Rashford and the Fame Revolution

I will be talking publicly about the repurposing of celebrity as a theme over the coming weeks and why you should keep your eyes out for this new style of celebrity.

First of all, hats off to Marcus Rashford. He has managed to force as many U-turns out of this wobbling government as Kier Starmer has. I believe, and I’ve been saying this for some time, that Rashford represent the vanguard of a new style of celebrity.

Up until recently, footballers would try and do as little talking off of the pitch as possible. Their media training consisted of providing endless inane answers to journalists, and avoiding becoming overtly political like the plague.

Back then, English footballers were still iconic – Gazza in a dentist chair, to Fowler on all fours. But now we have Stirling and Rose talking eloquently about the struggles they have faced.

And now Rashford taking on the UK Government and winning. It is remarkable – and would’ve seemed impossible up until recently.

We are seeing a quiet but radical change over the nature of celebrity.

Fame will be about values and purpose. Look at what a footballer can do when he talks about his own story. 

This is more than a single news story, this is the beginning of something profound and Borkowski will be discussing it going forward.