By day, Shabaz Ali is a regular teacher from Blackburn – but in his spare time he is creating funny viral videos for thousands of followers.

Since creating his Tik Tok (video-focused social networking service) account, Shabaz Says, at the end of 2019, he has amassed more than 107,000 followers and his videos have accumulated a combined total of 6.3 million likes.

His account is focused on reaction videos and many have since gone viral for the funny content.

The former Stonyhurst College teacher said he started to take his Tik Tok account more seriously when the pandemic hit in 2020.

He said: “It’s only when the pandemic hit that I started to take it seriously and I thought ‘I’m just going to make some fun videos and have fun with it.

“I can’t even explain why or how my account has blown up – I don’t know where all the followers came from.

“It started off as a laugh and a joke and then it turned into this explosion of followers and views.”

People follow Shabaz for his commentary and reaction videos which Shabaz describes as a “bunch of chaos”.

He said: “I would describe my Tik Tok account as very chaotic. It’s just a bunch of chaos in my brain that I’ve put out there.

“I do a lot of reaction videos – especially to extreme and sometimes gross videos.”

According to Mr Ali, the first video that really took off and began to perform well was is reaction to a “gross” video of a woman’s toenails.

He has also made viral videos about his life as a teacher.

 

@shabazsays The daily struggle.. 😂 credit @jack_saund3rs #funny #SimlishSessions #WorkThisWay #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #school #british #teachersoftiktok #comedy ♬ original sound - LeeDanielJamesTimms

 

Shabaz’s most viewed and ‘stitched’ video to date is one where he parodies a viral clip from Channel 4 show, Educating Yorkshire.

 

@shabazsays Stitch, duet or comment your favourite #stitch #duet #funny #uk #britishhumour #comedy #fyp #foryou #foryoupage ♬ original sound - Shabaz Says

 

Shabaz said: “That's the one that really kicked off and got me recognised in a lot of schools with a lot of people.

“It’s mad to be recognised in the streets for my Tik Tok account.

“I am quite socially awkward outside and with people I don’t know – so I find it really nerve wracking.

“I never know how to respond to the people when I am in public.”

Shabaz, who currently teaches chemistry in a Manchester secondary school, said it doesn’t take long for his pupils to stumble across his Tik Tok account.

He said: “I used to do supply work for a few months. Every school I go to it will take until around break time before the kids recognise me from Tik Tok.

“By the end of the day the whole school knows

“At my new school it took them two days and once they figured it out that was it.

“They are always asking to make videos with me and take pictures with me – they love it.”

Mr Ali added that Bolton’s Rivington and Blackrod School, where he work for four years, was the first school to really embrace his social media presence.

He said: “We’ve really moved on. Five years ago when I started training it was a big no no to be on social media and to make videos.

“I think a lot of schools have moved on and allow people to post on social media now.”

“As long as you know what you are doing and you are being professional just have fun.

“Rivington was the first school I went to where they said head teacher said ‘you go do you – my daughter is obsessed with watching your videos’.

“They really inspired me to make Tik Toks and have fun.

Shabaz recommends every teacher to get their own Tik Tok account.

He said: “Even with some of the difficult kids, once they find out that I am on the app something changes for them.

“It’s like they realised ‘maybe he isn’t a teacher we don’t like – he’s a human being who happens to be a teacher’ which helps massively.

“I recommend all teachers to get on Tik Tok now.”

It isn’t Shabaz’s first stint in the spotlight as he also appeared on the Channel 4 series of reality show, The Circle, earlier this year.

Mr Ali managed to get to the semi-finals but watched the finals from the side-lines as Natalya Platanova, aka Felix, won in scenes aired in April.

The 30-year-old said he wouldn’t rule out any other TV appearances.

He said: “I would love to be on Gogglebox. I think the reaction side of my Tik Tok account would lend itself nicely to that show.

“I would also love to do BBC’s Race Across The World – that would be my ultimate dream.”

However, no matter how famous Mr Ali becomes on social media or television he said his roots and passion will always remain in teaching.

He said: “The kids ask me if I would quit if I hit a certain number of followers but I love my job.

“Tik Tok was never about the numbers, followers, or likes.

“It’s nice to have 100k – but ultimately it is just a number but I love what I do and my day-to-day life.

“I’ve always said when it starts to become a chore and I feel like I have to post that is when I will stop posting.”

Keep up-to-date with Shabaz on his Tik Tok account and over on his Instagram page.

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