Nottingham-based content creators Mark and Rox Hoyle, better known as LadBaby, have set their sights on an unlikely collaborator for a potential sixth Christmas number one: the Queen of Christmas herself, Mariah Carey.
From £20 to Chart-Topping Fame
The couple, who boast over 13 million social media followers and have written eight children's books, recall a time of severe financial hardship. "At one point when our first baby was born we had just £20 to our name," says Mark, 38. With Rox as the breadwinner leaving her job after the birth of their first child, Phoenix, now nine, the family faced immense strain. "We struggled to pay the bills," Mark admits.
Mark started making humorous videos as LadBaby in 2016, a venture that grew stratospherically. This online fame paved the way for their unique charity mission. In 2018, they released a parody of Starship's 'We Built This City', with lyrics changed to "we built this city on sausage rolls". It became their first of five consecutive Christmas number ones, with all proceeds donated to The Trussell Trust food bank network, raising an incredible £1.3 million to date.
Dreaming of a Sausage Roll Christmas with Mariah
Now, with their 10-year anniversary approaching, the Hoyles are dreaming bigger. "I'm trying to get hold of Mariah Carey," reveals Rox, 41. "She's never had a Christmas number one. I think this is the collab that the world needs. All I Want For Christmas is Sausage Rolls." Mark adds with humour, "I'd love to see Mariah look at a sausage roll and wonder what the hell it is. They don't have 'em in America."
Their previous musical collaborators are no less impressive. In 2021, they teamed up with Elton John and Ed Sheeran for 'Sausage Rolls For Everyone'. "Elton and Ed were amazing," Mark recalls. "They totally understood the importance of the charity." The couple remain friends with Sheeran, who has invited them to football matches in recent years.
A New Venture: Sauces for Sustenance
This year, the family's focus has partly shifted from the recording studio to the kitchen. They have launched a new range of sauces called 'Dinner’s Ready', featuring flavours inspired by British classics, including a sausage roll sauce. 10p from every sale will be donated to The Trussell Trust.
The ongoing need for food banks motivates their continued efforts. "Yes we’ve raised a lot of money up to this point. But it feels sad that the situation in the UK is still the same," says Rox. "Food banks are the busiest they’ve ever been." Mark highlights a sobering trend: "Many food banks have had to change their opening hours so they're open before nine and after five so that people can go around work - that's frightening."
As long-time supporters of the Mirror’s Pride of Britain awards, they are building a family business they hope to one day pass on to their children, Phoenix and seven-year-old Kobe. And while a collab with Mariah Carey remains a hopeful ambition, the family will undoubtedly be playing their own hits on Christmas Day. "It's cringe, isn't it, watching yourself," laughs Mark. "But the kids love it. We put them on the telly and they sing and dance along."
