Strictly Come Dancing star Joe Sugg has claimed that his elderly grandmother was “manipulated” by the press for details about his personal life during his time on the show.
The YouTube star, who reached Saturday night’s final with partner Dianne Buswell, said he was “upset” at “journalists pretending to be neighbours” and knocking on the door of his 95-year-old nana Phyllis to try and get information.
On his vlog channel, Sugg chatted to fans from his cosy holiday in the New Forest as he addressed “something that had upset him”.
He said: “Some journalists are pretending to be neighbours or just general people in the local area going to my 95-year-old nan's house, knocking on her door, trying to get any information they can about me and people in my life.
“It is quite annoying and finding out about that has upset me a little bit. I understand that they have to do their job, but to hear that news especially after being followed by a paparazzi basically all the way here...”
The 27-year-old, who has appeared to confirm he is dating Buswell after meeting on the show, claimed that he was “freaked out” when he spotted a photographer following him on the motorway, leading to Sugg hiding on somebody’s driveway to get away.
Sugg pointed out: "I'm a YouTuber, what I do as a career is share my life over the Internet, so I don't understand what they're trying to get. I'm showing my life anyway. I'm my own news outlet.”
The rest of his video was dedicated to his New Forest getaway with Buswell, his sister Zoella and her partner Alfie Deyes.
She told the MailOnline: “I may be 95 but I could see that twinkle in his eye – and the way they looked at each other.
"He brought Dianne over to meet me too and that’s a sign that there is romance in the air.
“She seemed like a lovely girl – I think he might be head over heels.”
