has become the first international celebrity to net a massive $1million (£930,000) through his lucrative efforts sending personalised messages to fans on Cameo.
The Inbetweeners star was a relatively early adopter of the celebrity bespoke video sharing platform,in order to make some extra cash during the pandemic.
As he said in his introductory video on the website, while offering to record birthday messages or to ‘hurl abuse’ at friends, he was ‘here for the money’ – and it certainly seems to have panned out well for him.
Best known for playing foul-mouthed, wannabe lad Jay on the Channel 4 comedy series (and therefore a very popular character to request), James was reported to have on Cameo, where he filmed over 3,500 videos.
Now, he’s soared to new financial heights with a 98% five-star rating from 5,674 separate reviews for his efforts and videos offered to fans from a modest £42 – and never higher than £57.
‘This was above and beyond,’ praised one recent customer of their Cameo, while another commented: ‘You’re a genius James. Thank you! So good.’
The platform also confirms him as the star who has fulfilled the greatest number of Cameos for fans globally, beating many A-list names, having now recorded ‘tens of thousands’ of personalised video messages.
In one of his clips , James is shown channelling the immature Jay, saying: ‘Happy Birthday – you birthday w***er.
‘They tell me you’re turning 18. Ooh, look at me, I’m 18 years old now, I can go into the pub and buy a pint.’
One of the most popular bookings among its 50,000 stars, which include the likes of Succession’s Brian Cox and Harry Potter fave Miriam Margolyes, roasts and pep talks are among the most frequently requested videos from James.
There are plenty of ‘ooooh fwiends’ dropped in his birthday shout outs, as well as inviting people to the caravan club for a good old party.
‘When first referred James, he was hesitant to join Cameo because he didn’t think he would get very many bookings,’ shared Cameo co-founder, Martin Blencowe. ‘Now, years later, we’re dear friends celebrating the tens of thousands of personalised connections he’s made to date.’
‘James was incredibly popular from the start, but he’s stayed committed to his fans, always keeping an accessible price, even during his busiest periods, and giving his all to make each Cameo special.
‘In return, he’s gained the financial freedom and overwhelming fan support to pursue the projects he’s most passionate about , the West End play I was fortunate enough to see him , and his family’s YouTube channel, At Home With The Buckleys.’
He’s joined a growing list of celebrities who have become millionaires from utilising the platform after Brian Baumgartner was announced as Cameo’s first millionaire in 2021.
Metro.co.uk has contacted a rep for James Buckley for comment.
