Jamie Laing reacts after US viewers mistake him for One Tree Hill stalker

EntertainmentLifestyle
22 Oct 2026 • 7:25 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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Jamie Laing reacts after US viewers mistake him for One Tree Hill stalker

Jamie Laing has left fans in hysterics after being compared to a notorious One Tree Hill character during an appearance on US television.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 37, was spotted in the audience of Dancing With the Stars this week. The Candy Kittens co-founder is currently in Los Angeles with his wife, Sophie Habboo.

Sharing a photo of himself in the audience and a photo of Barr on Instagram, Laing wrote: “Not the US audience thinking I was Peyton Sawyer’s Stalker from One Tree Hill… Apparently his name is Derek.

“Thanks for having me guys @dancingwiththestars.”

The character’s real name was Ian Banks, but he pretended to be Peyton’s estranged brother Derek and was later caught and put in jail.

Jamie Laing was in the audience for ‘Dancing With the Stars’ this week — but that’s not who US viewers thought it was (Jamie Laing Instagram)Laing pointed out that viewers mistook him for ‘One Tree Hill’ villain Ian Banks, played by Matt Barr (Jamie Laing Instagram)

He was played by the actor Matt Barr on the popular teen drama that ran from 2003 to 2012 and also starred Chad Michael Murray and Sophia Bush.

“I mean it’s better than them still thinking you’re Ellen,” one follower commented on Laing’s post, referring to his previous comparisons with former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

“I’m crying what a crossover,” added another.

“Omg i didn’t see it was you who’d posted this, but read the caption and my immediate thought was ‘i never realised how much derek looked like jamie laing,” added a third.

Laing became a father in December last year when Habboo gave birth to their son Ziggy.

Laing is currently in Los Angeles with his wife, Sophie Habboo (Getty)

The couple announced their engagement on Instagram in 2021, revealing Laing popped the question at the London hotel where they had their first date.

They have gone on to host a range of red carpet events, such as the Brit Awards together, along with their podcast series NearlyWeds and its follow-ups NewlyWeds and NearlyParents.

Laing previously competed on Strictly Come Dancing and also hosts his own podcast series, Great Company With Jamie Laing, as well as co-founding the gourmet sweet company Candy Kittens in 2012.

Last year, Laing admitted he regrets “speaking badly” about his father Nicholas in a newspaper article that saw them not “talk for ages” in his twenties.

The former reality star said he blamed his dad for separating from his mother Penny Baines when he was young and vocalised those feelings in the press.

Nicholas sent Laing a copy of the article in the post, writing “I’m so sorry I’m such a disappointment” across the interview clipping about him.

“I just thought, ‘man, that’s my Dad,’” the presenter told Ferne Cotton on her Happy Place podcast, adding his father had been “really hurt” by his remarks.

Asked by Cotton whether he felt the letter was an attempt by Nicholas to reconcile and apologise or to confront him over the public criticism, Laing said he believed it was the former.

“I think it was him saying, ‘You don’t know both sides. You don’t know the true story so if you just say things, it’s really hurtful. I’m sorry that you have that. I represent all these things that you said.’”

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