GOLDEN boy

Social-media heavyweight KSI on why he loves being a guest judge on BGT, and the art of creating must-see moments.

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It's not unusual for a Britain's Got Talent audition to also make waves online, and few know more about what it takes to become an internet sensation than the ITV1 juggernaut's latest guest judge, KSI.

The influencer - whose real name is Olajide Olayinka Williams 'JJ' Olatunji - first launched his main YouTube channel, KSIOlajideBT, in 2009 at the young age of 16 and, following its success, decided to leave school to pursue a full-time career creating video content for the social-media platform. At the time of writing, he has accumulated more than 44 million subscribers across his three active YouTube channels.

'I was making around £1,500 a month from YouTube. I told my teacher and he was like, "Wow, that's more than me. Why are you here?!" And I thought, "Yeah, why am I here?!" So I left,' shares the London-born star, 31, as he joins TV Times for an exclusive chat.

Having since gone on to also gain global recognition as an entrepreneur as well as a rapper and professional boxer, KSI - which stands for Knowledge, Strength and Integrity - is currently winning a legion of new fans with his role on prime-time hit Britain's Got Talent, where he has been sitting on the panel alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon to fill in for regular judge Bruno Tonioli.

As the Series 18 auditions continue this week, here, KSI talks talent, triumphs and, er, toe wrestling...

You already have so many strings to your bow, KSI. What appealed to you about becoming a judge on Britain's Got Talent?

I like the option of being able to do what I want when I want. I feel it's one of the reasons I've been so successful for so long. You never know what to expect from me - one minute I'm a BGT judge, the next I'm boxing and rapping! I like the freedom. Obviously, it can be stressful because it's a lot for one person, but I manage it.