Paul Bessell, the 74-year-old son of Liberal MP Peter Bessell — a key witness in the 1979 "Trial of the Century" that saw his friend Jeremy Thorpe cleared of conspiracy to murder — has unexpectedly become a TikTok star. His fame followed the publication this year of his memoir, Finding Dad, which explores his father's secretive and contradictory double life; Peter Bessell vanished decades ago leaving huge debts after a life of apparent wealth and connections.

Paul's TikTok success came about almost by accident: videos he sent home while promoting the book led him and his daughter Daisy, 26, to create a segment called "Sign or Decline", in which she plays him unfamiliar songs and he judges them, drawing on his past career as a music publisher who worked with acts including Billy Ocean. The format has proved hugely popular, earning over three million views and around 200,000 followers within weeks, with the pair now reportedly attracting management and corporate interest.