Have you ever scrolled with a touch of envy through Instagram, seeing influencers flaunting fabulous freebies and their aspirational lifestyles? The reality of an influencer’s life is not always as it may seem, as my guest in this episode knows too well.
In 2015, when comedian and writer Bella Younger created her alter ego Deliciously Stella - parodying clean-eating Instagram influencers - she had no idea it would lead to 150,000 followers ... and a spell in The Priory clinic.
Bella performed sell-out stand-up shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, authored the spoof ‘Deliciously Stella’ cookbook, and was twice named one of the Evening Standard’s most influential Londoners. Today she lives a very different life in rural Mallorca, where she finished writing her second book last year. Her mental-health memoir is very funny but is also essential reading for anyone who thinks they (or a family member) may be spending a little too much time on Instagram.
‘The Accidental Influencer: How My Need to Get Likes Nearly Ruined My Life’ was published by Harper Collins on May 13th.
Hear Bella talking about her unusual route into the BBC, her process for her current fictional work in progress, finding peace and inspiration in Mallorca for her writing, snail racing … and more.
‘The Accidental Influencer: How My Need to Get Likes Nearly Ruined My Life’ is available now in bookshops and from Amazon, in Kindle and hardback formats. It's also available on Audible, narrated by Bella.
Instagram @deliciouslystella
Twitter @bellayounger
PODCAST THEME TITLE: “Lifestyles”
COMPOSER: Jack Waldenmaier
PUBLISHER: Music Bakery Publishing (BMI)
AUTHORS IN MALLORCA will be back in the autumn, after the hot summer break. Jan Edwards has been working on her novel - 'Daughter of Deià' - now published on Amazon.