Katie Hopkins is a provocative far-right former columnist and current social media figure. First coming to attention as a particularly unpleasant contestant on BBC series The Apprentice, Hopkins launched a career as a talking head on discussion shows, frequently called upon to provide offensive commentary on issues around race, class, weight and many other topics.

Her career in mainstream media, including stints as a host on LBC and columnist for The Sun and Daily Mail, slowly ground to a halt after her increasingly extreme statements went beyond what her respective employers could tolerate. This included a particularly notorious column for The Sun in 2015, in which she referred to migrants as “cockroaches” and “feral humans”, and a tweet calling for a “final solution” following the Manchester bombing in 2017.

Like many far-right influencers, Katie Hopkins expanded influence into new audiences during the pandemic by consistently downplaying the severity of the virus and opposing lockdowns and the vaccine.

Hopkins has launched another run of live shows for 2025, with dozens of sell-out events scheduled at small venues starting in April. These include appearances at Hope Sussex, the conspiracy-oriented “autonomous community” set up by Matt and Sadie Single, former British National Party officials.

Hopkins has also continued her longstanding alliance with Stephen Lennon (AKA Tommy Robinson), recording a video address for the crowds at his London rally in June and later working with him and others on “The Pledge”, a petition that sought to “reclaim our nation’s identity, its Christian traditions, culture and values” and “resist tyranny”.

Hopkins was among the horde of far-right influencers to be given their Twitter accounts back in 2023 following Elon Musk’s general amnesty for suspended accounts. She has not been able to command the same level of attention as before her suspension, however, despite her one million followers and continued efforts to start arguments with other high-profile accounts.