Jodie Marsh: Tattle Life trolls destroyed her life as MPs vow to shut toxic site down

Jodie Marsh, 46, says trolls on the gossip site Tattle Life destroyed her life and cost taxpayers thousands, as MPs vow to shut down the toxic platform following testimony from hundreds of victims who say the abuse left them suicidal.

Tattle Life attracts about 12 million visitors each month and markets itself as exposing disingenuous influencers who monetise social media. But the site has frequently been used to target public figures and ordinary users alike, with vitriol directed at everyone from Mrs Hinch and Katie Price to mummy bloggers with smaller followings. In June 2025, the site’s owner, Sebastian Bond, was exposed after losing a defamation lawsuit filed by Neil and Donna Sands; they were awarded £300,000 in damages for years of harassment and stalking tied to the platform. Despite the ruling, the site remains online, and Marsh is among roughly 450 victims who have joined MPs and law enforcement in a bid to pressure its shutdown.

A Daily Mail profile of Marsh notes that she has largely retreated from the public eye in recent years to dedicate her time to Fripp's Farm, a sanctuary for animals. Yet trolls have repeatedly pursued her, making false allegations to police, HMRC, her local council and several animal charities. Marsh told the Daily Mail that the online mob has attacked every facet of her life—her appearance, her finances, and her integrity—often with doctored videos and photos and a dismissive belief by some that what appears on Tattle Life equates to fact. She says the stress has driven her to mental-health crises and multiple suicidal episodes, and she argues that hate speech laws should apply online as they do offline.

Over the summer Marsh was involved in a legal dispute with Uttlesford District Council over a wild animal licence for Fripps Farm Animal Rescue. The council blocked the application last year after hearing she had taken a baby meerkat and an owl to a pub, and after concerns about noise. Marsh appealed, and a judge granted the licence and ordered the council to pay costs of £19,641. In his ruling, Judge Williams noted considerable hostility between Marsh and some local residents but concluded she is a person who genuinely cares for her animals and that she had not harmed them. Marsh said the outcome was a win, but stressed that the stress of the case had taken a toll on her health and that the broader legal fight had cost residents significant time and money.

The Uttlesford council, for its part, stressed that the initial decision was made through a properly constituted process based on evidence presented, including input from Marsh. A spokesperson said the council has a duty to process licence applications and appeals in accordance with the law, and that the total legal costs, including appellant costs, were less than £35,000.

Marsh's account of the toll of Tattle Life is echoed by others who described in Parliament how private medical records were shared online, employers were contacted to try to have them fired, and homes were vandalised. VictimFocus's research found victims stalked by strangers, acquaintances and even medical professionals, all masked by anonymous profiles. At a Monday Parliamentary Roundtable chaired by Labour MP Apsana Begum, MPs, regulators such as Ofcom, legal experts and law enforcement gathered to discuss the harms perpetuated by platforms like Tattle Life and to consider potential regulatory or legislative responses. Begum said the testimonies presented to parliament underscored the need for decisive action to curb online abuse and protect vulnerable users.

Marsh also described direct threats to her safety after her address was published on Tattle Life. She said drones have flown over her home and that trolls used the platform to share access points to her property and the locations of her animals, prompting her to hire round-the-clock security. The harassment intensified during her mother Kristina Marsh’s 2020 death from cancer; Marsh recalled a user posting under the alias Marge’s Ghost with a profile photo of her late mother. She said the experience left her depressed, exhausted and reliant on antidepressants.

As the case and parental loss illustrate, the individuals harmed by online harassment say the consequences extend beyond digital space. Advocates argue that the real-world impacts—stalking, surveillance, reputational damage and threats—underscore the urgency of formal action against platforms that enable abuse. The fundraising and support for Fripps Farm continue, with Marsh inviting donations at www.frippsfarm.co.uk.