‘Posh and Becks’ of Youtube Tanya Burr and Jim Chapman split after 12 years

Tanya Burr and Jim Chapman, best known as some of the UK's most successful Youtubers, have announced the break-up of their marriage.

The couple, who have been together for 12 years and married for three, confirmed yesterday that they had parted ways. "Just wanted to let you all know that a few weeks ago Jim and I made the painful decision to no longer be together," Tanya said in a statement posted to Instagram. "We have a huge amount of love and respect for each other and will continue to remain friends forever." Jim also commented, saying that they are still "the best of friends". "We will continue to support one another in all of our ventures and are both looking forward to what the future holds." The pair, who met at school in Norwich, rose to prominence after building audiences on Youtube over the past decade. Each now has a following of several million people across Youtube, Instagram and Twitter. They married in a lavish ceremony in 2015.  

Who are they?

You'll either know them or you won't - but you'll likely recognise the style of video that they and a handful of other Youtube creators helped to invent. Tanya was one of the earliest make-up vloggers on the video-sharing platform, among the first to upload homemade clips of tutorials and hauls to the site almost ten years ago. Jim's content was more generally lifestyle-focused. The couple also gave viewers a window into their personal lives, developing a different relationship with followers to that of typical celebrities and generating hundreds of thousands of clicks. They were part of the first generation of what we now call bloggers and influencers; starting at a time when online content creation was a hobby and the idea making money, let alone a living, from it hadn't come into the question. Over the years, their online success has allowed them to branch out into everything from makeup ranges to books and stationery. Tanya has also pursued acting while Jim has worked as a presenter and model. The couple are now thought to be worth over £4 million.  

What's next?

Tanya and Jim built their personal brands with their relationship at the core - but it looks like this split won't do their careers any harm. One insider reckons the divorce announcement will give each of them a professional boost. "Both Jim and Tanya’s YouTube and more main stream careers have been in decline, with dwindling views, engagements and less interest from brands," the insider told Metro. "This will have put pressure on their relationship. "What this break now provides is an opportunity to reinvent themselves and to relaunch their personal brands – Tanya with her acting and Jim with his modelling."