Jamie Laing: From Made in Chelsea to Radio and Business

Jamie Laing is a British radio presenter, television personality, podcast producer, entrepreneur and author. He first became widely known through E4’s Made in Chelsea, but his later career has developed through BBC Radio 1, the confectionery company Candy Kittens, JamPot Productions, charity fundraising and publishing.

His professional record is more useful than the familiar description of him as a reality star. Laing used early television exposure to enter several competitive industries, including branded food, radio and podcast production. Some ventures have remained closely connected to his public personality, while others have developed into companies with their own teams, products and audiences.

Jamie Laing’s Age and Full Name

Companies House records identify him as James Robin Grant Laing and give his month of birth as November 1988. He is 37 years old as of July 2026. His official company appointments show active directorships connected with media and other business interests.

Public biographies often emphasise his family’s historical connection with the McVitie’s digestive biscuit through Sir Alexander Grant. That background is part of the story attached to his public image, but it does not explain the development of Candy Kittens or JamPot Productions. Those businesses were created during Laing’s own working career.

Made in Chelsea and Early Television Recognition

Laing became a familiar television figure through Made in Chelsea. A Channel 4 cast biography introduced him as a 22-year-old with plans to build a modern sweet business under the Candy Kittens name.

He joined the programme during its early years and remained part of the cast across numerous series and international specials. Channel 4 later included him among the returning cast as the programme became one of E4’s most successful non-scripted formats.

The series gave Laing a public audience, but it also documented an early version of his business idea. Candy Kittens was not added to his career after television fame had ended; it was already being discussed while he was appearing on the programme.

Strictly Come Dancing and Wider Entertainment Work

Laing later appeared in a range of British entertainment programmes. His television work included Celebrity Hunted, The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off and Richard Osman’s House of Games.

He was originally due to compete in Strictly Come Dancing in 2019 but withdrew after an injury. He returned in 2020, partnered with Karen Hauer, and reached the final. Bloomsbury’s official Jamie Laing biography records that he finished as runner-up.

The programme helped introduce him to viewers who had not followed Made in Chelsea. It also required a different type of performance from reality television, with weeks of training and live competition.

Jamie Laing on BBC Radio 1

Radio became one of the most important stages of Laing’s move into mainstream broadcasting. After presenting and covering programmes at BBC Radio 1, he joined the station’s weekday drivetime show in March 2024.

An official BBC Radio 1 press release announced that Laing would co-host Going Home with Vick Hope. Katie Thistleton also joined the programme as part of the updated schedule. Laing has continued as one of the show’s regular presenters.

The role is significant because daily radio demands consistency rather than occasional celebrity appearances. A presenter must handle live conversation, music, audience interaction, interviews and changing news or entertainment topics within a fixed schedule.

Bloomsbury’s current professional biography also identifies Laing as the host of a major BBC Radio 1 programme, reflecting the central place radio now holds in his career.

Founding Candy Kittens

Laing co-founded Candy Kittens with Ed Williams in London in 2012. The company was built around the idea of creating sweets designed and marketed for adults rather than relying on the traditional visual identity of children’s confectionery.

The company’s official history states that Jamie and Ed launched the business to challenge established sweet brands. It opened a shop on King’s Road before expanding through larger retailers.

Candy Kittens later changed its products to vegan recipes and received B Corp certification in 2022. The company describes itself as the first B Corp-certified sweets brand, while Katjes International’s Candy Kittens profile states that the products are vegan, gluten-free and made without palm oil or artificial flavours and colours.

Investment by Katjes International

Candy Kittens is no longer simply a business controlled by its original celebrity founder. Katjes International acquired a majority stake in the company in 2019.

Katjes’ official company history states that it acquired more than 50 per cent of Candy Kittens’ share capital. Its current brand page says the group continues to hold a majority interest and has options to obtain further shares.

This ownership structure matters when discussing Laing’s business record. He remains closely identified with the brand and its founding, but claims about his personal wealth cannot be calculated simply from Candy Kittens’ sales, investment or ownership headlines.

Jamie Laing and JamPot Productions

Laing expanded his audio work by creating JamPot Productions. Companies House records show that JamPot Productions Limited was incorporated in May 2021 and remains active.

The company’s records identify Laing as a director and person with significant control. His wife, Sophie Habboo, is also a director and shareholder.

JamPot’s official programme page includes shows such as Great Company, hosted by Laing, and NewlyParents, which he presents with Habboo. The company also produces podcasts hosted by other personalities rather than operating only as a vehicle for Laing’s own programmes.

This represents an important difference between being a podcast presenter and owning a production business. A production company must develop formats, employ staff, manage commercial partnerships, produce audio and video, and build intellectual property that may continue beyond one host.

Podcasts With Sophie Habboo

Laing and Habboo developed a long-running podcast format around changes in their relationship. The project moved through names including NearlyWeds, NewlyWeds, NearlyParents and NewlyParents.

JamPot’s current description of NewlyParents explains that the programme follows the transition from couple to family. The format combines personal conversation with comedy and listener contributions.

The couple married in 2023 and became parents in late 2025. Their podcast has allowed them to turn real-life stages into an evolving media format, although the commercial programme should not be treated as a complete record of their private life.

The Comic Relief Ultra-Marathon Challenge

In March 2025, Laing completed five consecutive ultra-marathons for Comic Relief. He ran more than 150 miles from London to Salford over five days.

Comic Relief’s official challenge announcement described the route and the aim of raising money for Red Nose Day. Its history of Red Nose Day later recorded a final total of £2,053,835.

The run was one of the most substantial public projects of his career. It combined Radio 1 coverage, fundraising and discussion of physical and mental strain rather than functioning as a standard entertainment appearance.

Boys Don’t Cry

Laing published Boys Don’t Cry: The A-Z of Everything We Need to Talk About through Bloomsbury in October 2025. A paperback edition followed in May 2026.

The book’s official Bloomsbury page describes it as a guide to subjects including anxiety, failure, loneliness, friendship, therapy, relationships and emotional resilience.

The project is connected to Laing’s public discussion of vulnerability and mental health, including themes raised during his Comic Relief challenge. It is not a clinical mental-health guide, but a personal account and conversation-based handbook drawn from his experiences.

A Balanced View of Jamie Laing’s Career

Laing’s early access to television and his privileged background gave him opportunities that many founders and presenters do not receive. Any balanced account should acknowledge that advantage.

At the same time, sustained work in daily radio, podcast production and food retail requires more than name recognition. Candy Kittens has operated since 2012 and attracted a majority investment from an international confectionery group. JamPot has developed programmes beyond Laing’s original reality-television identity. His Radio 1 role also requires regular live broadcasting rather than occasional appearances.

His career therefore should not be presented either as a purely self-made story or as fame without substance. It is a case of early visibility being converted into a group of businesses and media roles, with different levels of personal involvement and outside ownership.

Conclusion

Jamie Laing first became known through Made in Chelsea, but his later career has moved into radio, confectionery, podcast production, fundraising and publishing.

His most established projects include co-founding Candy Kittens, creating JamPot Productions, hosting podcasts and presenting on BBC Radio 1. His 2025 Comic Relief run raised more than £2 million, while Boys Don’t Cry extended his work into publishing and conversations about vulnerability.

The clearest account of Laing’s career is not that he left reality television completely. Instead, he used the audience it created to build a broader professional record that now includes daily broadcasting and active UK companies.

Sources

• Companies House: Jamie Laing’s company appointments
• Channel 4: Made in Chelsea cast biography
• BBC Radio 1 press release: Jamie Laing joins Going Home
• Candy Kittens: Official company history
• Katjes International: Candy Kittens ownership and products
• Companies House: JamPot Productions Limited
• JamPot Productions: Current programmes
• Comic Relief: Jamie Laing’s 2025 fundraising total
• Bloomsbury: Boys Don’t Cry