‘I love the fact that I struggled’: Yung Filly opens up on how his upbringing propelled him to stardom
When he’s not forgetting his flour on Great British Bake Off or chomping down hot wings for a challenge alongside best friend Chunkz, Yung Filly is surprisingly, acting exactly how he does on TV: Fun, playful, and full of laughter. The 28-year-old, born Andres Felipé Barrientos, moved to the UK from Colombia when he was two-years-old, relocating around south east London during his childhood. He’s known for his infectious comedy and high energy, and credits his upbringing alongside his mum and sister for his confidence. “I do get upset. I do get tired, lazy. But for the most part, what you see on the screen is actually me”, he admits. “My sister's full of energy, my mom's that way...I grew up in a loud household. In all fairness, I think that's why my career's gone so well. I think you can genuinely see that it’s all natural.” But he hails from humble beginnings. Although he vows he’d never move back to Columbia and always saw London as his home, it wasn’t easy, being racked up in debt and delving into his entrepreneurial roots from a young age (as the school’s Lucozade seller) just to get by. When asked what it was like growing up, he simply replies: “Struggle…ketchup and rice.” “I come from the bottom of the barrel…and that’s why I’m so grateful for the position I’m in now”, he adds. “My mum definitely shaped me with the lessons she taught me. “She’s a single mum with three kids, my dad was a s*** dad so she just had to make it happen. She did loads of cleaning jobs. My mum worked at Poundland at the time I had some mad BBC series…just getting my mum out of the position she was in was just the biggest motivation.” A fan of Jamal Edwards’ work, Filly started posting on YouTube at the age of 12, recording freestyles and music videos. “I was a go-getter, no one gave me my career, I was actively thinking of ways that I could become successful”, he says. “Without you realising, people in your life come into play and opportunities start appearing.” Over 1.4 million subscribers later, he’s built up a profile as one of the nation's most-loved internet personalities, and has been involved with the likes of The Sidemen, and Chicken Shop Date. “I'd say to my younger self, ‘focus and work harder’. I've definitely worked hard, but I definitely got misled at times in my life by influences and certain people. Even down to the first time I had a drink” he admits. “I always was that guy that was like ‘I'm never drinking it’s against my religion’..and I’m not blaming the people I was with as there’s natural influence.” “So I’d say work hard and keep your head down.” Most recently, he’s been going back to his roots and collaborating with Tango and The Prince’s Trust to inspire the next generation to pursue their passions in life - even if they haven’t figured out what they are yet. Along with the charity, he held a panel talk for 16-30-year-olds to help ‘find their fearless’ and get the tools they need to launch a career or start a business. @yfilly #AD This one hit the feels…😅 I met so many young people working towards a brighter future at the Find your Fearlessness Event with @Tango & @The Prince’s Trust I asked them who their fearless inspiration is and some of the answers got man feeling choked up! Every young individual deserves the chance to be fearless in progressing towards their personal goals. If you or someone you know is aged 16-30 and is out of education or unemployed, sign up to a course at The Prince’s Trust now! #FindYourFearlessness #GetTangod #DrinkTango ♬ original sound - yfilly “It was a bunch of kids that were in my position. I’m 28 now so the last time I experienced struggle I was about 15 so to see them sitting there and looking at me in awe and as someone who is an inspiration to them was sick”, he describes. “I was in that room, hosting that panel, I'm looking around and most of these people look like me. They’re all from ethnic minorities or Black, and I can relate to that. “When I'm talking to them individually, most of them come from the same upbringing I come from, their families being on benefits.” Speaking of why it was so rewarding, he adds: “People would ask me the most basic questions but my response just lit up their eyes and I was like ‘wow’ I’ve got that effect on people, it’s mad. That’s the project that I’m most proud of that I’ve done.” Despite dabbling in a few different roles before being pulled back into media, Filly accepts that it’s not easy to find something you love in life. “The people who have passions, they’re the lucky ones because they know from the get-go what they want to do”, he admits, joking that he’d ‘love to be a footballer’. “But the average person probably goes through about five careers before they’re doing what they’re doing.” “The hardest thing in life is trying to figure out what to do with it.” However, for anyone more introverted, it’s no secret that it can be more difficult to put yourself out there or have the willpower to follow in Filly’s footsteps - but he’s trying to teach people that confidence can most definitely come over time. “I think loving yourself and accepting yourself for who you are, and what you look like is important. In a modern-day society with social media it's so easy to be influenced and almost become someone that you're not”, Filly says. “I think first and foremost, it’s what a lot of lazy people don’t want to hear but it starts with you…you’ve just got to want it bad enough.” Even he’s had his down days, recalling: “I used to do Snapchat and there’d be times that I couldn’t be bothered to film but I’d record like two hours worth of videos because my mum was the motivation…I’d go home and see the paint peeling off the walls, or the fact that I was 16 and all my mates had a double bed and I was still on a single…all those little things motivate you.” But for him, it’s all been worth it. He has an amazing home, incredible cars, and still remains as humble as he was from the start, which is why fans are so intent on sticking around. “There’ll be times that I’m in bed and I’m like ‘I can’t believe this is my house’, I’m just so grateful for everything that I’ve got”, he says of how far he’s come. @drinktango Tango × Prince’s Trust find your Fearlessness event yesterday was a HUGE success! Special thanks to @The Prince’s Trust @yfilly @90sbabyshow @Strawberriesandcreem Poet, all the amazing ambassadors and attendees. Stay tuned on our channels to see what we got up to 😉 #FindYourFearlessness #GetTangod #FYP #foryoupage #xyzbca #yungfilly ♬ original sound - Tango “Sometimes I think to myself what if it had been the other way? What if I had grown up with a silver spoon? I probably wouldn’t be as grateful…I love the fact that I struggled.” He concludes: “My biggest achievement is helping my mum retire. It’s my mum’s world and I’m just living in it. I paid off my mum’s debt, my mum had loads of debt and I paid it off in one go. That was a sick feeling.” “I also took all of my family on holiday, that was sick, but everything is family-orientated…all these materialistic things ain’t s***.” “You know, I think I've smashed it. I’ve got my family involved in every aspect of the business, down to my two sisters, my mum and my uncle. I'm just proud of myself. And I don't tell myself enough, I've smashed it. “I wouldn’t do anything differently.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-08 23:17
Martin Short dubs Jimmy Fallon a 'phoney' years before toxic allegations
Jimmy Fallon has issued an apology after an investigation exposed a string of toxic allegations against the American host. In a report by Rolling Stone, 16 allegations were uncovered from past and present employees of his Tonight Show, with one calling the dressing rooms "crying rooms." They described Fallon's behaviour as "erratic," before suggesting he had "angry" outbursts and they never knew whether they'd have a "good Jimmy day" or a "bad Jimmy day". The claims reportedly led Fallon to issue an apology to staff, saying: "It's embarrassing and I feel so bad. Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends." Now, one X/Twitter user has dug up a 2019 episode of The Tonight Show that featured Steve Martin and Martin Short, in which he says: "This is the greatest show on television because there is no host in late-night who pretends to care as much as you do." The viral post was soon flooded with comments, with one user writing: "At least some celebrities still stand up for what they believe in." Another said: "Jimmy said thank you with pride when Martin Short praised him being phony!! wow hahahaha." "He’s so brilliant," a third commented on Short. "He’s really mastered the art of well-received passive aggressiveness. He’s so diplomatic, but absolutely biting!" Some employees have since jumped to Fallon's defence, with one telling PEOPLE that Fallon is a "really, really positive guy". They continued: "He makes a point of commending you when you do a great job and when he's happy. I've never been belittled, yelled at, nothing like that." Another alleged staff member said they are "really happy to work there right now." In a statement, a spokesperson for NBC wrote: "We are incredibly proud of The Tonight Show, and providing a respectful working environment is a top priority... As in any workplace, we have had employees raise issues; those have been investigated and action has been taken where appropriate." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-08 19:48
Grimes deletes message begging Elon Musk to let her see their son
Grimes appeared to take to X/Twitter where she begged Elon Musk to let her see her three-year-old son. The 35-year-old musician had responded to a tweet by Musk biographer Walter Isaacson, according to the screenshots. It comes following the release of his Time magazine article about the billionaire on Tuesday where photos featured of Musk alongside Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis and their twins. An image of Musk with X was also included in the story. In her response, Grimes tweeted: “Tell Shivon to unblock me and tell Elon to let me see my son or plz respond to my lawyer,” the tweet reads, according to the screenshot. “I have never even been allowed to see a photo of these children until this moment, despite the situation utterly ripping my family apart.” Grimes and Musk split in September 2021 and share two children together - three-year-old son X born in May 2020 and a one-year-old daughter Exa Dark Sideræl otherwise known as Y, born in December 2021, via surrogate. The twins Musk shares with Zilis were born a month before Y in November 2021. It's not the first time the Oblivion singer has taken to Twitter before deleting tweets, as she recently shared how she had experienced "the single most traumatic events of my life.” "A lot has been going on in my life for the last few years that I have mostly kept from the public,” she added. “I may still do that out of respect for others, but the last few days rly taught me that without fundamental change I’m gna die from stress and my kids won’t be ok.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-08 19:19
Kanye West's wife forced to wear pillow in public after angering Italian locals
Kanye 'Ye' West and rumoured wife Bianca Censori have turned heads with risqué outfit choices while roaming Italy. Censori, who previously worked for West's Yeezy brand, was spotted covering her ensemble with a hotel pillow after furious locals hit back at the "offensive" choices in recent weeks. The shots show Censori in a sheer, nude bra and leggings with a purple pillow covering her chest. West sported an all-black outfit with no shoes. The photos shared to X/Twitter were soon met with confusion from fellow users, with one writing: "How completely ridiculous these people are. Put on some clothes and then you won’t have to take a hotel room cushion out sightseeing with you - and you even get your arms free! Novel concept." Another asked: "Why is Bianca walking around naked with a pillow?" Meanwhile, a third added: "Kanye & Bianca Censori are unhinged. Someone ought to stage an intervention. Wearing a pillow? Him walking in socks?" The pair have not been shy of controversy while travelling Italy after photos captured the rapper exposing his bare bottom at the back of a boat in Venice. The images prompted the boat company to issue a ban for life, adding they were "completely unaware" West had dropped his pants, as they were focusing on water traffic. A source for the Venice Police told the Daily Mail : "There are standards of public decorum that have to be followed by tourists and locals alike and any breaches are severely punished. The images of West with his trousers down while in a taxi as he and his partner crossed the lagoon were seen all over the globe." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-08 18:56
10 Damn Fine Facts About David Lynch
The iconoclastic director behind ‘Mulholland Drive,’ ‘Twin Peaks,’ and more cult classics once drew a comic strip about a furious dog and dislikes large furniture.
2023-09-08 02:20
Nick Cannon pokes fun at how many children he has with different women
Nick Cannon has been poking fun at how many children he has over on TikTok with a new parody video. In the clip, the dad of 12 is sat at his desk when he gets 'reminder' on his phone from 'baby mama #12' to 'pay child support'. Instead of picking up the phone, however, he quickly dismisses the reminder and gets on with his day, snacking on crisps. Cannon is often the butt of the joke, and fans were delighted to see him get involved. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
2023-09-07 22:25
MrBeast reveals tiny detail that gets even more views on YouTube
As the biggest YouTuber out there, MrBeast is known for his eye-catching thumbnails. However, he recently noted one change that is causing even more people to view his videos. The 25-year-old - whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson - has over 181m subscribers and so knows what causes viewers to click on his latest piece of elaborate content. Often, MrBeast - like many other YouTubers - can be seen pulling a shocked face to attract and intrigue viewers to watch in his thumbnail images. But after testing out different versions for his videos, he shared how the classic pose isn't as effective as he thought, explaining that thumbnails with his mouth shut do better. “I closed my mouth on all my thumbnails and the watch time went up on every video lol,” MrBeast said on Twitter/X. “My mouth is now closed in all my thumbnails but the war has just begun. We must not rest until mouths are closed in everyone’s thumbnails." In the tweet, he shared a screenshot of the different combinations where YouTube declared the thumbnails of him flashing a smile were a "winner," compared to the traditional shocked face. "Now all YouTubers will shut their mouths," one user jokingly tweeted, to which the MrBeast replied: "Thank god." When someone asked the YouTuber if the shocked face thumbnail era was over, he answered: "Seems like it, here’s more results. Now that I can actually A/B test thumbnails I don’t have to guess and I just test and see what people want." The YouTuber admitted: "My mouth would have closed years ago if I had this tool." Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-07 19:21
Sophie Turner admits struggling to tame 'social butterfly' Joe Jonas in awkward resurfaced clip
A resurfaced clip of Sophie Turner admitting she struggled to 'lock down' her 'social butterfly' husband Joe Jonas during Covid has gone viral, after reports suggested the reason for their divorce was the Game of Thrones star's 'party lifestyle'. "I'm an introvert, I'm a home body, if I could stay at home all day I would", she says in the video. The pair share two children and have since put out a statement insisting their separation was 'amicable'. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
2023-09-07 18:58
Kourtney Kardashian reveals 'life-saving' reason Travis Barker had to rush back from tour
Kourtney Kardashian has revealed that she had to undergo emergency fetal surgery to save her baby with Travis Barker. Blink-182 fans were left confused after the drummer rushed home from their recent tour, but the reason wasn't clear, with photos emerging of Kourtney still pregnant a short time later. "I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been through a similar situation can begin to understand that feeling of fear", the reality star posted on Instagram. "I have a whole new understanding and respect for the mamas who have had to fight for their babies while pregnant." Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
2023-09-07 16:47
Kourtney Kardashian reveals doctors saved her unborn baby's life in shocking Instagram post
Reality star Kourtney Kardashian has revealed she had to undergo emergency fetal surgery to save her baby’s life. In an Instagram post, the 44-year-old, who is pregnant with her and husband Travis Barker’s child, explained she was rushed to hospital where doctors were able to save her unborn baby. Barker, 47, who is the drummer for rock band Blink 182, “rushed” back from the band’s UK and Ireland tour to be by his wife’s side. Kardashian wrote: “I will be forever grateful to my incredible doctors for saving our baby’s life. “I am eternally grateful to my husband who rushed to my side from tour to be with me in the hospital and take care of me afterwards, my rock. And to my mom, thank you for holding my hand through this.” Kardashian shares three children with her former partner Scott Disick and opened up about how going from having three “really easy pregnancies” to having to undergo fetal surgery filled her with a level of “fear” she was unprepared for. She continued: “As someone who has had three really easy pregnancies in the past, I wasn’t prepared for the fear of rushing into urgent fetal surgery. “I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been through a similar situation can begin to understand that feeling of fear. “I have a whole new understanding and respect for the mamas who have had to fight for their babies while pregnant. “Praise be to God. Walking out of the hospital with my baby boy in my tummy and safe was the truest blessing.” In the comments, many offered their support to the couple after their frightening experience. “Sending you and @travisbarker all my bundles of hugs and healing,” one wrote. Another said: “Love you. So thankful everything is ok.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-07 16:29
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's best relationship moments as they confirm divorce
Joe Jonas has filed for divorce from wife of four years, Sophie Turner, and as the internet mourns, they're remembering the duos best moments together. During lockdown, the pair, who share two children, would often find themselves being silly on Instagram livestreams, playing around with filters. Most notably, they were propelled into the spotlight thanks to their lavish Vegas wedding that was suppose to be secret, but ended up being live-streamed by Diplo. Jonas has reportedly requested joint custody of their young children. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
2023-09-07 02:16
Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond smile awkwardly through NTA booing
The National Television Awards returned on Tuesday (5 September) for a night filled with the best of British TV. Attention soon turned to This Morning, which was dethroned after winning daytime, live magazine or topical magazine categories every year since 2011. The audience erupted into boos when the show was announced as hosts Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond smiled on. It didn't take long for X/Twitter users to chime in with their (brutal) takes, with one writing: "It was amazing that the public showed This Morning how they felt and didn’t vote for them to win the best daytime show at the NTA’s this morning has run its course and should be scrapped." Another wrote: "Highlight of the Year - This Morning getting zilch." A third was delighted to not have to "endure Holly and Phil pretending to be drunk": Another wrote: "They lost to a programme named the Repair Shop. It’s so ironic it's hilarious." Willoughby later took to Instagram with a photo of herself with the show's host Jay Blades to congratulate his win. "To this gorgeous man @jaybladesmbe and the whole team at the @therepairshoptv … Hugest Congratulations!!! And what a night for the incredible Sarah Lancashire… @joeldommett thank you for a great night… See you in the morning," she wrote. On Wednesday's episode of This Morning, Willoughby sent her congratulations to the winners. She said: "A huge congratulations to The Repair Shop, well done you. Jay Blades, just like a special squeeze and lots of love to him. "He ran over to us, gave us all a big cuddle which I just thought was just class and gorgeous. I actually didn’t want to let go. Good hugs Jay Blades." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-06 19:46