I’ve developed influencer envy – and the influencer is a dog | Emma Beddington

He has a nicer life than me, scuttling from deli to deli and snuffling through gifts from brands. And yet still I follow

The ecosystem connecting influencer and influenced is a fragile one, particularly now. A business model built on selling dreams and aspirations when our wildest aspiration is a pleasant evening", to quote the name of a friend's jigsaw of a beer garden, is a tough ask. We need to envy the influencers, but not so much that it becomes unbearable.

This became abundantly clear in January when heavily hashtagged pics of reality TV stars on essential work trips" to Dubai caused the celebs to leak followers, field angry comments from erstwhile fans and face the fact that hard graft down the content coal mines does not earn you a Thursday clap.