Chris Hughes has revealed the moment that pushed him to speak out against online bullying targeting his girlfriend JoJo Siwa. The former Love Island star, who met Siwa on Celebrity Big Brother, said a podcast clip joking about the singer's trademark hair bows was the final straw after weeks of scrolling through negative comments on TikTok.
Podcast clip sparks backlash
After seeing Chloe Burrows and Love Island star Ope Sowande joking about JoJo's bows on a podcast, Hughes fired back on social media, writing: 'Podcasts have just become a playground for any form of bullying…' Speaking to Metro, he explained that the reaction was building over days. 'I think it was just from scrolling through TikTok over the past week,' he said. 'I'd seen so many people have opinions on other people, which is just irrelevant. It's stuff which doesn't affect people's lives, but I see it so often on social media.'
Hughes, a TV presenter and campaign ambassador, noted that while he loves podcasts that are educational or fun, many now focus on tearing others down. 'There are so many podcasts now and it's just girls slating other girls,' he said. He recalled a comment that resonated: 'Not everybody needs to do a podcast, and that's okay.'
Defending JoJo Siwa
Hughes revealed that a specific Australian podcast host has repeatedly targeted Siwa. 'He has so many podcasts about JoJo and it's obsessive because her name is forever in his mouth,' Hughes said. He added that the early days of podcasts were 'fun and insightful and educational,' but now 'anyone gets a microphone and the internet has turned into a playground for trying to demoralise people for absolutely no reason.'
Despite the scrutiny, Hughes said Siwa handles it with remarkable composure. 'Her mindset and her level of restraint when it comes to not reacting is genuinely incredible,' he said. He prefers to avoid negativity, saying he doesn't use X (formerly Twitter) because it's 'negative and that has a knock-on effect on your own mindset.'
Navigating long-distance and labels
The couple, who split their time between the UK and the US West Coast, have faced criticism about their age gap and long-distance relationship. Hughes dismissed the challenges, saying the flight is 'never a fun one, let's be honest, but when we're together we have the best time.' He also addressed ongoing conversations about sexuality and labels, noting that Siwa has said, 'You're attracted to who you're attracted to.' He added, 'Our relationship works because we care for each other, we love being around each other and spending time with each other, the same way any other relationship would work.'
Future plans and new projects
While both have spoken about marriage and children, Hughes said they are in no rush. 'It's definitely something I'd want to experience. But when it happens, it happens when the time's right. For now, we're absolutely just enjoying each other's company and taking everything one week at a time.'
Hughes recently teamed up with Pet Database to launch 'The Microchip Shop' on Brighton seafront, encouraging owners to check their pets' microchip details and reunite lost animals. The project adds to his eclectic career, from Love Island finalist to horse racing presenter and documentary-maker.
Asked about misconceptions, Hughes laughed and said, 'Yeah, I'm very intelligent. People spend a bit of time around me and they realise I'm actually intelligent.' He recalled a Piers Morgan debate about reality TV stars' intelligence, saying, 'Everyone has different levels of intelligence. We're all individuals. Going on a reality show doesn't define you.'
