From viral TikTok videos to a seat on the Loose Women panel, Grace Keeling – known online as GK Barry – has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame, but she’s still not always been so confident.

Grace Keeling, the influencer phenomenon with nearly five million social media followers, has changed the influencer game under her viral handle GK Barry. Despite her online image exuding confidence, Grace revealed in an exclusive interview that she hasn’t always been this assured.

“I used to be really nervous, to do anything or talk to anyone – but everything that I’m doing is pushing me out of my comfort zone and building my confidence,” she admits candidly. The 25 year old’s ascent to fame began with TikTok stardom and has since seen her join the Loose Women panel, host a popular podcast where she interviews A-listers, and soon, take on a new presenting role at the Pride of Britain Awards red carpet event, reports OK!.

From brewing drinks at Costa Coffee to becoming a familiar face across British households, she shares that her unexpected journey into the limelight has fortified her sense of autonomy and community. Recounting her past anxiety struggles, Grace reflects, “When I first started this journey, I wouldn’t even get on public transport on my own. I wouldn’t really speak to people, I was just too nervous to do any of that. Now I’m hopping on the Tube on my own, I’m interviewing everyone under the sun… it’s really made me a lot more independent and confident. It’s all quite surreal,” she divulges.

Grace hosts her popular podcast, Saving Grace, where she has welcomed a myriad of famous faces ( 
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Saving Grace/Youtube)
Despite her success, she admits that she still occasionally battles with nerves. “I get imposter syndrome all the time, especially when I’m interviewing people I’ve grown up watching on telly. I’m just like, ‘How on earth have I got here? ‘ It really is mental.”,. she confesses.

To combat this, Grace jokes: “A glass of prosecco, that eases the nerves! But also, I just remind myself that I have every right to be here as well. It is truly a case of fake it until you make it for me.”

Earlier this year, Grace made history by becoming the youngest-ever panellist on Loose Women. Despite the shift from daily vlogs, she’s proven to be a natural fit for the ITV chat show and absolutely loves it.

“Oh my God, I love Loose Women! My mum is so happy that I’m doing it – she tells everyone. It’s such an amazing show to be a part of, because everyone’s so nice on it.”

She was initially concerned about how she would be received by the show’s audience, given her age and relative obscurity. “When I started Loose Women , I was very aware that most people who watch the show would have no clue who I am, so I did worry they wouldn’t get my sense of humour. But so far, touch wood, I’ve been received really well. I think people have been really welcoming of someone younger on the panel, offering different views and opinions.”

Grace detailed that before finding fame, she struggled with anxiety and couldn’t use public transport alone ( 
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She is set for a presenting slot at next week’s Pride Of Britain Awards ( 
Image:
Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)
Her stint on the show has earned her a new fanbase too. “I’m getting the older generation coming up to me in Tesco and being like, ‘I saw you on Loose Women. ‘ I love it,” she chuckles.

Off the telly, Grace’s hit podcast, Saving Grace, has seen a host of celeb guests from Alison Hammond to Mark Wright. The project even took her on a country-wide tour with live podcast shows, including a sold-out gig at the London Palladium last year, which Grace says was when she realised she’d made it big. “The podcast is so amazing, I love it,” she gushes. When asked about her favourite guests, she responds, “Rob Beckett, Alison Hammond and Tana Mongeau – they’re my top three.”

While Grace’s life may already seem like a rollercoaster, on 21 October she’ll be interviewing star-studded attendees at the Pride of Britain Awards for the second consecutive year, something she’s eagerly anticipating.

“Three years ago, if someone had told me, ‘You’re going to be doing stuff on the Pride of Britain red carpet,’ I’d have been like, ‘Oh, I don’t know if I can do that.’ Now I love it,” she shares. “I’m not nervous, just excited. They’re building me a bar, so I’m going to feel very at home! I’m just going to have as much fun as possible, it’s an amazing place to be. Last year I was pulling people over left, right and centre. I had absolutely no decorum! ” Ambitious presenter Grace has grand plans for the future, confessing her dream is to be a mix of Stacey Dooley and Maya Jama.

She also draws inspiration from Olivia Attwood, who has presented a series of ITV documentaries. Grace reveals her television ambitions, saying: “I’d love to present a documentary, a bit like Olivia Attwood does. I think that would be amazing. I would do everything and anything when it comes to TV. Anyone who wants to snap me up, I’ll do it.”

The 2024 Pride of Britain Awards will be broadcast on ITV1 on Thursday, 24 October 2024 at 8pm