Representative Image of an elderly man creating joyful TikTok videos, sharing positivity and life lessons with a diverse audience (AI-generated image)
At 81, Ian Smith from Snettisham in Norfolk, England, has attracted a large following on TikTok by sharing short videos about positivity, motivation and lessons from life. The former dentist retired in 2022 after decades in the profession, and his social media journey began with a different ambition: promoting a self-published novel after hundreds of literary agents he approached sent back only 3 responses. 2026, Smith was then posting 2 videos a day and had 1.5 million followers, according to a BBC report published on April 18. His most-viewed clip had reportedly crossed 59 million views. After approaching hundreds of literary agents and receiving just 3 responses, he decided to self-publish the book and promote it online, including through BookTok, the TikTok community devoted to books and reading. His wife encouraged him to start posting videos and challenged him to reach even 100 followers. He had been posting regularly for around 18 months by April 2026, but his videos had shifted towards messages of motivation and positivity, according to the BBC. The BBC reported in April 2026 that people in their 20s made up the largest age bracket among Smith’s followers.
Smith told the BBC that the response to his videos was both “staggering” and “humbling”. He also said he had not received negative comments. His online journey began with a book, but his videos eventually took a different direction. Smith first turned to social media to find readers for a novel he had written himself. Smith took the remark as motivation and continued creating content. His audience also included viewers from countries such as Brazil, illustrating the international reach described in the report. He described the experience of speaking into a small phone and receiving responses from people around the world. The BBC’s account documented the scale of Smith’s audience at the time, but it did not establish a single reason for his popularity. His videos centre on encouragement and positivity, while his own account of the experience highlights the unexpected connections he has made through posting online.
The figures reflect the time of that report, rather than a verified count today.