Vanessa Williams: Housewives stars are my family

The 47-year-old actress is celebrated for her role as Wilhelmina Slater in the now defunct US television series Ugly Betty, and fans were thrilled when it was announced she would be joining comedy drama Desperate Housewives for its seventh season.

The new season premiered in the US last month, with Vanessa portraying Renée Perry, an old college friend and former rival of Lynette Scavo, an original cast member who is played by Felicity Huffman.

Vanessa has been thoroughly enjoying shooting the role, and says her new colleagues such as Felicity, Teri Hatcher and Eva Longoria Parker have become like family to her.

“When you do an ensemble piece like this on a weekly basis, it becomes family and that's what we are now. It makes it fun coming to work every day,” gushed the star. "It's been amazing."

Since its launch in 2004, fans have been following the adventures of the show’s glamorous characters as they tackle mysterious goings-on in the fictional American town of Fairview.

Following Vanessa’s debut performance in the show, critics and fans alike have hailed Renée as one of the show’s most exciting new characters.