Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Technology
Seren Morris

Twitter blue ticks: Celebs react to losing their checkmark, from Charli XCX to Rylan Clark

Celebrities have reacted to losing their blue ticks on Twitter, as CEO Elon Musk stripped notable accounts of their verified badges.

The change came into force on April 20. Now, the only way to get a blue tick on Twitter is to sign up for the Twitter Blue subscription service.

Some of Twitter’s most followed accounts, including Cristiana Ronaldo, Justin Bieber, and Lady Gaga, have lost their official status.

However, some celebrities are making the most of the moment to joke about no longer being Twitter verified.

Stories are also circulating of Musk ‘personally paying’ for celebrities to keep their blue tick.

Radio presenter Greg James joked: “I lost my blue tick but your rocket blew up so who’s the real loser.”

Actor Elijah Wood said: “So long, verified status.”

Actress Rachel Sennott announced: “Unverified….I’m so indie.”

Singer St Vincent said: “I kid. I’m not genuinely worried about the blue check mark. You’ll know it’s really me by the sporadic timing and general confusion with which I engage. [Love] to all.”

Food critic Jay Rayner wittily commented: “And lo, after 14 years on Twitter I’ve gone through digital puberty and shed my tick. I may however still be me. Not sure. It’s been a bit of a week.”

Singer Charli XCX said: “Officially no longer an officially verified artist. I love being unofficial and unverified. It’s very moi.”

While actress Natalie Cassidy was more earthy: “What’s all this shite about a blue tick? I could not care less if I’m honest.”

Presenter Rylan Clark amused his fans with a simple: “Bye bye blue tick” shared with a photo of actor Shia LaBeouf with a bag on his head that reads “I am not famous anymore”.

Actress Halle Berry added a meme of herself looking happy with the words: “Me joining you all tomorrow unverified.”

Meanwhile, author Stephen King, who still has a blue tick, tweeted: “My  Twitter  account  says  I’ve  subscribed  to  Twitter  Blue.  I  haven’t. My  Twitter  account  says  I’ve  given  a  phone  number.  I  haven’t.”

Musk has confirmed that he is “paying” for some celebrities’ blue ticks himself.

Musk revealed that he was paying for King, actor William Shatner, and basketball player LeBron James.

King, Shatner, and James have all criticised Musk’s Twitter Blue subscription service, and all said they would refuse to pay.

In October, King tweeted: “$20 a month to keep my blue check? F*** that, they should pay me. If that gets instituted, I’m gone like Enron.”

And in March, Shatner said: “Hey @elonmusk what’s this about blue checks going away unless we pay Twitter? I’ve been here for 15 years giving my [time] and witty thoughts all for bupkis.

“Now you’re telling me that I have to pay for something you gave me for free? What is this-the Colombia Records and Tape Club?

But on Thursday (April 20), Shatner tweeted to Musk: “Thank you, I accept.”

While most celebrities seem to have lost their verified badges, some of the platform’s most-followed accounts still have their blue ticks, including former US president Barack Obama, and singers Taylor Swift and Rihanna.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.