rumoured castmates when contacted. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Ralph and Kathy for further comment.
Skilled: The loved-up couple founded their company in 2000, which began as a result of Kathy’s passion for ethically-sourced homewares and the pair’s love for travel
Popular: While they do have quite the following on their store’s social media, they’re nothing like the bikini-clad Instagram stars locals anticipated
Another star? Their daughter Hannah is the team’s co-creative director, yet it’s not known if she’ll make an appearance on the show with her parents
The rumour comes after dozens of protesters staged a paddle out against the docu-soap on Tuesday morning, while other locals displayed placards that read ‘give Netflix the flick’ and ‘consult traditional owners’.
Ben Gordon, owner of The Byron Bay General Store, is leading calls to snub the Netflix production – and asking other local businesses to do the same.
‘They’ve simply turned up unannounced and they are proposing to drag our name through the mud, and make millions of dollars without offering anything back to the community,’ he told Today hosts Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon.
Mr Gordon said the prospective reality series is ‘a complete misrepresentation of who we are as a community’.
‘Today, what we’ve seen, is the real Byron, the community coming together for issues that we believe in,’ he said.
Speaking out: Ben Gordon, owner of The Byron Bay General Store, led calls to snub the Netflix production during a Today show appearance on Tuesday
Plot: A press release for the program describes Byron Baes as a ‘docu-soap series’ and calls it ‘our love letter to Byron Bay’ that will also offer audience ‘fights, flings and heartbreak’
‘What they’re proposing is manufactured drama, gossip and bickering about how many likes we have on Instagram. There’s no one in the show that’s actually from Byron.’
There are now more than 7,000 signatures on a petition named ‘Boycott Byron Baes’ – but the Netflix series is seemingly undeterred by the campaign.
Byron Bay is known to be adored by a string of high profile celebrities, including Chris Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky and Zac Efron.
Zac and his girlfriend Vanessa Valladares ended their romance in recent weeks – amid claims he wanted to distance himself from her because she could be starring on Byron Baes herself.
Others rumoured to be joining the line-up are influencer Ruby Tuesday Matthews and The Block’s Elyse Knowles.
Over: Zac and his girlfriend Vanessa Valladares (pictured) ended their romance in recent weeks – amid claims he wanted to distance himself from her because she could be starring on Byron Baes herself