Controversy seems to be following beauty YouTuber James Charles everywhere.
Last Friday, Variety reported that James was axed as the host of Youtube Originals’ competition reality show Instant Influencer. Garnering over 53 million views in its first month and winning the 2020 Streamy Award for Show of The Year, season 1’s success was largely attributed to the beauty guru’s role as the show’s host, director, and executive producer. After competing in a series of challenges to be crowned the first “Instant Influencer,” the show promises stardom for one up-and-coming beauty creator.
In June 2020, YouTube announced that James would be returning as the host of season 2. This has left us all wondering, what changed? A YouTube spokesperson recently revealed to Variety that the upcoming season “will take a new creative direction, including a new host. “We thank James for a great first season, and look forward to building on the show’s success by expanding the opportunity to showcase a diversity of creators across the YouTube platform in our upcoming season,” the YouTube representative said in their statement.
Only a month ago was James accused of sexting a 16-year-old fan via Snapchat, called, Isaiyah. The accuser posted a two-part TikTok series alleging the beauty guru was “grooming” him. He claimed that the 21-year-old added him on Snapchat, sent unsolicited nude pictures, and encouraged him to send explicit Snaps in return. Isaiyah alleges he made it clear to James that he was 16-years-old, however, James continued to ask for nude photos and attempted to FaceTime him.
James responded by releasing a statement on Twitter denying the allegations, “The accusation that I have groomed this person is completely false.”
— James Charles (@jamescharles) February 26, 2021
He says he added Isaiyah on Snapchat after finding him on his Instagram explore page, after seeing he was a fan. James claims he woke up to several Snaps from Isaiyah and immediately asked his age, to which Isaiyah responded that he was 18-years-old. “Later in the day, he said a few things that made me question the validity of his original age answer and when I asked him to confirm his age once again, he admitted he was 16,” James writes. After learning his age, James says he apologised to Isaiyah and unfriended him, and they have not spoken since.
Though we don’t have confirmation from YouTube that this scandal has influenced their decision to cut him from Instant Influencer, it’s time for James to say Bye Sister!
YouTube has not announced James’ replacement as host at the time of publication.