In a deeply emotional BBC documentary, the parents of OnlyFans star Lily Phillips broke down as they spoke about their daughter’s controversial career and admitted they would sell their home if it meant persuading her to stop.
The 24-year-old, from Derbyshire, appeared on Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, where she and her parents sat down for a candid Sunday chat that soon turned raw and difficult. BBC journalist Stacey Dooley guided the family into confronting the tension that Lily’s career has long caused.
Her father Lindsay, 59, admitted he had initially thought his daughter’s online work involved “just posing in swimwear and lingerie.” Her mother Emma added that while they wanted to remain supportive, they had been shocked when her content went further. “We were pretty open with it, but when it went to the next step, we were like, ‘No, no.’”
As the conversation unfolded, the weight of her parents’ feelings became overwhelming. Lily fought to hold her composure but broke down in tears before leaving the room, telling producers: “I don’t want to be on camera, I just need a moment.”
Her father’s words reflected the heartbreak both parents felt: “If there’s anything we could do to change her profession, we’d do it overnight. It’s the degradingness of it and making sure she’s safe.
"Sometimes we think, have we done something wrong with her upbringing? We’ve had nothing but nice times and love … Is it money? Because if it was money, we’d sell our house. You could have everything you want, Lily, if you gave it up now.”
The toll on the family has extended beyond their living room. Lindsay revealed he sometimes receives cruel phone calls from strangers, including people wishing his daughter dead. Emma added that the scrutiny has weighed heavily on them both.
Yet despite the tearful confrontation, Lily remained firm. “I understand and respect how they feel and that’s that,” she told Stacey. She insisted she has no plans to quit her career, saying it gives her purpose and financial independence.
That independence has been lucrative. Though reluctant to discuss figures, Lily acknowledged she earns millions through her OnlyFans account, with more than 30,000 subscribers each paying around $13 a month. “I find money uncomfortable to talk about … a little distasteful,” she admitted, even as her lifestyle reflects her wealth.
Her story has drawn notoriety not only for her income but for her extreme videos, including one where she claimed to sleep with over 100 men in a single day, a stunt that went viral. She has since hinted at plans for even bigger spectacles, telling MailOnline she once considered attempting a 1,000-partner video.
The contrast with her upbringing could not be sharper. Raised in a comfortable Derbyshire home, Lily enjoyed private education, luxury cars on the driveway, and family ski trips and summer holidays abroad. Her father, once a cleaner, had built a successful company that secured the family’s affluence. By her own admission, her childhood was “perfect”.
But after leaving school and enrolling at Sheffield University to study nutrition, her life took a different path. She says she began “sleeping around” at university and launched her OnlyFans account during the pandemic in 2020, quickly earning $2,600 in her first month. “I thought, I’m already giving this away for free on nights out, why not charge for it?” she explained.
Her parents, though heartbroken, continue to support her personally. Her mother even helps manage her finances, ensuring Lily invests her substantial income into property. She now owns homes in Derby and London, and is looking at properties worth over £1 million ($1.35 million).
Despite the criticism (and her parents’ tears) Lily insists she has no regrets. “Honestly, it’s changed my life. How I feel about myself, my confidence. I’m a 23-year-old woman who pays my own rent and earns good money. I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved. I’m a feminist, 100 per cent.”