Mark and Roxanne Hoyle, better known as LadBaby and LadBaby Mum, have opened up about their lives away from the camera, their most starstruck celebrity encounters, and their nomination for a prestigious TRIC Award. The couple, aged 39 and 42 respectively, rose to fame through their humorous and often chaotic videos about parenting and family life on YouTube. Their love of sausage rolls propelled them to five consecutive Christmas number one singles, including a 2021 collaboration with Sir Elton John and Ed Sheeran, and they have also released a bestselling book.
Evolution of Their Videos
Mark explained how their content has evolved over time. "In the beginning, it was just dad hacks and parenting. Now, it could be a prank, a day out, a challenge or launching new things. We're so lucky to have an audience that lets us do different things and who like following it."
Fan Reactions
Roxanne noted the positive feedback they receive. "A lot of it is so positive. People come up to me saying, 'Thank you, because of you, I was able to feed my kids.' Or a nurse will say, 'Thanks for getting me through Covid.' That's so nice. It's such a lovely group of people following us – it could be a 90-year-old woman, or a 19-year-old kid. We've been very lucky on this journey." Mark added, "I really enjoyed doing our autobiography a couple of years ago so much. It was lovely to invite fans into that." Roxanne continued, "They got our hearts in that book, and the journey we'd been on – not a Reel or a Story, or seven minutes of a week when you're creating a song with Elton John or something. You can never get that across in one post."
Relationship Dynamics
Roxanne described how their relationship has strengthened through their online presence. "Being online together makes you closer. We create, we parent, we go to events together. We're lucky that we're best mates, and that we really do love each other. I hope that comes across. We've been through so many great moments and crazy things. We're lucky to have each other and still be together in this wild world."
Craziest Experiences
Mark recalled a memorable encounter. "We were once in the hospitality area of a football ground and after the game, the drinks were flowing, and we heard Wayne Rooney start singing. He did Frank Sinatra and then Sweet Caroline. We were sat there like, 'Wayne Rooney is singing!'" Roxanne added, "He's got the voice of an angel."
Life Off-Camera
The couple, parents to Phoenix, 10, and Kobe, 7, strive to maintain a normal family life. Mark said, "It's very normal. When we started this journey, me and Rox had this little dream that we'd do the school run, drop off and pick up. It was something I never got to do when I was working full-time. So our goal was to be able to both do it." Regarding their fame, Roxanne explained, "They don't know any different. When our first video went viral, Phoenix was only one and so from very early on, from as early as he can remember, he's used to people talking to Mummy and Daddy." Mark added, "He just thought we were quite popular, or that we had a lot of friends! Now they know the concept of Mum and Dad's work, and what we do online. We don't lie or hide things from our children. We're very honest with them. But they are so chill – they're cooler than us."
Future Aspirations
When asked if their children might follow in their footsteps, Mark said, "He's only 10, but Phoenix currently says he wants to be an actor, so we're all in trouble if that happens. With my loud voice and Rox's dramatic actions, he's perfectly placed to be a drama boy. But it will probably be something else next week…"
Extravagant Purchases
Mark revealed their most extravagant purchase: "It's really boring, but it's our house. We moved to Nottingham in lockdown, and we wanted the dream house you want to have a family in, where the boys would have nice bedrooms." Roxanne added, "I really like holidays and experiences that create memories. We're lucky to all be together. As they grow up, all you've got left is those memories of childhood, and you pray that they will still come with you. When people say, 'You're always on holiday,' I go, 'Yeah, isn't it great?' I am genuinely very grateful for it. I didn't travel much as a child, and Mark didn't go abroad until he was 16."
TRIC Awards Nomination
The couple will be presenting at this year's TRIC Awards and are nominated for Content Creators of the Year. Roxanne exclaimed, "Oh, don't! I will cry like an absolute baby." Mark reflected, "We went to the TRIC Awards for the first time last year, and it was such a lovely awards show. Last year we were lucky enough to win Broadcaster of the Year, which was not what we were expecting. It would be lovely to win this year – we're honoured to even be nominated. There are some amazing names on the list, so we'll keep our fingers crossed – it'll be a celebration either way, just to be there."
