E1207 - Going Deeper With Louis Russell

[Music] Louis, welcome back to the show, man. How you doing? Yeah, yeah. I'm good. Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here, actually. I haven't done a podcast, like forever. Been a minute, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Way back when when you were on too hot to handle. We also had Georgia on. Um, and I remember she was like, yeah, she was like, yeah, Louis, expecting. Uh, whereas his partner at the time was expecting. But you were pretty hush-hush about it. Obviously, you had a lot going on. You were on a show. You're promoting other shows. Um, I just want to kind of go back to that time. Oh, that was perfect match. Perfect match. Yeah, perfect match. And sandy. And sandy. But I want to go back to that time, uh, because obviously finding out you're going to be a dad is a, I know, amazing or, you know, shocking or all of the above experience. But obviously being the public eye, it can be nerve-racking. Uh, I'm just kind of curious kind of going back. What was it like, you know, finding out you were going to be a dad and what was your reason for wanting to kind of keep it private early on? So my situation just wasn't necessarily an ideal situation in becoming a dad. It was with someone I didn't know too well. Okay. Across the seas, I'm in England. They live in America. Um, so when I got the news, it was really mixed feelings. And speaking to my dad, you know, we've been through quite a lot. And he said, listen, just don't make the mistakes I did. And if you're going to be a father, be the best one of your capabilities. So I made the decision to step up, be the best dad I can be, um, go excited about it. The reason I kept it private is because one, that's my life. That's my real life. And it's a sacred part of my life. So I feel like, you know, the instability in it to bring random people involved in that wasn't the smart option. It just wasn't. It wasn't correct at the time. It wasn't. I just didn't want to let people know. Yeah. No, that makes a lot of sense. How did you kind of, you know, with you being in the public eye, you know, we struggle with that too. You know, we want to kind of give to our fans and kind of keep them in the loop with what's going on. But we also want privacy. And like sometimes that's very hard to juggle. And sometimes you don't really have the choice, right? Because either your friends or peers or people are talking about you, rumors get out. So I'm curious, like, when was the time that you kind of broke it to the world? And did you get to do that? Kind of, um, did you have a say in it? Or did it feel like word got out without you being able to say I'm ready to tell everyone? No, word definitely got out. I didn't want to tell anyone. Like, don't get it twisted. I want to show off my kid more than anything in my life is the most proud thing I have in my life. And something that I want to show the world. But again, it's also the most sacred. So that's where my scarcity comes. But the way it got announced was like, people who knew about it would just start talking about it. So it's like, even then I'm trying to not deny it, but just not talk on it and it keeps on going and going. And then problems start happening and now it's out. And it's like, well, I'm not ashamed of it like I have my baby. I'm not ashamed. But I just don't need that part of my life. I just saw a quote from Pitbull actually. And he was like, Mr. World Word. And Mr. World Word. And he never talks about his kids. He never shows his kids. And it was like, oh, he finally talks about his kids. And he was saying like, I love them so much that I want to protect them. And I'm like, I'm protecting them by not sharing them with the world. Like, you don't put the things that you love, the things that you want to protect like in front of strangers and and whatnot. Yeah. It makes it makes it makes it makes complete sense. Yeah, because yeah, people want to have a relationship with your whole life. Then by proxy, they want to have a relationship with your kid in a weird way. Because like early on, we were showing our daughter's face, when she was like six months old or whatever. And then as she got older, you could, you know, everyone's lovely. But in person, like, it's like, you could tell they started having only an internet relationship with our daughter. And that kind of got weird for us. So we had to pull back a little bit. Yeah, it's, it's a challenge. No, I feel that. And like, the internet's an amazing place. But it's also the worst place. Like it's literally like yin and yang. And like you have people on there, like fans and people who support you and ride and die is like, great, amazing. And then you got the other side to it. And it's like, but other side is a bit treacherous. And do you want someone that's so fresh and so new and so vulnerable, learning the world to be a part of that side of it? Like, I'm just that. I don't think so. We were saying before we got started, we obviously have three daughters. We don't know what it's like to have a boy or a son. I'm curious, like, what you feel like is most important when raising a boy? Well, first of all, I'm so happy that I've got a boy first. Like, I'm so happy. Oh, my days. And like, through his newborn era, it was sort of like intense because, you know, having a newborn baby, you know, it's a lot. But once he's now getting older, where he's getting older and now he's talking, walking. I'm now teaching him stuff. I'm now seeing everything I do. He does everything. Well, I take him to the gym with me, right? And I'm shadow boxing. He's playing in this. We have this big wagon. I'm shadow boxing. I look over and he's like, I'm like, wow, he is absorbing everything I do, which means I actually have to step up as a man. If this child is relying on me, I have to change because if my actions and my principles and my morals aren't good enough, I mean, they ain't good enough for him. And I can't have that. So like, having him has really changed me as a person, like, wholeheartedly changed me. What have you learned about yourself as a new dad that, like, you felt like you had to change knowing that you are now a father of a son? Patience, patience, patience. Oh, my Lord, patience with everything. Like, I'm a very, very impatient person. Like, if I want something done and it's not done, I'll move on. Like, with a baby, you have to be patient. You have to take your time. You have to let them cry and yell and like, try and find out why instead of like getting frustrated or like, just deal them with anything. Like, definitely patience. I have learned massively to have. Yeah. That's true. I was thinking about how much kids absorb when you were talking about it. Our daughter is the same way. Like, she started being like, she would talk back and be like, I said no. And you're like, how did you, you know, because like, we're saying that because because I said no, right? So then she'll respond to me like, well, I said no, you know, and it's like, whoa. The vocabulary, like, everything we say to our kids right now is probably going to be like, vocabulary, the words they use, you know, throughout the rest of their lives. So it's like, yeah, hearing, you know, a better one is remembering like, what a beautiful day. Like, what do your old is say? Like, what a wonderful, beautiful day. Like, that's something, something my mom said to her or something like that. But it is wow. They really watch and absorb everything that you do. That's sort of like me and his mom's relationship is like, okay. But like, we try our best that when it's in front of him, if we have any problems, arguments, shouting, we try our best to keep it. We don't do it because they absorb it, even just the, just their mossy. So like the energy, you know, yeah. So like, I try to keep, we try collectively to keep the best relationship for our son to keep it just on good terms as co-parent, you know, speaking of that, because I'm curious because, you know, it's in 2026, you know, relationships are different. There's a lot of people in your position out there who, you know, they got pregnant, not necessarily expecting to, not necessarily in a relationship or whatever, maybe it's new. It's a challenge. I'm curious. When you found out the mother of your son was pregnant and you're, you know, you're like, hey, I talked to your dad, you're gonna step up. Like, you know, that's a challenge a lot of people in this world phase in terms of like, all right, you know, we're not together. I didn't plan for this, but like, now we have a kid together and you being a public figure, like how did you try to approach that early on to try to like coexist with her in order to like raise your son knowing that like, you guys had to kind of put things aside to like focus on your child. Like, what was that like? It's hard. I mean, even now, it's a really hard thing to do. And we have our good days and we have our bad days. And we're learning along the way. We're both new parents. We're both figuring it out on how to give him the best life. But I think what I am grateful for and I'll never say anything bad in this aspect of our, our baby's mother is she is a great mom. And for having her as a great mom, that gives me like a respect towards her that I approach when I am when we are having disagreements or whatever. It's like, okay, well, your great mom, I'm a great dad. We're doing this for him. Every time we come at like a dead end, we just restart and try and figure it out for the sake of him. Everything's for him. So like, we have to figure this out. He can't grow up without a dad. He can't. I refuse to let that happen. Because I know what that's like. I know it's like to have a summer more absent father and it's and it's especially for a boy. Well, I can't say it's for boy because I am a boy, so I can't speak on a girl. But for me, that has an effect. So I can't let my son have that same effect. No matter the circumstance, I want him to be whenever he says daddy phone me, whenever he wants to see his dad, he can see me like that's how we always have it. So I definitely relate to that. You know, I had a dad who wasn't around much when I was a kid. And then I kind of grew to a point where I was like, okay, I'm just going to accept him for the man that he is. Maybe he doesn't have like the father gene in him. But I'm just going to not expect that out of him anymore. And we ended up having a great relationship. How did you kind of mend that fence with your dad? It's see, when I was a kid, it was it's difficult. But now I'm growing up and I know what happens kind of, you know, I don't hold no resentment. But like, you know, my dad was there. There's a period of time where I didn't see him too tough. And growing up, I think when I hit like 16, 17, my dad's quite a tough person. But he's also very emotional too. And I only found this out when I was 16, 17. And I sat down and got the confidence to like talk to him. Just talk to him. Just start talking. And gradually as we started talking, I started hearing his point of views. I started seeing from his part of life and this and that. And once I started doing that, we just built our relationship off there. Because I can understand him now. I can understand him. Like, did he do some things wrong? Of course he did. But like, he ain't meant to be, he ain't meant to be all the way perfect. Same as my mom. Like, I can't hold no resentment to any of them. I mean, that's, I mean, that's great, man. Because a lot of people aren't like that, right? There's a lot of people out there who, who hold on resentment to their parents because, you know, all parents fuck up. They make mistakes. And I think nowadays, I don't know, the way like, I don't know, like, I'm big on therapy. But like, sometimes people go into therapy and just learn about their childhood traumas and learn about all the things their parents did wrong and then build this kind of resentment from it. Like, how are you able to, to do that? Because it's not easy to do, right? Because like, a lot of times it's easy to like, not land on your feet. Feel like things aren't going the way that you want them to and, you know, kind of hold that grudge against your parents who maybe failed you at times. Yeah. I mean, listen, I'm not perfect. I'm not perfect in the slightest. But I definitely, I definitely had a moment in my life where I sat back and when would I rather see my dad as much as possible and forget about all the bollocks in the past and build a future, or would I rather hold on to the past and ruin the future of my dad? I'm not going to do that. That is so stupid. Like, if we're having a good relationship now, anything that the feelings I had, I'm going to put to the side because the future is more important. The present and the future is more important than what happened in the past. The past happened. I can't change it. I can't do nothing about it. So my fault process is like, let me make a better future with our connection. There was an event that happened where it wasn't my fault. And some, and I can't get into it, but it wasn't my fault. And I had to be like, bite my ego and apologize for the, for the shit. I had to sit down and apologize when I didn't feel like apologizing. But like, I knew it would mend the situation. That's all I needed to do. And if I have to just bite my ego a little bit for the sake of a stronger relationship, I'm going to do that. I love that. It's hard to do. Who taught you that? Oh, life, I think. I'll be, I'll be, I've been through it. I've been through it. So I think you just learn that along the way, like, you're always trying to fight and bite and go against the grain and swim up the river, but sometimes let it just flow. Once you let it flow, shit, life is easier. You talk about, I mean, being through it, like, what was one of those moments where I guess you thought, like, this is the darkest. I don't see a way through. I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. And then you get to the other side and you're like, Oh, wow, I survived that. What was one of those moments? I can't live. I've had a couple. I've had a couple. I've had a couple. Yeah. I've had a couple. I mean, the worst, the worst thing that I can say today is when like, I found out my mom was really ill and like, we had conversations I just didn't want to have. So going through that was tough. Going through that is obviously tough because I'm a, I'm a mom's, I'm a mom'sy boy. So like here, here and certain stuff and seeing and physically seeing certain stuff is tough. And you think like, wow, this is the end of the world. Yeah. I was at the point of fucking, well, what is the point? But then when you get through it, it's like shit, I can get through down there anything. And I've had even, I've had things along the way that is just, you know, just as bad. But I'm always going to get through it no matter what I always get through it. That's another super power miners. You can't break me. It's impossible. It's impossible. I'll get through anything. Any storm that comes, I might even run into the storm. I like the storm now. When did you learn that about yourself? I say like 14, 15, 14, 15. That was a shift in my mind. So I think I saw a clip of some old like business guy or something and he was saying something like, he might beat me. You might do this, but you'll never break me. Similar to how you spoke and possible. Yeah. Resiliency is something like yourself. I've probably value about myself more than anything because that's one thing you can control outside of so many things that you can't, but knowing that you'll just like take your beating, you know, get clocked in the face a few times and get back up is it's late. I mean, quite honestly, when you know you have that ability, it does make you feel better about like all the things that you know, you know, you're going to come your way, but you just can't see it yet, you know, because you just know like, you know, obviously we're all old enough to realize that like life is shit sometimes, you know, and as lucky as we all are, you know, there's always like a storm around the corner and it's nice to know that you have that resiliency. I'm curious like when you found out your, your baby mama was pregnant, a lot of people in your position, I've had friends and family members in similar positions and oftentimes there's a pressure, you know, when you're not together to like try to be together, you know, for the sake of the kid, where there are any conversations, did you ever feel pressure like that? And when you first found out to try to make it, make it work in a, from a relationship standpoint, well, I didn't know her long, like we weren't even like dating Lincoln, it was like move like a casual there. So then when it came about, she's a lot older than me to and that we're in two different parts of life, two different parts of life. So for me, it was never that, was there pressure to like, now she never, I wouldn't say it, it was more like we need to be close and good. And maybe sometimes that, that area is like misunderstood. I mean, it really seems like the two of you try your best to make like, yeah, you know, it, it work for your son and I think at the end of the day, like that is what is most important. And even just the both of you acknowledging like, hey, let's have this conversation when he's not around or like, let's keep it good in front of him is just, I think, so important, especially for your son's development. And so the fact that you all are even conscious of that, I think is really great. If someone found themselves in a similar situation that you were two and a half years ago, what advice would you give that person, especially if it was a guy, you know, in terms of, you know, you know, you know, you know that, you know, you're expecting, you know, what would you have done differently or what advice would you have give to try to just again, make a very difficult situation as best as possible? Set boundaries, stick to them, set your boundaries on how this is going to go and step up to what you need to do. The baby comes first of everything, right? But within that, if you don't have boundaries, wear problems, every problem I've had is because I haven't set the boundary, I haven't stood on the ship. So like, my advice would be set a boundary, whatever that may be, stick to it, don't let nothing change it, but also make it for the value of being a good father. Was it difficult once you, you know, you knew you were expecting, being in the public eye, knowing that you weren't going to be in a relationship with her? Was it difficult to like feel like you're able to date or, you know, how did you handle your love life in the early stages of that period of time? I was always honest, I was always honest when anyone I was dating, I'd let them know. I'm expecting or I have the situation because believe or not, I'm a terrible liar anyway. So I might as well tell you the full truth because if I, as soon as I get caught out, you'll see it on my face. I've been caught out too many times in my life, that lying, that it just wasn't worth it. Well, I'm like, well, if I just told the truth, it would have been better than this because I just dragged something out. So I always tell the truth and this always worked, you know, in the best way possible because some people were like, Oh, okay, that's great. I'm here with you. I like you. We can build on all that. Oh, that's a lot going on, I'm going to go over here, it's like cool. Let's talk Huda. How did you guys meet? She DM me. She really? Okay. Yeah, when she came off the show like she DM me. Can you share the message? Just like not like read it, but like what was it? She saw a video of me reacting to online because I didn't watch love Island Okay, I never watched it. I was on live on tick someone's tiktok my friends tiktok and he was talking about love Island I was like, oh who's on it? I'm going through the girls and I was like, who's that? And I was it was Huda. I was like, yeah, she's fire. I didn't know it. That's like this is right at the start of love And then when she came off, she must have seen the clip and just sent me like, yeah, I'm surprised you haven't messaged me yet or some other Did when did you realize how popular and how big her audience was? Well, we got like we got snapped going on a date on our first date, and I didn't really think anything over it because I'm thinking I'm on On reality shows and stuff. She's just come off on that kind of makes sense. So I don't think too much of it It was only like After and some drama started happening. I was like damn This is this is a lot. This is a lot a lot It just kept being a lot you guys started dating pretty early after she got off love Island and we all know now that the love Island fan base is very intense and very dedicated to all the people on that show That's something that they need that they need to chill out me I hope they take your advice. I would I would tell you. Yeah, yeah, so do I but yeah, what was that? You know, it was it right off the jump like challenging because like people are very protective of the people they love on that show Just you know, you know, Hota's fan base is very protective of her just from an outsider's point of view And I didn't like follow your relationship all that closely, but it was so talked about that it was hard not to notice It felt like you were kind of under a microscope and and kind of under the attack early on for from people both friends and critics trying to like Guess your intentions about like what you were doing with Hota. What was that like for you on your end? So it's like the first time I ever really like felt pressure from the internet and for like For a second, I was a old shit. This is overwhelming. This is overwhelming and Then I was like Yeah, but Louis you don't care. Like you don't care what people think like you know who you is I couldn't care if people calling me a cow chaser. I couldn't care if people I'm saying I'm this and I'm not like I don't care I don't know these people anyway fuck them fuck them literally fuck them. I don't know So like when that stuff was happening at not even at first. It was like a week Well, I'm looking at all this negativity. I'm like oh shit. And then I'm like oh, I don't care like it's fake Oh The cancel shit and the negative is fake. It's fake. It's not real. I still got What I got next to me. I still got money in my pocket. My son's good. My mom's getting looked after It's what you're talking to me about is bullshit, and I don't want it. I don't care about it. Some of the people who had opinions Where's Liam McGell? Oh, yeah, yeah, if I let you see and weren't you like you were boys with McGell? Or you guys grew up together. Yeah, yeah, I mean boys of innocence also 18 and it's I did did people did the public know that she DMed you because I mean Again, I didn't follow that closely, but as someone who followed casually a relationship and saw all the critiques and criticism that came your way Just hearing that like yo, she DMed you. You didn't even watch the show. It's kind of like no, they didn't I don't know but there's If they knew this is the thing it goes with that sacred stuff Yeah, so McGell is my friend. Oh He was right. I still have love for that guy because he's a close friend of mine right he was if everyone knew what happened It would be different, but I know Not to talk on the internet because now we're getting random people involved But other people don't know that and they start getting random people involved but if I speak it changes the whole narrative Why don't I speak because I still regardless of what people think I don't think people should be involved in my business So they can go talk and having have all the opinions they want But like I know what's happening in this and what's happening and so do the people in this know what's happening Did you ever have a private conversation with McGell about all of that? Of course I did. Yeah, of course I did and if and if there was flies in the wall I heard it. This is the whole thing would be different, but I can't I can't speak on it or say nothing about it because that's done in the past and ain't need to be But I love I have love from McGell always McGell is actually someone that was A reason I changed as a person too like the time he came in my life the type of person he is He was a big help to me and and I learned a lot from that guy So I'm always gonna have love him regardless of how the situation went out and he'd probably say the same Can you speak more on that like what what did he help you out with so like I said I I got Not very great patients, right so like I used to get in lots of fights. I used to be I used to always get in fights and He kind of taught me the calmness he's a very calm Collected person. He's he's quite spiritual. He's he just taught me things I'd ever seen the world will be open to listening to so He taught me some good stuffs about my Good stuff about myself advice a different outlook on life So that's why I always have love for him because he was a big factor in my life at one point Well, I haven't you guys been able to men defenses to the point where you guys can you know say hey we're friends now factors factors Factors gotcha did you ever think did you ever think that this would happen to your friendship hell no hell no hell no hell no but like At the end of the day it is what it is, isn't it like you can't like you can't hold onto resentment for for satin or like we've had conversations he's apologized I've accepted I've apologized for whatever the fuck I did and you know if I ever saw him it would be nothing but cool shit, but It's certain events that happen that I just can't I just can't go back being friends, you know what I'm saying that makes sense I'm hearing I mean I love I love hearing your perspective on how you deal with the internet because truly It's the only way to survive in the space that you know we all find ourselves in that being said It's it's not common and we've obviously covered and filed love Island for a long time and I have a ton of empathy for obviously all those people who go on that show because like That show is so different always bad always bad. Yeah, it's you know to be famous overnight like you know when you did too hot to handle and when you did Perfect match like you filmed there's a down point you kind of get prepped, you know you kind of see it There's a little bit of gradual. Yeah, it's it's gradual. So I have a lot of empathy, but it also feels like The love Island who people go that show are so much at the mercy of of the discourse about them online and You know you obviously dated Huda I'm sure you met a lot of people and hung out with a lot of people on love Island Did you kind of see that first hand a group of people like kind of really struggle to be Their true is selves regardless of what the internet said and you feel like so many of them would their decisions were dictated by Fans comments and feedbacks and things like that. Yeah, it has to be though. Like it's unfortunate for a lot of people It has to be because they don't have like Yeah, you forget right these are random people These aren't talented. It's not talent. That's getting them there me too Me too some of them can be talented, but I'm saying the reason they got the profile Ain't from talent. So like that's just a random person that has just been in the limelight all of a sudden And then it's like well, this person's famous. They must know what to do and how to act. No, they just got here They literally just got here. So like they don't and They're having to react off like what fans are saying and critics are saying and good and the bad because that's the way you learn Yeah, that's the way you learn about this world. It's just they've been chucked into it In such a vast speed that is sometimes tough I've definitely seen like the way they handle it and how it gets to them and you know, it's intense. It's intense Yeah, it's actually crazy because when I think about like people like the biggest people in the world like the Taylor Swift's and the Drakes and stuff Are they gradually done this like over years and then maybe like one song went viral They've already got a hundred thousand people back in them anyway, so they know what the gradual is like and then over some this millions Well like this person is like straight millions straight Critics and straights. It's just crazy. It is crazy. Did you early on when you know dating Hooda? Obviously she was in the early stages of this newfound fame I imagine you guys had a lot of conversations and I imagine you you know Even though you weren't on love Island tried to help her through kind of navigating the pressures of the internet feedback What was that like there's tough poor girl so long. I say poor girl. I was there for for all of it And it was tough felt for a lot in terms of early stages of that relationship What was the thing about you two that made you the happiest or why why'd you guys work so well in the beginning of your relationship. 'Cause we didn't listen to outside noise, we didn't listen, we just turned our phones. But if we got too much, or like she might be getting in our head and stuff, I'll just put your phone down. You don't need a post, ain't making you money. So what we doing, put your phone down, just, let's just do something, we gotta do activities and stuff. We at the start, we was great at a great time and we dealt with it. Together and I feel like that's the way I love and do it, you know? You have someone that you'd help, to help with the situations. Where do you guys stand now, are you guys chill, are you cool, are you friends? Just don't talk, just don't have any contact. See, listen, obviously I have love for the girl, always will. With anyone that I've ever been with, that enters my life, like you're gonna have love for them. I'll just stand at a point where I wish nothing but her to succeed. I see her, I've seen her and how I know who she is and how she is, how hard she works and stuff. I just wanted to succeed and I will succeed over here and she can succeed over there. What was the biggest misconception about your guys' relationship when it existed? I didn't even pay attention to what people were saying at one point. Only shit was that they called me a cloud chaser, but. I think there was a little bit of a narrative of like maybe this was a PR relationship, you know, it kind of broke up and then she released her album and things like that, was I think of. Oh, I wish it was fake. I wish it was fake and PR bullshit. Yeah, actually run with that narrative, yeah, run with it, fuck it, yeah, that's exactly what it was. Well, what is your dating life like now? It is great, actually, it's great, great. Why is it so great? It's at a great point because like, I'm at a point in my life where like, I can just be honest and so like, just like I said, I can't lie no more. Like I just, I'm honest and truthful so like, what you see is what you get in. If any advice that is the best way to be, that's the best way to be. Just be honest, Australia. Do you feel like whether it's your relationship with Hoda or you being on reality TV, I was a bachelor a long time ago and before I met my wife, even that was just like, every date was just like, heavy to answer a bunch of weird questions about what people thought they knew about me or what they saw online or things like that. Do you deal with that a lot? How do you deal with that? I don't talk to girls that ask me question as well though. Okay. I once I hear a question about all that I've never seen you again, like, if, okay, if I'm talking to her for a while, different, but like, I've been going on dates and shit. Also, I don't, I don't do dates for this reason too because like, random people kind of scare me. But like on the first date, you're asking me about all this, what are we doing? Yeah. I don't want to, no, you don't need to ask me about that later on, you know, when I'm comfortable. Well, like, you know, I'm kind of dating now and it's, and it's good. It's great. Actually. Is it maybe anyone from the, uh, Sidemen outside show? Maybe someone you shot it out or something along those lines? Good to imagine. No, no, no, no, no, that's not what was that all about, but you're, where you just like trolling people? Yeah. I posted a tick talk about like, I said like, uh, that one, to that one outside of not one person in mind. Right? Perfect. If I'm honest, I just see comments, right, of the outside because I've got to keep up with the, with the shit. So I'm like, you know what, I'm gonna let him guess because people were saying Danny, Casey, someone said Lacey, then they said Matt, I'm like, you know what, I'm gonna keep on running with it. I'm gonna keep the fuck up. Okay. So you're not dating anyone? No. No. If someone, like I deemed my husband on Instagram, I was in nobody. He was a somebody is there a world in which you're like checking DMs, you're dating just normal regular people who maybe aren't fans of the shows that you've been on or care about your previous relationships. No, I'd rather that, to be honest, I want like low key, don't have that, don't watch shows. Don't ask me questions. They don't look at a TV. They don't own a TV. I like hippies. I want a hippie. I like hippies. Nature, food, spiritual, campfire, campfire type, type B, but I'm not even spiritual like that too much, but like I feel like the women that are spiritual are like quite green flags. What would it take for you to be open to dating another influencer or reality TV personality? Fuck. They would have to be signed for me to do that, they'd have to be like special or short, they'd have to, yeah, it'd have to be signed because fuck, yeah. Was it easier when you were dating Hoto? Because obviously she's a mother, mommy, infamous, your mom, comment, but like was it easier early in the stages of your relationship knowing that she was a mom as well and you were expecting father, like was it that make it, you know, being in that relationship, knowing that she could relate to that experience or did that not help at all? I wouldn't say I made it easier because it was still a lot going on, but I guess it was a factor. Do you want more kids? Yeah. Hell yeah. I want like 10. You too. I'd love being a dad, bro. Probably being a dad is the best thing ever. I want this, this is me. Okay. 100 M's in the bank. No. Fuck that. A billion pound in the bank. Yeah. Fuck that. Elon must type B, right? I buy an island. I buy an island. No one can come. 10 kids. Don't know how many wives. One. Perfect. I like I'm open to more. Obviously. Thoughts. Hey. It's 2026. We live on an island and it's great. And that you do you leave the island much or you kind of just leave it? Yeah. Well, anyone can leave whenever they want. Okay. No one can come to my island. Yeah. Yeah. That's beautiful. Yeah. Do you want. Daughters. Or do you feel like you're just such a good boy dad, you're like, let me just, I'll just have 10 boys. Oh, I feel, I feel like that's another change that I'm not ready for. Okay. Yeah. So we can hit that. Yeah. Do you want. Daughters. Or do you feel like you're just such a good boy dad? I feel like it's another change that I'm not ready for if I could do it. I feel like that's just because like because like a boy and a girl completely different. It's a completely different ballgame. You can have a little bit of tone with a boy and I feel like I've seen because I've seen my early days. I see my dad. My dad was like the undertaker when he stepped in the room. He had a presence about him like if you're up to no good, like whatever I was doing. If I heard Louis Karen and I was holding, I would sit down on the floor. I swear to you, I'll be anywhere in the house. If my dad said Louis Karen, I'd sit down because I don't know if you can see me hear me smell me. I don't know what I've done something wrong and I know I have because he just said my full name, right? That's the presence he said when my sister came about, I was like, who is this bloke? Who is this man? Because the way I was getting treated, it's not the same over here. So I don't know if I'm ready for that just yet. But I would love to have a door. How much younger is your sister than you? Six years. Who is she? She's 19. I don't know what it's like to have a son, but having a daughter, I've said this a few times when I have a friend who before he had a son had daughters. And I was like, "Yo, are you excited to be a dad?" And he was like, "I was kind of terrified." And like you, I was like, before I became a father, I always kind of imagined having a son someday. And I talked about just like, daughters are so much easier because of dad, you're just like, you just love them, right? You just like, they're just kind of these gentle, beautiful creatures. And like with a son, I think as a guy, there's this kind of pressure, right, to teach him what you didn't get taught or don't make the mistakes that you mistake and kind of project down to them, right? But like you are a little harder on them. But with daughters, it was just like, I just got one job and that's just to make them feel fucking. Make them feel good, yeah. You feel good, you know? So I feel like you would really enjoy it, man. It would soften you up. Yeah, yeah. I'm going to just tell you a quick story about me and my sister, yeah. Okay. I used to have to take my sister everywhere. When I'm 12, she's six, so when I'm 16, she's 10, okay? That is a massive age gap at that age, right? I'm linking girls while having my little sister, I swear to you, right? But anyway, we had two bikes at my dad's, we had a little pony fairy bike and a normal bike, right? One day my sister's like, I want to ride the big bike. I'm like, no, you've got a fairy bike, that's your bike. My dad hears it. This guy makes me ride the fairy bike for my sister because she's begging, she's like, just let her ride it. I'm like, no, I'm not getting on a fairy bike. Once I went round the corner, I got off it and she got on the fairy bike. Right. But just the diff, the fact that his whole demeanor with her was like, no, she's the princess, she can get whatever she wants, where we never got that treatment. - Mm-hmm. - Do you feel like now that you look back though? Like, you know, you talked about resiliency early on. Do you feel like your dad being a little harder on you and like, you know, it sounds like maybe he challenged you in different ways? Do you feel like that kind of led to being who you are, this resilient person, who kind of mysteries. - Oh, one day, for sure, for sure. My dad was like, he's a make or break person. Like, the way my dad was, it really even makes you, or you cry, or you cry and be a little bitch about it, because he'll be like, he'll tell you, ain't good enough. You need to do this, and if you ain't doing it, you might as well give up. If you want to talk about giving up, then you shouldn't have done it in the first place. Like, he's very like, if you're gonna do something, do it. And I feel like, like, I would fail. And he'd be like, no, you can do it. Come on, let's keep going. And some other people might be like, I just don't want to do this or be upset about it. Like, him saying something. But I was like, no, I felt like, I'm gonna do it, and be better than you. I got to an age where I was like, I'm better than you. Where you was playing football and boxing, and all this stuff and stuff. - Do you feel like you're kind of coming into like a new chapter of your life, because I feel like, maybe the past couple of years, it's whether it was just public or whatever, but just a lot of drama or a lot of things that, it's like we heard a lot about you, but we didn't hear about who you were. You know what I'm saying? It was like, it was all these rumors about you, it was a dad, or you as a boyfriend, or whatever. And do you feel like now it's like a fresh start where people can actually get a chance to know the real Louie and who he is as a person? - I mean, yeah, I'm excited. I'm excited for this. Well, what you describe a fresh start on people getting to know me, but I'm also not someone who's not gonna force, like, yeah, this is me, except me, this is me. Like, I'm a very natural person. So like, the shit you were seeing, that is what I was going through in my life. So all that stuff, like whatever, I'm not gonna come out and try and defend myself and try and prove a point to people. Like, you're just gonna see me for who I is and how I is, like, into my next transitions in life. And that's just, I'm excited for it to be fair, 'cause I've got a lot going on. - And what do you have going on? - Boxing, music, shows, my brand. - I just saw a clip where you just absolutely annihilated someone in a recent boxing match. - Like, second round, wasn't it? - Yeah, second round, 30 seconds in. - How much you trained for that shit? - Nah, yeah, training. Yo, the fight was easy. The fight was easy. I could have been in there. I wanted to be in there longer. Six to eight rounds. The training aspect is brutal. - Really? - That ain't, that ain't, it is not a joke. When that training, I'm sparring with, like, high armatures, pros, training with pros, training like a pro, doing body coming home, just like this, just can't move. Is that something where, like, was that just like a one-off, like, fun kind of promotional thing? Or, like, you know, I mean, Logan Paul, you know, the Logan Paul, whatever, Jake Paul, like, you know, they used to be YouTube guys. Now they're legit boxers. The biggest draw in sports, you know, regardless of what you think of his boxing abilities. Is that the path that you're looking to take or you wanna really lean into that? - Yeah, it's one of them. I mean, I need, like, discipline in my life. And a sport really gives me discipline. Like, I used to play football back in the day. America don't have good, they ain't good at football. So now, a box. And now I like that. So now I'm gonna do that. And I'm gonna absolutely destroy anyone that comes in front of me in that ring. I wanna fight Joey Essex next. That's who I want, but I don't think he'll fight me. - Why not? - 'Cause he's a pussy. Oh, man. You just clip it. Send it to him. - Who else is on your list? - Anyone who wants it. Absolutely anyone. Anyone, anyone. - Did KSI give you any tips for boxing? - No. Don't know if I want him to be honest. - Why is that? - Not because, wait, that sounded quite crazy. Not because he's terrible, but because his technique, I ain't doing all this. Like, he moves a lot. I'm more of like a, I'm trying to figure you out. He's like. - You see me coming. - Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum. - Yeah, like it's mad because in boxing, you've got different types of fighters. Like with different techniques and stuff. And like someone who's really good might struggle against someone who's not as good because of the way they box, just because of their technique. Like KSI is a really unorthodox fighter. Like he's, he'll be hard to go against because of the way he fights. Like he's, you don't know what the fuck's coming. He might like, like not be like, so like a Jake Paul, who's like technically better. But I think technical abilities better. Like KSI's more awkward. So it'd be a really hard fight, you know? - Is there any reality TV star or like internet celebrity that you-- - I don't know enough, I don't know enough of 'em, but any of 'em we want it. And literally anyone, literally anyone. Like anyone. I'll take 'em all one by one. - What's your walkout song? - Purpose by part of people. And then I've got a couple. I want to do MJ. But like a big one, I'm doing MJ and I'm coming out with a whole lot dancing shit. - Okay, can you dance, you good? - I'm so good. - I'm so good. - I'm like top three dancers in the world. - Oh, perfect. - Are you gonna do Dancing With the Stars? - Yes, what is it though? I'll do it. - It's on ABC Disney. They cast a bunch of stars, actors, a lot of reality TV stars, internet personalities, and they ballroom dance with Dancing Pros. - And it's a competition. - Yeah, you say ballroom. - Yeah, which is different than like being a hoot at a wedding. - Yeah, fuck. I don't know about ballroom, that's a bit techy. That's like-- - It's very techy. - It's really techy. - Yeah. - But it would be a chance like, you know, see a new you, man, like a different, you know. - Fuck it, I'll do it, I'll do it. I believe and like, do everything, I'll do everything. In this life you get one, do it, do everything. Everything that you can of your ability, no matter what people say, do it. - Netflix recently had Let's Marry Harry. I don't know if you were familiar with that show, which was kind of like a rip off of The Bachelor. If Netflix came called you and said, I wanna do a show called Let's Marry, Louis. - Harry Who? - Harry Josie. - Oh, he done what? Let's marry Harry. - Yeah, I was a show. - I don't wanna marry, I would not go on that. I wanna marry Harry. - No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. - Yeah. - Let's marry Louis. - Yeah. - And I have 30 men. - Oh, so they cast 30 women. You know, you're type, you know, cross the board. You live with them with a chance to maybe fall in love with one of them. Would you wanna do something like that? - He would say no to that, I don't get it. (snorts) I know, I don't get the question. - The question. (laughs) - Do you wanna live with 30 women? - Or would you say no to them? - Yeah, I do. - Yeah, I'd probably do it, yeah. - What would you say no to? - Oh, okay, now we're going like. - Are you done with dating reality shows? - Yeah, oh, fuck yeah. Oh my God, unless I get a bag for it, unless I get a big bag, they'd have to pay me more than what they've been paid for reality show, yeah, for dating. They'd have to pay me the most. I'm not doing that again. - Okay, what was the assignment outside experience like? - Honestly, it was like the funnest thing I've ever done, it was only like a week. I didn't sleep outside once as well. I slept inside every day. And like, it was so fun, but it was so challenging because when I got in there, everyone knew each other somehow. Chip, Hinds, Lacy, all knew each other but then Lacy, New, Yo-no. So that went in that group and then KC, New Chip, somehow because of a dad's podcast or something. And then Moyo knew the side men who'd been around Danny, who knew each other. They all knew each other and I came in there like, I know no one. So I was off the back of like, oh shit, I'm really on my own. So I got to try and play this game to stay in. So I sort of became like a villain, but I loved it. No, I'd probably do it even worse if I'd done it again. - Did you bond with any of the other members? - Me and Matt, me and Matt, me and Matt are really good friends. I'm Lion, I hate Matt, fuck you, Matt. (laughing) - And he can get it next. - Yeah, he can get it next. Matt's a great human being actually. All jokes is like, Matt is a great human being and we actually got on weirdly. We got on, we spoke quite a lot, but I'm, I mean, when you go on these shows, you're cool with everyone, but I won't say like, I made a bond with someone on the show. I mean, I know Chloe. - Okay. - What are your dating red flags? (laughing) - They go over 100 K followers, that's probably red flag. - If you have over 100 K followers, red flag? - Yeah, I mean, a red flag might be like, if they don't have a childhood teddy in their bed, that's probably a red flag. 'Cause like, where's your safety net? It's not there. - Okay. - Okay. - I feel like if she keeps mentioning her ex, which I was on the date with the other day and she kept doing that. And I was like, - You wanna call her? - Should we chat to him? Let's get him on FaceTime. - Should we invite him to come here? - Like, what are we doing? Also, if they got long pointy nails, oh my God, stay away from me. Stay away from me. - How long are we talking here? - Like long enough, bro. Like, just the point, the point, shits, the point, shit. I like, I like the little squares. - You like me, yeah, okay. They're the little 1.5 blue sky French tanks. - You got some, you had some back injuries from those points before you. Like, where's the trauma come from? Like, are they digging into the back here? - Yeah, tight, a literally, literally. - Literally. - Really? - Literally. - No, yeah, every go I've messed with, I've had the sort of give, you know? - Okay, so cut the nails if you're going on a date with Louis. - Cut the nails, don't mention X, need a teddy. - Lose the followers. - Yeah, please, fuck. - Okay, any green flags? - How's a teddy in the red? - How's a teddy in the red next to you? - Yeah, tight. (laughing) - Yeah, perfect. - No, what is my main green flag? I feel like, if I've been on dates or linked girls, and like, if they try and help me, just little things, like just little things, like I might get out of bed, right? And I'm just going to make food for us, and I come back in the beds made. Like if I don't know you that well, and it's only like off a couple times linking, and you've done that, that's like a really good sign, 'cause like, I'm going to make food, you're not just lasing around, you're like making sure it's clean when I get back, but you don't have to do that, 'cause we know how that stage it, like little things like that, you know? - Oh, that's good, that's a good one. I used to do that for Nick. Did you ever know this? - And she stopped. (laughing) - Well, now we're married, now three kids. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - We do other things. - No, I know my wife just did. I actually meant a lot. I started playing video games recently again, just 'cause I need some, I need a hobby, you know? I got daughters, and I think in general, it just gives my wife the egg, 'cause it is pretty fucking nerdy. - The video games. - Maddening. - Yeah, what do you play? What do you play? - Football, American football. - Oh, that's dead. - Yeah. - That is so dead. - 'Cause I don't know how to play, I don't know how to play. - So it'd be like, yeah, let's say I was playing FIFA soccer, football. And she got me a headset, so I could talk to my friends, even though I, it looks like-- - It hurt me to find. - It hurt me to find. - What? - You guys say, even though you have no friends. - No, no, no, no, like I can't. - He has a whole league. - I'm in a whole league, and I talked to that like 20 years. - Yeah, and like, they, all the guys, I talked to you wanting me to get a headset, and I was like, I can't, if I order a headset, my wife's gonna like look at me differently, and it's gonna like, it's not gonna be good. And she heard me say that, and she bought me a headset. - It was just, it was just like a gesture, right? Like it was, and honestly, it felt like it was a really, 'cause knowing how she overall feels about me playing, not great, but she was supporting me, and it was like, honestly, it meant a lot, it was great. - Green flag, green flag. - I did it with my eyes shut, I was like, I'm gonna purchase. - Would you, I'm curious, like, 'cause dating with a kid, it's a thing, a lot of people have mixed feelings, even people, even single parents with kids, sometimes, will be like, I don't know if I'm willing to date someone who also has kids, even if that feels hypocritical. Are you still open to dating someone with a kid, or is that your recent experience kind of change your perspective? - Oh, no, no, no, no. My recent experience made it so, like, it's so good, but I'll date someone with a kid. - Okay. - Also, we're in a generation. We're in it, we're definitely in a generation, so you have to be reminded of this point, shit. How are you on, like, introducing your son to someone you're dating? Like, what boundaries or ideas or rules have you come up with when the event, when you inevitably meet someone and get closer with them? Like, how are you gonna juggle that decision to gonna bring someone into your kid's life? - Well, to meet my kid, that is like something I ain't got to yet. And his mom is, what's the right word without being disrespectful? - Allowing. (laughing) - Protective. - Protective. - But, like, also me too. Like, I don't want just anyone me and my kid to be on this, but, like, I think, like, a year of date, like, mumps, yeah, eight to a year of dating someone I feel like, you can maybe introduce them, but also in her defense, my kids are bubble, like, he's a baby. She ain't no one need to meet my kid, you can't. I feel like, the reason why is that even for her, like, I'm strict on that a little bit. Like, I want her, I definitely want her to be. Please, if you're watching this, go date, please. But, like, for meeting my kid, until we can verbally tell me things, until we can come back and be, like, daddy, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, yeah. That's when it's like acceptable for someone to meet my kid, 'cause then he can tell us. - Yeah. I think that's so important, 'cause we just put our two and a half year old in preschool, and I was like, my sister was telling me we could do it at two, and it was all this stuff, and I was like, I really want her to be able, to, like, you said, be able to come home from school and tell me, like, her teacher said this, this kid did this, like, I don't want to just not know what's going on. - Yeah, it's important. - It is very important. - It's a, I can only imagine that challenge of trying to, like, you know, be happy for the mother of your child, but knowing that, like, them meeting someone inevitably means that they're gonna have a potential relationship with your kid, and the challenge is, and that's, like, it's very difficult, and it feels like, yeah, you have to make decisions outside of yourself, right? Like, it's such a challenge. I guess it's tough. First of all, I wouldn't want, nor will it ever be a case where I have another man raising my kid, nor is it, like, you don't want your kid to even be around another man, but at the end of the day, like, I don't want to be with his mom. So I'm not gonna make it hard or stop her from being with someone for that sake, but it has to be an understanding, again, a boundary set being okay. You need to be someone we trust, you especially, but I need to, before he even meets my kid, he got to speak to me, so I can read him, and I'm, and my kid being able to talk to let us know what's going on, you know? Just safety reasons. - Those are good. - No, those are, yeah, that's good advice, actually. - What are you most excited about in terms of what you have coming down the pipeline, or what's next for you? - Boxing definitely, just 'cause they're hard, loving, working, like, in a short time goal, boxing. In my long term, I'm excited for music, 'cause I've got EP, well, like, a couple songs that I'm ready to drop in, I'm excited for people to actually hear them and hear the full things. - What kind of music is it like? - Got some, like, Afro beats, like, reggaeton, hip hop. It's like, it's like, just, Jolly. - Did you ever make music together? - Yeah, yeah. - Will anyone ever hear that music? - Hell no. - Okay. - Hell no. - For you guys, more competitive or more supportive when it came to your, you know, professional ventures? - Uh, supportive, supportive. I mean, there's like, there's like, nah, they're not competition, I've got, there's just straight support at the end of the day. - Good. - I love that. And then your street rib brand, tell us about that. - Oh yeah, I'm getting actually right, as we token, I've got suppliers sorting me out tracksuits 'cause I've been waiting for that. There's just ain't been time for me to, like, work on that 'cause all the bullshit and all those shit, whatever. But now I can finally, like, settle down a bit, go everything straight. And now I can reinvest the money we made, put it into, like, street west, off, like, joggers and tracksuits. - Are you gonna make toddler sizes? - See, do you know what? I was thinking that, actually, I was thinking that, I feel like, I'm massive, so, like, with my kid, I'm massive on, like, what he eats, what he wears, how much TV he consumes. Like, me and his mama, like, on that. I'm thinking of, like, making within my brand, like, stuff that's good for their skin, 'cause, you know, all the stuff we put on our, our skin has got some type of microplastics or polyester, and all that shit. - Our skins are largest organ, man. - Yep, biggest absorber, too. So, like, make that, like, for all ages. That'd be quite dope. - You should. - I'm gonna speak to my, I'm gonna speak to my designer about that. - Also, like, there's just a lot of money to be made in baby clothes, bro. - Like, I believe it, yeah. - She's, like, she's, like, she's saying yes to the dress. Like, whatever it is, she just buys it. - Yeah, oh, on, yeah. - Like, do we really need that? - Because they're so cute. - She's like, it doesn't matter. - And now we have three, like, they all have to match. It's the whole thing, you know. - Do you be matching, you said you got twins, right? - Yes. - I guess they're matching. - Yes, they're matching. - Whenever we can, whenever we can. Okay. To wrap things up, Louis, and I appreciate you taking the time, it's been fun getting to know you. As someone I know who doesn't spend a lot of time and energy worrying about what the internet thinks to them, nevertheless, if you had to say, how do you want people to view you online in terms of the person you are versus the person they sometimes think you are? I would say that I'm hardworking and caring. The reason I am hardworking is because I got a lot to care for. I've got my mom, I've got my son. I got a lot of weight on my shoulders of expectations with my family. I have a lot of big plans and ideas what I want to do in the future. So I feel like everything I do is for a bigger picture rather than myself. So I'd say, like, I'm a caring, hardworking person, as well, I would say. I think it honestly that shows through this interview. I mean, I feel we've been talking about it. an hour and a half and I feel like I've gotten to know you and I like the the person that I thought you were is like I don't even remember what I thought because this has come through so genuinely and you truly seem like you're such a good dad and you're such a good son and you're such a good friend and like loyalty means so much to you and I think that's really shown through just in this interview and I really I mean I really appreciate this conversation it's been it's been really great. I'm going to appreciate you guys. It's ironic because you're and I kind of relate to this but like like you I try to stay out of the drama I you know I'm pretty good at like not listening to the noise but being in the space it's just sometimes I don't know if it finds me or whatever and kind of to Natalie's point I feel like a lot of people who see you online just see you wrapped up in drama and obviously that's just kind of the space that we signed up for but you see anything but like someone who leans into the drama obviously like you know throughout this interview we asked a lot of questions you could tell you're very careful out of respect for the people in your life and I'm sure you probably could have been a lot more dramatic so to speak if you wanted to but you definitely did not choose violence so to speak. No and I never choose violence ever ever ever violence is not the answer I have on my arm this table right here it says darkness cannot drive out darkness only like can do that and hate cannot drive out hate only love can do that I do not believe in getbacks or trying to make someone look bad or I'm just not never been that type of person never been that type of person. We appreciate that. You seem like a good person to have in in someone's corner too right too right I am especially as a friend I'm the most loyal all my friends old friends new friends they'll tell you. That's a good quality to have. Well the way we appreciate taking the time man and it's been fun getting to know you a little bit better than we have before. I appreciate you for having me in it. Yeah it's great to have you on man wishing you the best of luck with everything all your ventures the boxing that's actually pretty fun to watch and yeah we want to come to a match. Let us keep us posted. Yeah I mean if I've got one in in America nearby because I think the next one is going to be in London or Manchester so that's a bit of fun but you guys can definitely come it's fun. Do you but are you used to restream in them all? Yeah yeah yeah there will be on on the zone miss fits and all right man we'll appreciate you best luck with everything. Appreciate. Malua. Appreciate. Thank you.