Meet the toxic male ‘manosphere’ influencers who are ‘preying on young men’ for money – after Louis Theroux issued a chilling warning to the parents of boys

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This month, Louis Theroux released a documentary called Inside the Manosphere and cautioned parents, especially those with sons, about its concerning content.

As a longtime viewer, I was really struck by the recent Netflix documentary. It dives deep into the world of online influencers and how some of them are pushing a very specific, and frankly concerning, message to young boys – one that often promotes traditional masculinity, negativity towards women, and actively pushes back against feminist ideas. It’s a really important look at what kids are being exposed to online these days.

I’ve been watching these influencers for a while now, and it’s clear they’ve taken a lot of inspiration from Andrew Tate. They built a big following and started making money by charging people for exclusive content. But it wasn’t just that – they were also pushing these online trading schemes and selling this idea of a ‘life hack’ – a ‘cheat code,’ if you will – to help you succeed. It all felt a bit…off, to be honest.

Theroux’s documentary quickly became popular after showing just how widespread the harmful online trend was. The broadcaster emphasized the importance of calling out and being mindful of anyone who insults or demeans women.

However, at the same time, these individuals are taking advantage of young men by exploiting their vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, I believe the situation could deteriorate further before it improves.

So who are the manosphere influencers that parents should be aware of? 

Andrew Tate 

Andrew Tate is likely the most well-known figure in the manosphere, with a large following of 11 million people on X (formerly Twitter).

The 39-year-old influencer, who is both American and British, initially became well-known on the UK reality show Big Brother. However, he was removed from the show after just seven days when video surfaced showing him hitting a woman with a belt. He stated that the incident was agreed upon by both parties.

Following this, he became a prominent advocate for the manosphere, even calling himself the ‘world’s first and original truly global misogynist’ and claiming women are simply ‘sex workers’.

Andrew Tate’s harmful impact is so significant that the government recently launched a £20 million program to educate young boys about the dangers of misogyny. This initiative is part of a larger effort to combat violence against women and girls.

After a study revealed that 40% of young men have positive opinions of commentators who express sexist views, England announced that all secondary schools will now be required to include lessons on healthy and respectful relationships in their curriculum.

Tate and is younger brother Tristan have also been involved in several brushes with the law. 

The two brothers are accused of 21 crimes in the UK, including rape, assault, human trafficking, and running a prostitution operation. They both claim they have not committed any crimes.

After legal proceedings finished in Romania, they will be sent to the UK. Bedfordshire Police obtained a European arrest warrant because they face additional accusations of rape and human trafficking, involving other victims.

Additionally, Andrew Tate is being sued by four women in the UK who allege he raped and assaulted them.

He earns money from his followers using his online platform, The Real World. It’s a subscription service that teaches people how to make money in new ways, like with cryptocurrency.

The platform currently has plans costing $99 a month and $499 a month. 

A cyberattack in late 2024 revealed the site was earning approximately $5.65 million (£4.4 million) each month, despite the fact that the individuals involved were under house arrest.

Hamza Ahmed 

Hamza Ahmed, a popular YouTuber with over 2 million subscribers, playfully calls himself a ‘cult leader’ on his Instagram account.

A 28-year-old British influencer claims to help young men improve themselves. His popular videos cover topics like why he believes society has let men down, how to defend yourself in a fight, and how to approach women.

A recent video of his, titled ‘Why Modern Men Struggle With Women,’ has gained over 50,000 views. In it, he argues that men in Western cultures face difficulties with women due to growing up in societies influenced by feminism and with less traditional father figures.

He claims that white men in America, Europe and Australia are going ‘extinct’ as a result. 

Ahmed also promotes ‘looksmaxxing,’ an online trend where people try to improve their physical appearance, often with the goal of attracting romantic partners.

The term comes from online ‘incel’ communities and refers to two approaches to self-improvement. ‘Softmaxxing’ involves gradual changes like skincare, new hairstyles, and getting fit. ‘Hardmaxxing’ takes it to extremes, potentially including surgery or dangerous dieting.

Ahmed earns money using Adonis, an online platform that trains people to become social media influencers.

I’ve been following this guy for a while now, and he promises really in-depth training on how to become an influencer. You can join for just $47 a month, or go all-in with the $247 plan, and he says he’ll walk you through everything – from creating great content to getting tons of views and building a super loyal following. It seems pretty comprehensive!

Myron Gaines

Myron Gaines, 36, the host of the often-debated Fresh and Fit Podcast, was featured in a recent documentary by Louis Theroux.

Amrou Fudl, a content creator who goes by that name, became well-known alongside Walter Weekes through their podcast. The podcast aims to give men straightforward advice on relationships, money, and staying in shape.

I’ve been following this podcast for a while now, and it’s… something. They regularly bring on controversial figures like Andrew Tate, and a lot of episodes involve the hosts going head-to-head with creators from OnlyFans. It’s always framed as them trying to ‘disprove’ what these women are saying. You can catch it live on X, what used to be Twitter, and on Kick, which is a platform where fans, mostly young men, actually pay a subscription to watch it.

Okay, so watching that documentary was INSANE. They filmed a session of his podcast, the ‘After Hours’ part, and it was just…wow. He was going back and forth with some local influencers, and then…then he actually called one of the female guests the most awful name – a really disgusting, offensive slur. I couldn’t believe my ears! It was a shocking clip, honestly. I’ve been a fan for ages, but even I was floored by that. It was just…unbelievable.

Theroux questioned Fudl about his desire for multiple wives. Fudl had been in a relationship with Angie where he was allowed to see other people, while she remained exclusively with him – a situation he described as ‘one-way monogamy’.

Let me tell you, watching that situation unfold was… complicated. It was clear Angie wasn’t thrilled with the dynamic, but Fudl was very upfront about his approach. He basically said he lives life on his own terms, and while he expects complete loyalty from her, the relationship isn’t mutual in terms of exclusivity – he’s open to other connections, but she isn’t. It’s a very unconventional setup, to say the least.

‘She packs my f**king condoms when I travel, that’s how real it is.’

However, shortly after filming the show, Fudl and Angie split.  

Following the documentary’s release, Fudl publicly criticized filmmaker Theroux as a liar on his podcast, The Debrief, where he regularly discusses and shares strong opinions on current events.

During a more than seven-hour livestream called ‘Inside the Therouxsphere of Lies’, he strongly criticized the documentary, claiming it portrayed him as unstable.

He responded to disagreements by using hateful language, including homophobic and ableist slurs. He also used derogatory terms towards women and shared an anti-Semitic image when discussing Jewish people.

Adin Ross 

Adin Ross became well-known as a streamer on Twitch, initially by broadcasting himself playing video games.

Okay, so I’ve been following this streamer for a while now, and it’s AMAZING to see him hanging out with the Tate brothers! He’s actually had Andrew on his streams a bunch of times, which is just… incredible. I’m seriously obsessed with everything he does, and seeing him connect with people like Andrew just makes me even more of a fan!

Ross and the man had such a close relationship that Ross was one of only five people allowed to visit him while he was being held in Romania.

After Tate’s arrest, Ross praised their ‘genuine’ friendship and voiced support for his friend.

He explained that people don’t realize how much this situation impacts him personally, because the person involved is a close friend.

He also stated that Tate was ‘doing God’s work’ before his recent arrest, which he dismissed as ridiculous.

Other notable names to speak to Ross have been Young Thug, Drake and President Donald Trump. 

He secured an interview with Donald Trump after becoming friends with the President’s son, Barron, whom he praised with a vulgar but admiring comment.

Ross gained a large following on Twitch, but was banned after sharing racist and antisemitic comments made by his viewers, which violated the platform’s rules against promoting hate speech.

Ross has since started streaming on Kick.  

HSTikkyTokky

Harrison Sullivan, who goes by HSTikkyTokky online, has become increasingly popular on TikTok in recent years.

Sullivan portrays himself as a highly successful trader earning £20 million annually, allowing him to live a luxurious life. However, a Daily Mail investigation suggests his claims of wealth are misleading. You can find details of the investigation here.

He supplements his income by earning money from ads on his social media, where he promotes things like gambling, cryptocurrency, and quick-money opportunities.

Marcus Rashford’s outspoken critic, Sullivan, is the son of a Nigerian-born former England rugby player who earned 24 international caps in the 1990s. He’s increasingly using controversial statements to try and get the attention of popular social media figures, hoping they’ll draw attention to his own accounts.

In March 2024, a car crash involving McLaren driver Lando Norris occurred in Virginia Water, Surrey. A witness estimated that Norris was driving at a speed of ‘at least 100 miles per hour’ right before the impact.

To everyone’s surprise, Sullivan ran away, leaving his friend and passenger, George Elliot, who has autism, feeling lost, hurt, and scared.

But Sullivan didn‘t just flee the scene – he fled the country.

Eight months later, in November 2024, he was due to attend court on charges related to the crash.

I was absolutely devastated when he just disappeared. Then, over the next few months, videos started popping up online showing him living it up – seriously luxurious vacations in places like Qatar, Dubai, and Thailand. It was a huge shock to see, honestly.

While hiding out in Marbella, Sullivan received a visit from Louis Theroux, who was shooting a documentary about harmful ideas about what it means to be a man.

During the film, Theroux quoted Sullivan admitting, “Call me racist, call me a misogynist, call me homophobic, call me a scammer – I’m all those things,” and then directly asked him if he truly sees himself that way.

An agitated Sullivan responded: ‘That‘s my way of saying I don‘t care.‘

A particularly shocking moment was when he showed the broadcaster a sexually explicit act he’d previously shared with people online.

I was really shocked to learn that Sullivan, who’s been so vocal about criticizing women who post explicit content on OnlyFans, apparently has videos of himself receiving oral sex in a nightclub bathroom. The hypocrisy is just unbelievable, and it feels like a complete double standard.

I was practically glued to the screen, and when I saw that scene, I immediately blurted out, ‘Where is this? Did she even realize they were filming her?’ And Sullivan, thank goodness, confirmed she totally knew! It was such a relief to hear; I just needed to know she wasn’t caught off guard or anything.

Theroux seemed worried and asked what she thought about all of this. Sullivan explained that the video was made to gain attention and social media popularity for both of them.

In another shocking moment from the documentary, Theroux was horrified to see Sullivan’s followers physically attacking a man simply to create content.

Theroux reported that someone following Sullivan had said they arranged to meet an older man online, planning to embarrass him during a live broadcast.

Sullivan stood with the two young fans while they waited for a man, and viewers online urged them to confront him physically.

Last August, actor Jeremy Sullivan was arrested in Marbella, Spain, after reportedly attacking someone with a glass. Police in Malaga stated the attack caused very severe neck injuries to the victim.

Sullivan was extradited to the UK on October 10 last year and taken into custody.

Okay, so here’s the thing – this guy recently appeared in court and admitted to some really risky driving, plus he didn’t have insurance. Honestly, I was shocked to hear he wasn’t immediately sent to jail! The judge did give him a year-long sentence, but it was suspended, meaning he won’t actually go to prison unless he messes up again within the next two years. It’s a pretty lenient outcome considering the seriousness of the offenses, and it just highlights how complex the legal system can be.

In addition to the conviction, Sullivan was banned from driving for two years, had a temporary curfew of 9 PM, and was required to perform 300 hours of unpaid community service.

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2026-03-29 10:36