Under the Grandfluence: Grandad Frank
5 min read
Owen Scott talks to the fun-loving, 78-year-old social media sensation Grandad Frank and his granddaughter Kiera about making Frank's TikTok followers laugh, celebrity fans and enjoying life
If you’re on TikTok, then you’ve probably seen the
honorary Grandad-to-the-nation: Grandad
Frank. His TikToks made us laugh
during lockdown, when he
and his granddaughter Kiera could only see each other from across the fence,
but the pair didn’t stop there. Grandad Frank’s TikTok account has reached 7
million followers, he’s appeared with Kiera on This
Morning and he’s met a famous superfan, Niall Horan, on BBC Radio.
Reader’s Digest sat down with the pair to talk
about Grandad Frank’s life, the relationship between him and Kiera, and the
importance of people of all ages being internet fluent.
How did you get started with TikTok?
Kiera: It was
November 2019. I got Pops to do a little dance and got
his permission to post it. It went viral. It was bigger than I’d ever seen so
we just kept going from there. He seemed to like it.
"I think we were fortunate with the viral dance video—there weren't many grandads on TikTok, we sort of cornered the market"
Frank: I think we
were fortunate; we were in there at the beginning. There weren’t many grandads
on TikTok, so we sort of cornered the market.
What work did you do before TikTok, throughout your life?
Frank: I’ve done
so many things. I’ve worked on the London
Underground before and the last job I had was being a minibus driver for a
school. I just loved it.
How do you get the ideas for your Tik Toks?
Kiera: The ideas
definitely come from my side. He has TikTok on his iPad, but, when I look over
his shoulder, he’s just watching his own videos. Since I have his TikTok on my
own phone, I can see what’s trending and what his audience likes. I think about
what he’s able to do and then we do the video.
It’s quite simple really. She says "jump" and I say "how high?"
Frank: It’s quite
simple really. She says “jump” and I say “how high?”
Do you have a favourite TikTok that you’ve made?
Frank: Probably
when I dress up as Carl. Definitely Carl.
Kiera: He likes
to dress up as Carl from the film Up.
Frank: We always
get a great response from that. I think it’s the hair.
Kiera: When we
started, everyone said he looked like Carl. There was one Halloween where I got
him to dress up like Carl, which got a great response. For me, I think it’s the
ones where he dances. They’re so funny.
How do you feel about all of the celebrity love you’ve got? Celebrities like Gary Barlow and Niall Horan are big fans.
Frank: It’s
unbelievable to think we’ve been asked to do those things, like This
Morning. It just started as a bit of fun.
Kiera: It still
is just a bit of fun, but we’ve had so many opportunities from this. I mean, we
got responses from Gary Barlow and Ed Sheeran.
It’s unbelievable to think we’ve been asked to do
those things; it just started as a bit of fun
Frank: We’re very
fortunate because we live next door to each other. When the pandemic hit and
the shutdown happened, we were fortunate because we could still do our TikToks
over the wall. That was a great help, I think. Making those TikToks around that
time, I think had a lot to do with how big they became. The response is always
great though. We’re still waiting on a phone call from Gary Barlow though!
Do you have a celebrity you’d love to collaborate with?
Kiera: Ours are
very different.
Frank: Niall
Horan. He loves golf, I love golf.
Kiera: We spoke to
him on a zoom with Zoe Ball on BBC
Radio, which, for my childhood self, was amazing. If he got to meet Harry
Styles, that would be absolutely
unreal.
Frank: Maybe we
could get the two together. Niall Horan and Harry Styles.
Kiera: A One
Direction reunion!
Are you recognised when you are out in public?
Frank: I get
recognised everywhere. Even if it’s at show or something, I get recognised in
the audience. It blows my mind.
"I get recognised everywhere—it blows my mind"
Kiera: When we’re
at home, all of the responses to the TikToks are on a screen but, when people
started coming up to Pops, that’s when we realised “Oh people are really paying
attention. It’s an unexpected feeling."
Frank: But always
a good feeling.
How do you feel about the fact you inspire so many people with your videos? Is inspiring people something that’s important to you?
Frank: It’s
really nice to hear older people say “we’ve seen what you do” and then, because
of that, get involved with technology. Especially during lockdown.
Kiera: We always
get comments about him being peoples' grandad.
That’s why, whenever we do videos thanking people
who watch, we call them "grandchildren" not fans
Frank: A lot of
teenagers have never met their grandparents. For one reason or another, they haven’t had a
chance to meet them, but they say they wish they had a Grandad like me. That
really moves me. It makes me realise how lucky I am to have my family around
me.
Kiera: That’s
why, whenever we do videos thanking people who watch, we call them
"grandchildren" not fans. 7.3 million grandchildren.
What do you think it is that has connected with so many people? Do you think it is people having that feeling of being connected to their grandparents?
Frank: I really
think it is. Family’s so important.
Kiera: It’s
because it’s wholesome, family content. It pulls on the heartstrings. It pulls
on mine, when I watch the videos. Some of them make me really emotional.
What kind
of response do you get from older people?
Kiera: We’ve had
a great response from other “Grandfluencers”, which is great. It’s great
seeing people jump on the trend. As TikTok evolves, people from all different
ages are getting involved. If you put your mind to something, you can do it.
Would you
say social media has improved our lives? Do you
think it has improved your life personally?
Frank: Big
question. It has such an impact on everybody.
I think it’s enhanced our lives. It’s made the
bond between Pops and I even closer
Kiera: I think it’s enhanced our lives. It’s made the bond between Pops and I even
closer. It’s given us so many opportunities.
"It’s made the bond between Pops and I even closer and it’s given us so many opportunities"
Frank: I have a
brother and a son in Australia, as well as a son in Manchester and family in
Galway, but we can all connect on Zoom.
Do you have
a message for older readers of Reader’s Digest? How do you think
older people can become more active on the internet?
Kiera: I know,
for older people, technology can be intimidating. My Grandma’s great with technology, but Pops is a
bit slower. I’d say “Give it a go, learn what you can but don’t force it.”
Frank: Definitely.
Have fun with it!
Banner credit: Grandad Frank and Kiera (Elevation PR)
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