Jim Chapman: social media star and house renovator

Jim Chapman tells Cotswold Life about being a social media OG, renovating a house in Cheltenham and why he worries about his children in this digital age

Model, social media star, house renovator, twin brother, husband and dad: there are many facets to Jim Chapman – and many years have passed since 2010 when he first used video site YouTube to document his life, hobbies and family.

Since then he’s amassed more than seven million followers keen to see what he’s wearing, how he’s exercising, the projects he’s working on and, more recently, his thoughts on being a husband, and dad to two children.

In the world of social media celebrities he’s an OG, an original, getting involved with it at the same time as people like Wiltshire’s Joe Sugg, aka Thatcher Joe, who went on to wow the judges on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Those following Jim on YouTube and Instagram since his first posts when he was in his early twenties have seen him develop into the 38-year-old father-of-two he is today – and transform two properties into beautiful homes.

(Image: Jim Chapman)

He’s now working on his third project, a Georgian house in Cheltenham, after relocating to the town with his wife, Sarah, and their children in pursuit of a new life away from the chaos of London.

For Norwich-born Jim, it’s a relatively unknown part of the country and, during an interview on Zoom after a busy day of painting and putting up shelves in his son’s room, he describes how he’s been pleasantly surprised by the town.

‘After moving here from London, I thought it would be very sleepy, full of people who were older than us, a bit boring, but everyone is cool, everyone in my gym is younger than me and super-hot, looking really good,’ he says. ‘We’re really happy here. My kids are thriving, my wife is near her parents; life is good.

‘We moved out of London because we were constantly juggling to make things work and felt quite isolated, even though we were in the capital. I’m from Norwich but I am on the road quite a lot. Sarah’s from Cheltenham and it felt fairer to come here.

‘We had seen our house on the market and Sarah wanted to view it but I didn’t like the layout and thought it needed a lot of love, but when we looked around I thought we could make it work.’

(Image: Jim Chapman)

Dressed in a T-shirt and baseball cap, Jim apologises for being covered in dust and admits that it’s now a habitual look for a man keen to do as much of the work on his new home himself – whether removing copper pipes, ripping up carpets, pulling off plaster or prepping and painting walls and woodwork. ‘I’m always dirty now and as such I’ve come to terms with that. Sweat equity, somebody called it recently, which I liked.We have the budget, but it doesn’t last long.

‘Over time my knowledge has increased. Putting blood, sweat and tears into this house, making my children’s home, I couldn’t ask for more. We’ve tried to keep as many original features in the house as we can.’

Jim and Sarah use experts like plumbers and electricians to do work they’re not qualified or equipped to do themselves, and in one of their YouTube videos, film themselves heading off to pick up coffees for their builders.

‘We’re really lucky with the tradespeople we’ve been using. Because Sarah’s family were local, they knew everybody. I think they’re surprised by how we look after them, but to me it’s common courtesy.’ Twin brother John, who trained as a carpenter and is now a fitness specialist, has also been over in Cheltenham a few times to help out, leading to a few double takes, and Jim’s thrilled to be able to ‘learn on the job’ under his guidance.

‘John is my twin, older by 12 minutes, shorter by 4in, my best mate.

(Image: Jim Chapman)

‘Recently he brought his two little kids and it was the most beautiful mayhem to have all the kids together.’

The levels of mess and disruption involved with the renovation were such that Jim and Sarah borrowed her brother’s house a couple of streets away while the worst of the work was underway, finally moving into their new family home in spring.

Nevertheless, Jim often emerges from a hard day’s work caked in dust and says skin cleansing products containing salicylic acid are his go-tos for removing pore-clogging grime. When it comes to male grooming in general, Jim is a firm believer in taking care of his body and improving it from within.

‘I think you need to find your form of exercise, something that makes you happy, something that makes you strong.

‘I am fitter, stronger, healthier as a result of being more physically able. My posture is better and I look better in clothes because I am more muscular.’

Social media has become part and parcel of daily life for many people, with both its positive and negative aspects often in the headlines – which means Jim’s long involvement with channels like YouTube and Instagram gives him something of a unique vantage point as to how it’s developed.

(Image: Jim Chapman)

Recalling the early days, he reflects that making content for social media was initially a creative outlet.

‘I’m affectionately known as an OG – an original – and people think there’s more intent and purpose then there was,’ he says.

‘I used to draw quite a lot; I wanted to be an illustrator.

‘I studied for a psychology degree. When I was learning, I was remembering names and dates: there was not so much creativity as I was expecting.

‘In the early days, YouTube was a very small platform, with not very many creators out there. I met a few people and we became friends. It was a lovely environment; it was lovely to have a group of five of us and an ever-growing group of people watching us and living it with us.

‘For me it was a happy accident and I held on to it and honed it to something resembling a career.’

Back then, Jim’s content reflected the aims and interests of many men in their early twenties, and he admits to feeling quite self-conscious early on, especially on occasions when he came into contact with fans.

‘I was very shy,’ he recalls. ‘It was a big mountain for me to climb. Social media is a very anti-social way of being social and you don’t have to leave your house, but if you want to start working in a bigger capacity you need to leave your house, you have to get over shyness.

(Image: Jim Chapman)

‘Early on it was unnerving talking to your camera on the phone in the street. Now, you cannot move in the street without other people doing it. When I’m modelling fashion garments, I no longer need a screen when I’m getting changed, I’m very matter of fact and look at myself objectively.’

Jim believes the secret of his social media longevity has been the way his audience has grown with him.

‘Everybody’s life moves a pace: I’m now 38 and renovating a house.

‘Time passes and I have matured and grown and have been doing new and exciting things, just by nature of time moving on.

‘I get to go on so many adventures and do things I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do if I wasn’t in this position. I am never short of things to talk about: my issue is trying to hem it in. My content is about what’s interesting in my life and how I navigate through.

‘I have probably got one of the oldest audiences, in terms of how long they have been with me.

‘I’ve seen so many people in my position come and go because their audience outgrow them or they cannot transition in the way I have.’

A typical week will see Jim posting at least four times, although he says he doesn’t always do it with that kind of frequency, and the various parts of his life can often lead to some interesting juxtapositions.

‘Recently I was in the house one morning nearly drowning because I broke a water pipe, then during the evening I was at the BAFTAs.’

(Image: Jim Chapman)

Jim admits that it’s not unusual to feel a degree of pressure to keep posting content. ‘When this happens, I remind myself that I’m not that important and it doesn’t really matter. If I don’t post, the wheels aren’t going to come off.

‘But you do have to keep the algorithms fed, otherwise you fall into a dark zone and it’s hard to pull yourself out of it.

‘If it’s your career or job and you take it seriously and are able to do more with it than just post, you have to nurture it,’ he adds.

‘It’s hard, but I would suggest it’s no harder than being a doctor, plumber or teacher – just a different kind of pressure. There’s no way I’m going to complain about my job because it’s my life,’ he admits. Perhaps one of the reasons for his longevity is his openness and honesty, peppered with endearing humour. ‘If I have a tough day I will tell my audience.

‘As I have grown, I have felt a sense of responsibility. It seems that the general rule on the internet is not how right you are, it’s how loud you are. I’m really conscious about admitting what I don’t know and learning what I need to learn, never really giving advice but sharing experience.’

Jim and Sarah’s children Margot and Jessie sometimes appear in their content, but the couple are careful to ensure they remain ‘bit players’.

‘I don’t want to share their stories – they are their stories, not mine,’ says Jim.

As time goes on, he knows it’s likely that his children will feel drawn towards social media content, both good and bad.

‘I’m never going to stop them using social media because I think it’s a really valuable way for young people to connect.

(Image: Jim Chapman)

‘When I was young it was MSN messenger. If I banned them, they would find a way.

‘I would much rather they use it as a tool and effectively – with my knowledge and tutelage. I hope that they will see that what I do for a living is hard work, but that they will see who I am and that my value is not based on likes and comments, that it’s simply a job I do.

‘I’m hoping they will think it’s really lame.’

Jim takes a keen interest in the debates over controls for children and young people, including the recent announcement of government proposals for a social media ban for those under 16, and admits to feeling glad his children are still very young.

‘I think the honest answer is that when they’re old enough to engage, more checks and balances will be in place: I know it can be addictive, not always good for mental health.

‘I feel for parents of teenagers now because it’s the wild west out there: you cannot stop them and at the same time it’s a tool for communication and it means you have the world in your palm, but this comes with a huge amount of responsibility.

‘It’s hard for me to preach but my advice is to have a discourse with young kids, use all the parental controls that the platforms provide, and have rules and time limits.

(Image: Jim Chapman)

‘If you’re saying they need to put their phone down you need to do something else with them, such as sports or games, not just say no and expect them to do it.’

All in all, Jim Chapman wants to be a positive influence in an uncertain world, posting content that he hopes is relatable, open and honest.

‘People say to me: “I grew up watching you” and it’s nice to know they’ve been with me that long.

‘I want to be a force for good – even if it’s in a minor way – sharing content that’s a bit happier.

‘I want to make sure that when I kick the bucket, I leave the world in a happier place.’.

You can follow Jim’s renovation adventures in Cheltenham on his website: jimchapman.co.uk

Alternatively link to his social media:

@jimchapman

@JimChapmansplus