A VERY juicy electronic mail pinged into my inbox lately tipping me off that an enormous influencer had been mendacity to their followers. There’s a cause I am unable to inform you something about who it’s – however YOU might need your personal suspicions…

Several months ago, a very juicy email pinged into my inbox.

Among the droves of spam mail was a message from a whistleblower tipping me off about how an influencer with a huge following had been lying to their fans – and making a huge sum of money off the back of it.

Unfortunately, I’ve been gagged from telling you any more about this saga, after the influencer had their PR team instruct an expensive, London-based rottweiler legal team to shut the story down.

In a highly threatening letter, the legal firm – which works on behalf of several big-name celebrities – said they would sue me, insisting that the story, which I knew to be true, was false.

It was just the latest attempt to shut down my reporting of perfectly legitimate stories by social media stars who only want you to hear their own, fake narrative.

Since I became the world’s first Influencer Correspondent, these threatening tactics appear to have become the norm among social media stars. It seems they are terrified their bad behaviour might finally be exposed.

That’s not to say that there’s anything wrong with those in the public eye seeking legal advice. And, of course, lawful complaints should always be taken seriously.

But there is a vast difference between correcting an inaccuracy and throwing expensive resources at a journalist in the hope that the sheer cost and intimidation will make them leave a story alone.

Last week, one influencer used the well-known tactic of warning me about their poor mental health to stop scrutiny over their behaviour.

While their PR team insisted that their client was suicidal and undergoing welfare checks, the influencer in question was posting all over Instagram.

Again, I take mental health very seriously. But there has been an uptick in celebrities and influencers using it as an excuse to avoid criticism of their behaviour.

Another influencer’s publicist took a different approach yet again.

When I approached them with a series of questions about a story I was writing, which was negative in their view, they tried to sweeten me up with a series of ‘exclusive’ and relentlessly positive stories about their client.

In return for me dropping the original article, they even offered to spill the beans on the person in question’s love life. As if that was going to cut it!

Some public figures are even more brazen and bullying. One recently instructed a representative to scream at my colleague down the telephone.

Then there was the celebrity who hired a publicist who is well known for their fierce defence of their A-list clients. Their job in this case, it seemed, was making it clear just how unpleasant they could make things for me.

This publicist warned me that their client had plenty of social media followers and would ‘not be scared to name me’ if I published a story about them. In other words, they would be directing millions of people to hurl toxic online abuse in my direction.

In my opinion, that is no longer journalism being fairly challenged, but someone using their influence as a weapon.

For with great reach comes responsibility.

As someone who has now followed the rise and fall of many influencers, I am of the firm belief that a person cannot spend years monetising their life for social media followers – and then suddenly demand privacy when the questions become uncomfortable.

And if influencers are using these tactics to kill stories before the public gets to hear them, perhaps it’s time to ask the question: What, exactly, are they so desperate for us not to know?

The sneaky tactic dating show producers use to lure in contestants

I have discovered that producers of the reality dating show Love is Blind have a rather unusual way of recruiting for contestants. Sources have told me that casting directors pose as singletons on dating apps and match with promising candidates. Then they chat to them, pretending to be a love interest, before moving the conversation over to Instagram, where they reveal they’re casting for a reality show. So, if you thought dating apps were simply for finding love, think again. It seems you could also be just one swipe away from being approached for reality TV fame.

Kai’s accent confusion

It seems Wayne and Coleen’s eldest son Kai Rooney is determined to carve out an identity of his own – and that includes dropping his parents’ famous Scouse accent. The 16-year-old has left viewers baffled after appearing in a YouTube video in which he seems to have adopted a distinctly south London-sounding accent. In the clip, filmed inside the family’s £20million Cheshire mansion, Kai chats casually about football and his daily routine. 

One viewer asked: ‘Why is he talking like he didn’t grow up in a £20m mansion?’ Another joked: ‘Grew up in Alderley Edge Cheshire with Scouse parents and talks like that?’ And a third wondered: ‘Was this man born in London? This must be AI.’ Like his dad, Kai is a forward at Manchester United, having recently signed a deal with the club after progressing through its academy. He has also secured a place in sixth form after achieving what Coleen hailed as ‘great’ GCSE results. Kai is clearly determined to step out of his parents’ shadow – good on him.

UP

I have mixed feelings about showbiz reporters increasingly being replaced by influencers in celebrity interviews. But there’s one social media star I’ll make an exception for. Thomas Duke, aka @steppingthroughfilm, has recently landed some wonderful interviews with Prince William, Florence Pugh and Olivia Colman. He has been writing about cinema since 2009, when he started keeping a journal about films he’d watched, and later studied Film and TV at Brunel University. His passion feels genuine, rather than manufactured for social media.

DOWN

Do we really need another Kardashian project? Kylie Jenner is set to headline and executive produce Bachelorette Weekend, a thriller drama currently finalising a straight-to-series deal with streamer Hulu. It will be Jenner’s first major acting role – but it’s also a family affair. Kim Kardashian is executive producing, after the original spec script was sent to her and she decided it could be the perfect foray into acting for her younger sister.

Sophia Tuxford and Cinzia Baylis-Zullo of The Girls Bathroom podcast have teamed up with matcha company PerfectTed on a limited-edition Banana Bread Matcha Latte, which will be available exclusively at Tesco. The pair have long wanted to create their own matcha – so I’m glad to hear that they have been intimately involved in the development process from the very first taste test.

Asda’s Tickled Pink campaign marks 30 years this week. Across October, more than 220 household-name products will be turning pink exclusively for the campaign, with sales helping to raise vital funds for Asda’s charity partners, Breast Cancer Now and CoppaFeel. Kylie Minogue is supporting by designing an exclusive baby-pink Tickled Pink T-shirt featuring a glitter-ball and Kylie’s iconic signature. This year, hundreds of influencers have got involved too, including lifestyle creators Sophie Jones and Roo Day. Originally launched in 1996, the campaign has raised more than £110million for breast cancer charities.

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