GK Barry: Kids were vile at school. Now they slide into my DMs to say well done

“Hello, my queen,” GK Barry, real name Grace Keeling, almost sings in greeting at the start of our interview, instantly making me feel like a close personal friend. This ability to draw people in is what made her one of the original stars of TikTok, with a following of 4.2 million. The 27 year old can make people snigger with ease, whether it’s recounting chaotic situations – such as the time she pulled a thong out of her tote bag instead of keys at university – or making slightly outrageous observations that often end up in fan-created montages titled “GK Barry’s best moments”. “I will never understand why people tell you, ‘We’re trying for a baby.’ You’re shagging then. You’re getting your cheeks clapped,” she says in one. And she was making people laugh long before TikTok came along. “School was hell,” she says. “It was horror. I didn’t have much talent, I’m not very academic, I didn’t fit in as I was weird and not conventionally pretty, so I taught myself how to be funny. I started watching Miranda Hart, and I would copy her lines. I really hope they didn’t know I was quoting Miranda, because that’s a bit embarrassing,” she remarks. “As soon as I started making people laugh, I knew that was how I was going to get through life.” Shorts Keeling says some people were still “vile” to her, but those same people slide into her DMs to congratulate her now. “It makes me laugh.” She continues: “It’s nice that I’ve done something where people who may have underestimated me are now seeing who I am. It’s nice to share that people who are mean to you are not the be-all and end-all of your existence.” Through building a significant following, Keeling has been presented with dream opportunities – launching her own podcast, Saving Grace, multiple brand deals and her most recent achievement, a book, It’s Giving Life: A Guide to Surviving and Thriving. She has also become a TV regular – you’ll catch her as the Gen Z representative on Loose Women, while in 2024, she was the underdog who finished in fifth place on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! Adjusting to become more “mainstream-friendly” was something that took graft, admits Keeling, revealing that she worked with a PR team. At one point, she felt she was too self-censored. “People like me for being open and outrageous, so it’s been about finding a balance,” she states. “I can be my authentic self, but can’t say ‘shit’ on Loose Women. That’s a good rule to live by. Keeling has built up a significant following and is now a regular on TV (Photo: James Rudland) “I’m a pauser now. If you ever watch me, I will take a beat to get all of the swear words out of my head, and then I’ll say my piece.” Keeling recently joked that she was on her “third or fourth cancellation” after the internet reacted strongly to her describing adults who go to Disney theme parks without children as “a bit weird”. Previously, she faced similar widespread criticism for giving a platform to Bonnie Blue on Saving Grace and angered football fans during a Women’s League Cup draw by making jokes about the teams.“I have no regrets about anything,” she says. “I never go out to intentionally hurt anyone, and as long as you’ve got a pure heart then you’re fine. Listen, sometimes my humour gets me in trouble, but it also has got me a good career.” She is growing up in the limelight, learning about a tough industry as she goes. “I was quite shit at presenting when my podcast first started. I was sparking conversation out of thin air about random stuff,” she shares. Now, more than four years in, she prepares questions with her team. She even has proven tactics for dealing with more difficult guests. “I start talking about myself, and if they still don’t say anything, they are probably just a bit of a prick,” she remarks with her trademark sass. “But I can speak to a brick wall, so it’s fine.” All in all, she’s certainly enjoying her career path and always tries to keep it in perspective. “My sister-in-law is a paramedic who has seen all sorts of horrors, she tells me. Meanwhile, I’ve filmed a TikTok in my bedroom and gone to a couple of shoots. This is a piece of piss in comparison.” Of course, her occupation has its own challenges, such as competing with algorithms, and staying relatable, even as her life changes, but self-deprecation has always been a core part of her personality. “Maybe it’s something I need to unpack, but so far it’s doing me well. When I walk into a room, I’m like, ‘Oh, sorry, my arse is flat in this’. It stops others having the power to make fun of you because you’ve done it yourself.” She speaks honestly about body image and a sometimes difficult relationship with food, which began in secondary school with skipping meals. Keeling also recalls being unhappy with her appearance after some event photos in 2023, and taking things too far. Her mum made it clear to her management team that she needed to eat more. “When you’re in a situation, you don’t always see it yourself at the time. I was at my slimmest, but I was arguably my most mentally sad. Being thin won’t make you as happy as you think it will,” she says.She has developed more confidence in recent years – “I feel like I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been now.” This means when the offers of free procedures arrive, such as nose jobs and Botox in return for promotion – something common for celebrities to receive – she can turn them down. “At 16 or 17, I would have taken it. I’m very glad that I’m now very confident to be like, ‘No, I like my face.’” She then jokingly adds: “Well, you know, it will do. “I’ve got through life with a flat arse, and I’ve got a lovely girlfriend who doesn’t mind the pancake, so we’re winning all round. She cracks me up. I’m built like a door, and she’s like, ‘You’ve got such a great shape.’ It’s so sweet.” Keeling has been happily in a relationship with footballer Ella Rutherford since early 2024. The smitten pair pretty much moved in together after their first date and, despite originally trying to keep their romance private, they couldn’t stop themselves speaking adoringly about each other in public. “She’s the yin to my yang. She gets me, she’s supportive, she is the full package and she’s got a great ass,” Keeling summarises. She prioritises having encouraging people around her in a professional capacity too. “My team are the people closest to me. I always want to be comfortable with them, so it’s women and gays, because they’re the people I connect with the most.” Keeling has released her first book and opens up about experiences growing up (Photo: James Rudland) In her book, Keeling connects her commitment to having a female and LGBTQ+ management team to not really enjoying working with older men after experiencing gender-based violence. She alleges that when she was 17 and on work experience, a man 10 years older than her, to whom she reported, raped her. “Writing about it really helped me. It was really important to share because I know people reading it may have gone through the same thing, and it’s to validate their feelings that it wasn’t their fault. If people are in a position of authority, it is wrong for them to make you do anything,” she states. Sharing how she feels for the book to be out in the world, she says: “I’m terrified, excited, all of the emotions. I want it to be out now. Let me in there,” she says, and as a chronically online person, I know from the way she pronounced it that she is quoting Megan McKenna’s 2016 meltdown in the Big Brother diary room. I proudly say: “Megan.” “Come on,” she says in approval and just like that, our conversation is over, but it won’t be goodbye for long. I’ll see GK Barry on my For You Page on TikTok. The Saving Grace podcast is available on all major platforms. It’s Giving Life: A Guide to Surviving and Thriving by GK Barry is published in hardback by Ebury Spotlight on 3rd September, 2026, £22 If you have experienced any form of sexual violence, Rape Crisis England and Wales offers free support services, via the helpline (0808 500 2222) or online chat