Celebrity Big Brother star JoJo Siwa's forgotten side hustle that was banned in UK
The star was responsible for a banned item that swept the nation in 2016
Reality TV personality and singer JoJo Siwa has garnered a fresh fanbase following her stint on Celebrity Big Brother. However, many of these new admirers may be unaware of the significant influence she had in the UK prior to her appearance on the ITV show.
JoJo initially rose to fame through her participation in the American TV series Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition, which set the stage for her breakout role on Dance Moms. This reality programme also kickstarted the career of actress and dancer Maddie Ziegler, who is most recognised for her appearances in several of chart-topping artist Sia's music videos.
JoJo eventually transitioned into a prominent YouTube figure and now boasts a thriving music career, which she initiated in 2016 with her debut single, Boomerang. It was around this time that JoJo ignited a massive trend for oversized clip-in hair bows.
A key element of the reality star's distinctive style was her extravagant - and notably large - bows. Her young fans were eager to emulate her look, leading JoJo, then only 13, to launch her own range of these accessories with Claire's Accessories in 2016.
The bows, priced up to £12 each, became immensely popular among primary school children, who wore them in playgrounds all over the UK. Knock-off versions were also sold by retailers, with some parents even crafting their own for their kids, reports OK!
In a 2017 chat with CBBC's Newsround, JoJo opened up about her love for her signature hair accessory. "I've always just worn bows," she revealed, noting that over time: "They just got bigger and better and sparklier - and then I became 'JoJo with the bow bow' and it became a thing."
She added: "A bow is more than just a hair accessory it is a symbol of power, confidence, believing-ness, literally it's just a good thing."
Despite the empowering message, the bows' widespread appeal led to some controversy, with certain schools banning them altogether. The concerns were twofold: the bows were seen as a distraction to students and they also clashed with strict uniform policies.
Nonetheless, the entertainer has sold an impressive 90 million bows to date and recently spoke about the phenomenon on Paul C Brunson's We Need To Talk podcast.
"It's crazy, they're still banned in schools over here in the UK!" she said. "People don't know this but for a bit, my biggest audience was over here in the UK, and that was because of the JoJo Bow craze."
She continued: "In schools, they became super popular... They had to ban them in school, because kids were trading them and fixing them all the time; they got distracting."
Today, JoJo's bows remain on sale, with a healthy secondhand market thriving on platforms like eBay and Vinted.
Celebrity Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX