OnlyFans: a day in the life of a top(less) creator

By sirin kale

Lucy-Anne Brooks is sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of an enormous gilt framed mirror, applying make-up. Dressed in ripped jeans and a tight-fitting jumper, she is a friendly, chatty presence. She is also the epitome of the heterosexual male fantasy of the girl next door: petite but curvaceous, full lips sticky with gloss, clear blue eyes. Behind, her husband Lewis potters about, fixing a television to a wall – they only moved into their Hertfordshire home last week and there are packing boxes everywhere. Brooks’ phone goes – it’s her sister Sophie, who is running errands. There’s a problem, Sophie says. They don’t have the knickers in the size Brooks wants. “Get them in a 10,” she says airily, curling her long blonde hair. “I don’t want them digging in.”

I’m at Brooks’ house to observe the 33-year-old mother-of-one at work. Once a Page 3 girl, lads-mags regular, and stalwart of late-night soft porn TV, Brooks has turned to OnlyFans, a social-media platform on which users pay to view photos and videos, and found remarkable success. As one of the most successful content creators on the mobile-only app, Brooks creates a stream of topless images of herself, which her followers can see for a monthly fee. Many pay extra for personalised videos, photographs or texts. She earns between £19,000 and £22,000 a month. “It has completely and utterly changed my life,” says Brooks. “The money is incredible.”