The ‘Ldn’ family of parenting influencers James Collins and Holly Cooper and their brood love holidays. Their last visit was in Switzerland, where seemingly every Alpine beauty spot they visited became a backdrop for their signature dance routines.
If you like stunning mountain landscapes and choreography content – and with 1.7 million Instagram followers that seems like plenty – follow them @theldnfamily.
It’s just the latest in a series of sunny extravaganzas that have taken them around the world this year between Mallorca, Barbados and the Maldives. It was from the Indian Ocean island that James posted a photo of himself cycling with his 14-week-old daughter Zigi in the bicycle basket in April.
With Holly and their other two children, Mimi and Pixi, they stayed at the £1,000-a-night water villa Ayada Maldives. But itchy feet kept them moving in the Maldives. There was a stay at the £700-a-night Siyam World resort, a trip to the luxury island of Bolifushi and a private retreat on Maadhoo that cost £900 for one sleep.
The family’s visit to Camp Bestival in Dorset at the end of July must have been a welcome change of gear. That was at the invitation of Nintendo, and it seems they’re keen on a free corporate giveaway, counting Disney and Arsenal Football Club among their lucrative commercial partners.
Last year they went on holiday no less than twenty times – yes twenty – with trips to Dubai, QatarMallorca, Pisa, HawaiiAbu Dhabi, Iceland, Florence and Paris, as well as multiple visits to the Maldives and Royal Caribbean cruises.
Only, like so many of their fellow influencers, life is not as problem-free as they want us to think. Because I can reveal that James and Holly’s many outings have gotten them into trouble with the principal of their daughters’ school.
Sources tell me that, much to the frustration of the school, the children were repeatedly taken out of class to go on exotic family trips. After being fined for their daughters’ absence, James and Holly eventually decided to take them out of school altogether and teach them at home.
The ‘Ldn’ family’s frequent outings have gotten them into trouble with their daughters’ school, as the children have been repeatedly pulled out of class
James Collins and Holly Cooper have amassed 2.7 million TikTok followers with their family’s choreographed dance routines in exotic locations
A source said: ‘These children appeared to be spending a significant amount of time outside of school due to the number of branded trips they were taking.
“It’s yet another example of an influencer family choosing to heavily involve their children in their online careers, which inevitably raises questions about how that fits in with their education.”
The LDN family, who are believed to be multi-millionaires and live in a detached house in the leafy suburb of Petts Wood, south-east London, have become one of the most followed influencer families after posting videos of daughter Mimi dancing during Covid.
They built their fanbase by posting more family content, and soon brands came knocking, turning what started as a lockdown hobby into a social media empire.
In addition to their 1.7 million followers on Instagram, they have 2.7 million on TikTok, all hungry for their tightly choreographed dance routines, which often center on the kids.
Mimi, Pixi and even baby Zigi have social media accounts run by their parents, with thousands of followers of their own. Mimi has 50,000, Pixi 25,000 and Zigi a young 6,000.
Their popularity has led to James and Holly making money with a ‘back to school’ advert for high street retailer Next, which paid them to promote their products.
Both Mimi, nine, and Pixi, five, were seen in school dresses, shoes and hair accessories. Of course, the irony was not lost on social media, where some followers pointed out the children’s apparent absence from their education.
It’s no surprise that these posts have now been deleted.
One commenter put the issue rather neatly: “It’s so unfair to make a commercial for ‘back to school’ clothes when the kids are barely going to school.”
And one source aptly summed up the concerns: ‘All this influencing of children makes you wonder how the children will grow up. All they have known is performing on a small screen.”
James, 36, and Holly, 37, met as teenagers and danced and choreographed for years.
James says he has worked with major artists and television shows, while the pair also appeared on The X Factor in 2012 as part of the singing group Mitsotu, before setting up a dance school and acting talent agency for children.
When contacted, Holly confirmed that the children will be home-schooled, but said there was ‘something more’ to the decision, but did not elaborate.
Viewers decide they would rather not meet the Owens
Michael Owen’s new reality show Meet the Owens has been poorly received by audiences and critics
A few weeks ago I reported that the Owen family, led by footballing patriarch Michael, were hoping to launch themselves as Britain’s next influencer dynasty with the help of their new Prime Video docuseries, Meet the Owens. There’s just one problem: not many people seem impressed. The show’s ratings have dropped and viewers find it painfully boring.
One TV critic even admitted that despite being paid to watch it, he could only give the series one star.
“That’s the only reason anyone should look at it,” he said. “If no one paid you for it, please value your time more.”
And comedian Harry Ford, who previously worked in television, revealed that the Owens were pitched as a reality show years ago, but “every commissioner said they were too boring.” Ouch.
Perhaps most telling is the strange lack of enthusiasm from the Owens themselves. While dad Michael, 46, has posted strongly about the series, his children have not. No attention was paid to the social media of Gemma, 23, James, 20, and Emily, 18. Youngest daughter Jessica, 16, managed one post, which is one more post than even mum Louise. Maybe they saw the reviews…
Ellie, the sensation of the night
The unmistakable name Ellie Ellis is suddenly everywhere on TikTok. The 16-year-old British schoolgirl has amassed nearly 900,000 followers and 10.7 million likes in just one month after joining the platform on August 8 with one simple goal: to become less shy.
Having just completed her final exams, Ellie uploaded a four-minute ‘Get Ready With Me’ video, in which she nervously told viewers: ‘I just need to get more confident and I need to stop being shy.’ It has since been viewed a whopping 21.9 million times.
Before that first video, Ellie only had six followers. Within 24 hours she had 20,000. The next morning 50,000. Now, barely a month later, she is a full-fledged influencer.
Her 37 videos, mainly make-up tutorials, hair routines and increasingly enthusiastic responses to her follower count, have collectively attracted millions of views, while beauty giants such as Garnier, Maybelline and NYX have already been spotted in her comments.
And it looks like Ellie’s new career is already getting serious. I saw that she now has an agent, while her bio confirms that the account is managed by her parents due to her age. All this, I imagine, has helped her self-confidence enormously.
UPWARDS
Making friends as an adult can be trickier than finding a flat in London’s Zone 2, but @girlssonthego is changing that. Founded in 2023 by friends Stephanie Barney, Martin Mach and Caitlin Lewing, the community started as a way to make running safer for women and has grown into a nationwide friendship network. It now runs events in major British cities, from Pilates and book clubs to painting sessions, and brings women together IRL.
DOWN
Food writer Meg Houghton-Gilmour has exposed how influencers will offer positive reviews for restaurants in exchange for free meals
Would you trust a food review if the influencer promised a rave article before they even tasted it? Research by food writer Meg Houghton-Gilmour revealed disturbing practices after she set up a fake Japanese restaurant and approached 48 influencers. Of the 33 who responded, some offered positive coverage in exchange for a free meal, while five said they would post a message without marking it as an advertisement. A recipe for distrust.
Former Love Island contestant Dejon Noel-Williams will take part in this year’s Unwell Games
Podcaster Alex Cooper’s Gen Z media empire Unwell is bringing back the Unwell Games. And this year’s YouTube reality show lineup is another who’s who of American influencer talent. But there is a rather random British addition: Dejon Noel-Williams, the controversial lothario last seen in 2025’s Love Island. And hosting is another alumnus of the show Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu.
I knew Isobel Lorna was planning something big when I interviewed her a few months ago, and this week she finally revealed it. The influencer has launched Agende, a luxurious leather-bound organizer that combines financial planning, calendar management and daily essentials. Inspired by her mantra: ‘Save the pennies and the Porsche will buy itself’, it is designed to help ambitious women turn goal setting into financial discipline. Consider me sold.
Email me – molly.clayton@dailymail.co.uk
Instagram @mollyroseclayton
TikTok – @mollclayton
