A former carer who previously couldn't afford to drive to work quit their job to become a stripper and began earning money on OnlyFans.
James Cowe, 35, from Manchester, left his £14k a year healthcare job two years ago and began earning cash on the adult content site. He claims to have earned £160k since and has been able to buy a luxury convertible, a home, and take his parents abroad.
Previously, James worked in dementia care as an assistant for six years before making the big career change in March 2021.
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"The thought of stripping for money was scary but it's changed my life dramatically," he said. "Working in health care is demanding and exhausting for very little pay. It can be very rewarding but it's financially unviable.
"I felt I had no choice but to leave because the pay was so bad."
He added: "It's amazing! I was shocked at how much money I made so quickly. Without it I wouldn't have all the independence and opportunities I do now.
"It's taken me out of a situation I felt was so dead-end. Now I've paid off over £30,000 of accumulated debt I thought I'd never get rid of.
"My healthcare wages were spent within hours on bills or rent. I used to run out of petrol money on the way to or from work and I had no hope of buying a flat before."
James has since bought a posh Mercedes-Benz, flown to Barbados and dropped a deposit on a home. he said he loves being able to have the freedom to decide when, where, and how he works.
Despite the big change in his life, he says he hasn't forgotten his former colleagues. He recently stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the picket line at Poole Hospital near his hometown of Bournemouth, Dorset.
"It's shocking," he said. "They've been talking about it for ages, but still haven't done enough to make health care a financially viable career."
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