Norfolk’s most influential family share details about their tough past and climb to the top

Norwich Christmas lights switch on. Tanya Burr and husband Jim Chapman.Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2015)

YouTube stars Samantha Chapman and Nicola Haste (known as Pixiwoo), along with their twin brothers Jim and John Chapman, have amassed a huge internet following since they began their online career.

Now they are thought of as one of the most influential families in Britain, with everything from makeup ranges to Jaguar sponsorships - and a collective following of around 21 million - to their names.

The four Norfolk siblings have succeeded in gaining significant amounts of wealth, influence and recognition for their work.

Speaking in The Times' Magazine on Saturday, however, they revealed that their lives were not always so comfortable.

Samantha Chapman, who owns a penthouse in Norwich, revealed that after her mother Judy, then 19, met her father John Chapman 'things got violent very quickly.'

'Mum had no choice but to hang around, because kids were involved,' she continued. 'There were so many weird, nutty, scary things that there was about where I think Mum was just like, 'Get it over and done with and kill us all now.' We all thought that would be the outcome.'

She also told the magazine how one night her father attacked her and her mother and the police were called.

Eventually all four Chapman children lost contact with their father and none of them attended his funeral when he died in 2017.

While their adult lives are by no means without difficulty, Nicola Haste for example has spoken publicly about her struggle with multiple sclerosis, and Sam about her depression, the Chapmans say they feel lucky for the success they have achieved.

Jim Chapman said he thinks his success was 'simply right place, right time', 'but a serious amount of hard work too'.

'We have each others' backs,' he continued. 'But we also keep each others' feet on the ground.'