Jamie and Nikki’s Love Story: From Fairytale Romance to Painful Divorce
When blonde, blue-eyed Jamie Perkins married South Sudanese-Australian model Nikki Thot, their union seemed like a modern fairytale. Together, they welcomed two beautiful daughters and built an online empire—but behind the scenes, their relationship was far more complicated.
How Jamie and Nikki Met
The couple’s story began in 2009 on MySpace. Nikki, then 19, was a rising model signed with IMG in New York, while Jamie, 25, was a cinematographer just breaking into music video production.
In March 2010, they tied the knot. Their first daughter, Ava, was born in January 2016, followed by Zoe in March 2018. They also had a dog named Louis.
Soon, they launched a YouTube channel, and their following exploded. “We literally fell into it. It was never a planned thing,” Jamie once told Daily Mail Australia.
The Viral Proposal That Changed Everything
Jamie’s proposal to Nikki became their big breakthrough. Wanting to create something unforgettable, he arranged for a proposal video to play on the big screen at Melbourne’s Federation Square. Nikki watched in awe as Jamie appeared on screen, while a friend filmed her reaction.
They uploaded the video to YouTube, and it quickly went viral—racking up 4.6 million views. Their wedding video performed even better, with eight million views. Suddenly, Jamie and Nikki were social media stars.
But as Jamie pointed out, “People assume vloggers are sharing everything, but we keep a lot of our life to ourselves. We’re just having fun, and it’ll be great to look back in 10–20 years and see what we were doing.”
Nikki was born in Khartoum, Sudan, before her family moved to Victoria, Australia, in 1994. Growing up in Moorabbin, Melbourne, she was rarely made to feel different because of her dark skin—except by some relatives who pointed out she was darker than her mother.
Her father, who once aspired to be a veterinarian, emphasized education and stability. He hoped Nikki would pursue medicine or law, but she followed her passion for modeling and eventually embraced YouTube.
At first, her family resisted her new career. Her father, a private man, even had strangers approach him on a train, recognizing him as “Nikki’s dad” from her videos. “Dad was horrified,” Nikki recalled with a laugh.
Challenges of Fame and Public Scrutiny
While Ava and Zoe grew up in the spotlight, Nikki had no baby pictures of her own childhood. The contrast was stark, but it also reflected the couple’s choice to document their daughters’ lives.
Over time, however, their interracial relationship and Nikki’s skin color became recurring topics of online commentary. Some critics made assumptions about Jamie’s fatherhood, even leading to a doctor once asking how he knew Ava.
On Nikki’s beauty channel, trolls often left harsh comments, while their family vlog celebrated diversity and positivity. “All the trolls hide in the beauty section,” Nikki admitted.
Cracks in the Marriage
Balancing fame with privacy eventually took its toll. By 2019, Jamie and Nikki had separated, though their divorce wasn’t finalized until 2023.
Jamie opened up in a YouTube video, alleging “abuse,” “violence,” and infidelity during their marriage. He claimed Nikki had secretly stayed in contact with an ex-boyfriend early in their relationship. He also revealed that he had since been diagnosed with PTSD, depression, and severe social anxiety.
“The reason Nikki and I broke up was I discovered she had been unfaithful,” Jamie said.
Nikki denied the allegations on Instagram, saying she was “extremely disappointed” in Jamie’s claims. She insisted she wanted to keep matters private for their daughters’ sake but felt compelled to speak out after his video. “Nothing I could do was right, and I was at fault for anything that went wrong in his life,” she wrote.
Life After Divorce
Today, Jamie describes himself as a YouTuber, adventurer, car enthusiast, and most importantly, a single father. He continues to share moments with Ava and Zoe, who are now six and eight years old.
Nikki also remains active online, balancing her career with motherhood. Despite their differences, both parents maintain a strong love for their daughters.
Moving Forward
Jamie and Nikki’s journey—once a public fairytale—turned into a painful reminder that appearances can be deceiving. Yet their devotion to Ava and Zoe shines through the heartbreak.
