Big Brother’s latest season has already introduced us to some wild new housemates, but one name that’s caught major attention is Elsa Rae. The 21-year-old TikToker may be new to the house, but her relationship with the controversial influencer Ed Matthews is just as dramatic as the show itself.
Credit: Instagram/@edmatthewss
Elsa Rae isn’t new to internet fame. Before stepping into the Big Brother spotlight, she had already built an audience of more than 125,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok, with over 2.7 million likes on her videos.
Much of that following came from her relationship with Ed Matthews, who became well-known through his chaotic TikTok livestreams with Harrison Sullivan, better known online as HSTikkyTokky. Together, the pair attracted a lot of criticism for spreading misogynistic views.
Arguing against the suggestion that he is a misogynist, Ed told Danny Dyer in 2023: “I might have said a couple of misogynistic things, so what. But you’d never hear the girls saying things about misandry [prejudice against men], no one has ever heard about misandry.”
Asked to clarify what that meant, he said: “Women being a**holes to men, hating on men, you never hear about it”.
Credit: Instagram/@hstikkytokky
Elsa was just 15 when she began dating Ed, then 18. Their four-year on-and-off-again relationship was often spilling into the public eye through heated social media posts, as their arguments happened on livestreams. People came to see their bond as toxic rather than relationship goals.
@celeb.mashups Definitely could have approached it better but hes right #edmatthewstokky #edmatthews #edtiktoklive #elsa ♬ original sound – Alex
In July the couple’s split became public when Ed posted a video saying: “If you don’t think you’re gonna marry that girl, there’s no point wasting years.” He openly admitted he didn’t see Elsa as someone he would marry.
The split with Elsa took a more brutal turn when Ed admitted to cheating. In a video filmed after seeing Elsa on Big Brother chatting with 22-year-old housemate Marcus, he told followers: “I found out a few months ago boys, all I heard was, ‘I’m going on Big Brother’”
“I was like, ‘I don’t want you to do that’ and she was like ‘I need to focus on my career’ and I was like, ‘You know what, fair enough’ and that’s when I cheated. I was like, ‘I’m going to get sucky now. You’re telling me not to cheat and I’m going to go f**ing cheat’.”
@edmattycuh @Ed Matthews #edmatthews #elsarae ♬ original sound – Edmatthews
Beyond social media, Ed’s influencer boxing career has been filled with suspensions for banned substances, fines from regulators, and violent backstage feuds. From bringing a sex toy to a press conference to teasing illegal Backyard MMA fights, he has consistently caused chaos.
Big Brother is a fresh start and a chance for Elsa Rae to make a name for herself away from the toxic shadow of her relationship with Ed Matthews.
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Featured image credit: Instagram/@elsarae.x, @edmatthewss
