Eating With Tod’s VERY lucrative and controversial new venture – and the fresh accusations he’s facing. Plus the freebie trend leaving fans shocked, revealed in our INFLUENCERS UNFILTERED column

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Does anyone recall when David Beckham agreed to a £150 million deal to promote Qatar before the 2022 World Cup, and how it almost damaged his carefully built public image?

Well, it appears that particular scandal has been sidestepped by foodie influencer Eating With Tod.

Toby Inskip, a restaurant reviewer known for his incredibly energetic videos, travels around the country trying out popular, trending food places.

Even though Tod’s TikTok videos often feature him eating huge amounts of food, he’s gained a large following of 1.1 million people.

It seems the influencer, known for prioritizing money, has discovered a highly profitable opportunity in the Middle East.

I can share that he’s agreed to a sponsorship deal promoting food and tourism in Qatar. However, it’s important to note that Qatar has a poor human rights record and homosexuality is illegal there.

While Beckham faced criticism for trying to hide his lucrative deal, Tod has been very open about his agreement.

He’s been posting videos of himself trying food from the country, using his signature energetic style and dramatic reactions. However, this recent series is clearly sponsored by a company.

The recent campaign has drawn a lot of attention, and many are questioning its authenticity. What once felt like genuine food exploration now appears to be a calculated PR move. It’s clear the Gulf state has found an ideal way to improve its image by partnering with Tod and reaching his large, often unaware, young audience.

However, many people are skeptical, wondering if Tod’s positive reviews are sincere. One TikTok user simply stated: ‘This isn’t about the food anymore; it’s just an advertisement for Qatar.’

‘Did they pay you to ignore the human rights issues?’ commented another.

This isn’t the first time Tod’s ‘work’ has been criticised.

A video showing Tod filming a 19-pound live crab being lifted from a tank and then fried sparked outrage. Michelin-starred chef Alexis Gauthier called the video ‘disgusting’ and said there was ‘nothing to be proud of’.

He faced criticism for a sponsored video he did with McDonald’s in April 2024. The video showed him touring a McDonald’s factory and positively reviewing their beef patties.

A lot of people believe this is just ‘rage bait’ – content created to make people angry, which gets more views and ultimately earns money.

So perhaps fans shouldn’t be shocked that Tod eagerly accepted Qatar’s pay cheque.

Having studied how social media influencers gain and lose popularity, I don’t think the financial rewards will ultimately be worth the effort.

As someone who’s followed Tod for a long time, I’m really disappointed. It feels like he’s lost what made him special – his honesty and trustworthiness. It honestly seems like he’s just chasing whatever pays the most now, and it’s a huge letdown.

How the freebie industry has taken a startling turn

It’s common knowledge that influencers, even those with a small following, receive free trips, meals, and clothing in return for promoting products on social media. However, this practice has recently reached a surprising new level: influencers are now being offered weight-loss surgery as a gift.

Last July, 36-year-old Jos Westwick, who has a small but engaged online following, shared that she was traveling to Turkey for weight-loss surgery. She promised to share updates and asked for support. #LifeUpdate

Following her gastric sleeve surgery, she continued to post updates on her recovery journey to her 65,000 TikTok followers.

Becki Jones, a content creator from Ellesmere Port, has impressed her followers with significant weight loss recently. Last year, she revealed she was offered a free gastric sleeve surgery, but says she turned it down.

It’s a big change from when cleaning personality Mrs Hinch shared that she borrowed £6,000 at age 21 to pay for gastric band surgery. Now, all it takes to get free products is a social media post with the hashtag ‘Gifted.’

The Instagram chef looking to use Nigella’s recipe for fame 

I’m hearing that Em the Nutritionist, known for her Instagram content, is trying to transition into hosting her own cooking show.

Emily English, known as an Instagram chef, hopes to become as well-known as Nigella Lawson and build a widely recognized brand.

She’s begun sharing recipes through cookbooks and recently started a YouTube channel for more detailed video content. The videos are noticeably higher quality than her previous work, featuring professional-grade camera equipment and lighting.

I absolutely love her recipes, and given that television networks are always looking to attract younger viewers, I’m certain they wouldn’t want to miss out on this opportunity.

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UP

A new YouTube group called Friends from Work, featuring comedians George Clarke, Isaac Smith (also known as ItalianBach), Arthur Hill, and Arthur Frederick, is quickly gaining popularity. Experts predict they could become major rivals to the established British YouTube group, The Sidemen.

I’m so excited about this new series! They’re releasing videos every Monday, and the first one is already a massive hit with over 300,000 views. It’s a smart move to team up and share audiences – influencers have been doing that forever – and I have a feeling this collaboration is going to be incredibly successful. I’m definitely hooked!

DOWN

If you’re on social media like I am, you’ve probably noticed the recent ‘Fat Sunday’ trend.

Let me tell you about this trend I just can’t get behind. It’s basically a group of friends, usually girls, who film themselves going around to all the popular restaurants on a Sunday and just… eating. Honestly, the whole concept feels a bit gross to me, and what’s even more frustrating is they don’t even seem to be eating that much! It’s not the feast I expect, and the name… ugh, it just doesn’t sit right with me.

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London Fashion Week is seeing a shift, with influencers now taking front-row seats alongside traditional celebrities. A slightly uncomfortable moment unfolded at the Burberry show on Monday between Romeo Beckham’s former girlfriend, Mia Regan, and his current partner, DJ Kim Turnbull. To make things even more interesting, Romeo himself was a model in the show!

After a period of being less public, following her relationship with a Beckham, Mia is seemingly ready to return to the spotlight. This weekend, she curated Dua Lipa’s popular newsletter, Service95, and made appearances at numerous events during London Fashion Week.

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I was thrilled to hear Topshop is returning to stores! As a longtime fan, I was really disappointed when the famous Oxford Street location closed in 2021. Now, Topshop is making a comeback, opening in 32 John Lewis stores nationwide.

Topshop previously collaborated with famous faces like Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne, but they now appear to be focusing on a more contemporary strategy.

To celebrate the relaunch, the brand has partnered with TikTok star Sabrina Bahsoon, known as Tube Girl for her videos dancing on the London Underground, to create a new advertisement. Last week’s launch party also featured popular foodie creator Maddi Neye-Swift and Love Islander Tasha Ghouri.

For the sake of my wardrobe, I hope this new comeback sticks.

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Email me – molly.clayton@dailymail.co.uk

Instagram – @mollyroseclayton

TikTok – @mollclayton

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2026-02-25 15:52