Welsh speaking TikTok star quits job after amassing 31 million views

A student who makes Welsh language videos and has amassed 31 million views on TikTok has quit his job at Greggs.

Ellis Lloyd Jones, who studies in Cardiff, became a sensation on the online video sharing platform during the first lockdown.

His newfound fame has given him the opportunity to work with the BBC and with the Welsh language channel S4C where he has made regular appearances on its comedy platform for young people, Hansh.

The Cardiff University third-year student, who makes videos in both Welsh and English, started using TikTok in October 2019, and since then he has accumulated a total of 4.8 million likes, 31.8 million views and 121,100 followers.

He now says he is earning enough money from the platform to quit his job at Greggs.

 

‘Welsh language’ 

The proud Welshman told the Tab: “I’d like to think that I have represented Wales on TikTok, but mostly for the Welsh language.

“I always love seeing people discovering the Welsh language. I will always ask people to speak Welsh to me if they can.”

One of his most famous videos is titled “The national tollbooth of Welsh TikTok.”

The video has been viewed more than 740,000 times and has also been used on the platform as a way of other Welsh creators to find each other and interact with their fans.

In the video Ellis says: “Stop! Are you aware that you are crossing into Welsh TikTok?

“Please state your name? And in the words of our lord and saviour Tom Jones, ‘what’s your name love?

“Now I have noticed you haven’t got a sheep with you, is there a reason for that? And do you like raisins in your Welsh cakes? And can you speak Welsh? It’s alright if you don’t, we don’t judge.”

Ellis has been stunned by his success on the platform.

He said: “I honestly can’t believe it! Mostly because I don’t know how they can understand me speaking. I always thought that my content would attract Welsh people but I was wrong clearly!”