The TV personality and Made in Chelsea star recreates a childhood photo and reflects on what he’s learned
Born in Oxfordshire in 1988, Jamie Laing is best known for his role as chief mischief-maker on Made in Chelsea, the structured reality series he left this year after 209 episodes. It was appearances on Murder in Successville, Celebrity Hunted and Bake Off that introduced wider audiences to his puppyish enthusiasm and later his dancing abilities, when he became a Strictly Come Dancing finalist in 2020. Parallel to his TV career, Laing founded successful vegan sweet brand Candy Kittens and podcast Private Parts. Living in London with partner and fellow Made in Chelsea alumni Sophie Habboo, he hosts BBC Three’s new dating show I Like the Way U Move and has just published his memoir, I Can Explain.
I loved adventures as a child, so it’s no wonder I always wanted to dress up as a pirate. This is me, aged four, in 1992. It was Halloween and our nanny, Julie, created this fantastic costume. Once she made us Flower Pot Men outfits. They were unbelievable.