This Morning viewers have expressed strong disapproval of ITV's programming choices, accusing the broadcaster of 'scraping the bottom of the barrel' after featuring a former Royal Navy soldier who now earns a substantial income selling his worn socks on the adult content platform OnlyFans.
From Naval Service to Sock Salesman
During Tuesday's episode of the popular daytime show, hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley interviewed self-made millionaire Zak Blackman, who revealed he generates an astonishing £30,000 per week through his unconventional business venture. The 23-year-old, who will appear in the upcoming series of Olivia Attwood's ITV documentary Getting Filthy Rich, sells his used socks online for up to £1,500 per pair to a dedicated following of customers.
A Dramatic Career Shift
Zak explained his unexpected career transition, stating: 'I joined the Navy when I was 18 - and I was in for three years... I expected to be there potentially for a career, a lifetime. Life just switched... by the end of it, I'd had enough.' He began his OnlyFans account during his final three months of naval service, quickly realising the financial potential of the platform.
His military career ended abruptly when authorities discovered he was posting content filmed aboard his ship. 'It was the money and the freedom, and me being my own boss, that I loved,' Zak continued. 'I'd had enough of the Navy by the end, and when I left, things kicked off.'
Discovering a Lucrative Market
Zak described his gradual specialisation into foot-related content, expressing initial surprise at the substantial market demand. 'At the start my content involved everything and I slowly moved onto feet, and I was so shocked it was such a big market. There was a massive market for it,' he revealed. 'I realised I could sell socks for around a grand each, and I was making so much money just from selling feet pictures.'
His business model includes creating custom videos of sock removal for hundreds of pounds and organising 'sock drops' where he leaves worn socks in public locations for fans to find using video clues. 'Fans would swarm there - someone told me they left their wife at home to go and collect my sock. It was crazy,' he recounted.
Viewer Backlash and Social Media Criticism
The segment prompted significant criticism from This Morning viewers on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, with many questioning ITV's editorial judgement.
- 'Once again scraping the barrel with content,' wrote one displeased viewer.
- Another commented: 'What a world we live in?! Airtime for a bloke selling his socks to creeps to make money? Astonishing.'
- A third questioned: 'Who is buying dirty socks for 30k?' while others lamented the show's changing standards.
During the interview, Cat Deeley humorously inquired about Zak's bare feet, asking if she would be charged for looking at them. The exchange prompted laughter in the studio but failed to amuse many home viewers.
Family Support and Lifestyle Transformation
Despite the controversial nature of his work, Zak insists his family supports his career choice, particularly after he began assisting with household expenses. 'A few months went by and I was helping my dad with rent, and I'd like to think that they're proud of me now,' he explained.
His lifestyle has transformed dramatically from his naval days. 'Compared to the Navy, my life is just so different - before I was working eight hours on, eight hours off, it was really strict, and now I'm working for myself,' Zak described. 'I went from being in a room living with eight different lads in an enclosed space, and now I live in a beautiful apartment in Manchester, I have my dream car, life has absolutely switched.'
He acknowledged the Navy's positive influence, stating: 'I would never be here without the Navy because it's taught me discipline, it's taught me so many things that I've taken into civilian life - it changed me so much and I recommend it to anyone.'
Previous Controversial OnlyFans Features
This isn't the first time This Morning has featured unconventional OnlyFans entrepreneurs. Last year, the programme interviewed Latiesha Jones, a 24-year-old who makes up to £20,000 monthly selling items including old toenails, dirty bedsheets, and bottles of spit.
The former biomedical student, who abandoned her medical aspirations to pursue this unusual career path, compared her work to being a doctor. 'I think I see my main goal, I'm a really caring person, so I think my goal for being a doctor came from wanting to help people,' she explained. 'I feel like I'm doing that with women now with our community... In my opinion I think that it's the same thing but in a different way.'
Jones mentors others in the fetish sector and has sold toenails for £600, while her protégé Freya Ashthorpe has sold hair for £50 and acrylic nails for £40. When questioned about potential risks, Jones admitted: 'I don't really think too much into it... I don't really like to delve too deeply, I'm just like, well somebody else is going to do it. It may as well be me!'
Her customer base reportedly includes middle-aged businessmen and university students, demonstrating the diverse appeal of such niche markets.
The continued featuring of such content on mainstream daytime television has sparked ongoing debate about programming standards and the normalisation of alternative income streams in the digital age.
