The Reform UK leader has been slammed for failing to vet his cameo requests after being duped into praising disgraced dead paedophile rocker Ian Watkins, who had been jailed for life for sickening sex crimes
Nigel Farage pays tribute to ‘Ian Watkins’ in Cameo video
Shameless Nigel Farage was branded “a complete chancer” who is “not fit for high office” after being duped into paying tribute to dead paedo Ian Watkins and saying of the prankster: “Thank him for the money.”
The wannabe PM – whose Reform UK party currently leads the polls – accepted cash to record a glowing message about the evil Lostprophets singer, who was murdered in prison while serving life for a string of child sex offences, including trying to rape a baby.
He said Watkins was “a really good guy who was very much in contact with me. He loved his children and will be sorely, sorely missed.”
Not fit for high office
The prankster who commissioned the £98 clip on website Cameo – which lets fans request personalised videos from celebs and public figures – said: “If he is prepared to lie for paltry sums, what is he prepared to do for larger amounts?”
When confronted about the video, Farage shrugged off the controversy, telling the Metro: “Thank him for the money. There are lots of Ian Watkins.”
A Labour source told the Daily Star: “There isn’t anything Nigel Farage won’t do for a quick buck. This latest silly gaffe tells you everything you need to know about him. He’s crass, never does his homework, and is completely unfit for high office. A complete chancer.”
Up the RA
Farage has previously fallen for pranks on Cameo, including famously declaring support for the Provisional Irish Republican Army terror group, which killed more than 1,700 people during its 25 year campaign.
He said in a 2021 video: “This message is for Brian Kelleher, Brexiteer, and I hope you have a great birthday.
“This comes from your good friend Aidan. Now, it’s a bit early in the day, so all I’ve got, actually, is coffee. But I hope you enjoy a few pints with the lads tonight. Up the ’Ra!”
Hugh Janus
Farage has previously insisted he rejects any unsuitable messages but that sometimes the odd-one slips through the screening process.
This includes the time the Clacton MP wished happy birthday to “Hugh Janus”, and called himself “Nigel Fromage” in a separate video.
And in another, he was pranked into reading out a message about fake video game football team called “Mo Leicester”.
How much do they cost?
John Smith, who commissioned the Ian Watkins video, told the Metro he paid £98 for the Reform UK leader to film the clip on his Cameo account.
On Farage’s section of the video sharing website, prices start at £78.45 for a personal video booking and a cool £3,735 for a business video. In 2024, he said he earned £16,597.22 from the videos booked through Cameo.
His Cameo bio says: “Nigel is often asked to reference his political views on Brexit, immigration, and the Reform UK party, as well as mention specific TV shows, sports teams, and even silly inside jokes.”
Does he need the dosh?
Farage, who earns £94,000 a year as an MP, was dubbed “nine jobs Nigel” last year when it emerged his side hustles – which include flogging “tax-free” gold bullion – earned him more than half a million in just six months after being elected.
And he previously revealed he is earning well over a £1m a year from work he does outside parliament, though to be much higher than that of any other MP.
The majority of his earnings come from his work presenting on the GB News tv channel, which alone pays him almost £1.2m a year, and he also netted a cool £1.5 million from his stint on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity…
In September, it was reported that he is using a private company to reduce his tax bill on his jobs in a TV star-style arrangement that has in recent years become frowned on by major broadcasters.
The use of personal service companies is not illegal, but it has been criticised across the political spectrum as a way to reduce tax bills. Farage has declined to publish his tax returns for 2023/24.
Other earnings previously declared by Farage include £4,000 a month from the Daily Telegraph newspaper for 16 hours work a month writing articles and income from social media including £1,551.29 from X and £853 from Meta, which owns Facebook.
What are people saying about the video?
The man who commissioned the Ian Watkins video said: “If he would do this for a small amount of money, what would he do for paymasters with deeper pockets?”
Farage also came under fire online for the blunder, which some say brings into question his judgement and character. One social media praised your Daily Star for being one of only a few newspapers reporting the scandal.
They wrote: “He can’t even be bothered to properly vet them. He shouldn’t be doing it at all if he wants to be taken seriously.
“His supporters don’t seem to care; they were comparing Starmer to Pol Pot and Stalin over a gifted pair of glasses, yet Farage prostitutes himself out to anyone with a debit card or crypto wallet.”
Another said: “It begs the question of why a sitting MP, and a party leader, and one with other multiple well paid jobs should need to do this kind of cameo video at £75 a pop. He’s just an absolute grifter.”
A third said: “He’s probably been conned a little here, but if he wasn’t for sale for absolutely anything at any time when he is being paid to represent his constituents and is actually doing f**k all bar stuffing his pockets, he deserves to be slaughtered.”
Another said: “He wasn’t ‘tricked’. He was caught. He’ll do anything for money and doesn’t bother checking anything. Disastrous for a potential PM.”
Someone else added: “Nigel Farage will do anything for cash. Even if he is too lazy to do some factchecking himself, he has people around him who could. He just doesn’t give a damn, because ‘money’. And people seriously want that mercenary running our country?”
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