{{Short description|British social media personality}} [[File:Nikki Lilly 3.jpg|right|thumb|Lilly at the ''Caught Stealing'' premiere in London, August 2025]] '''Nicole Lilly Christou''' (born 22 July 2004; known professionally as '''Nikki Lilly''') is a British charity campaigner, social media personality, model, and television presenter. Christou was awarded the International Emmy Kids Awards in 2019, for her episode of the CBBC series ''My Life'', ''Nikki Lilly Meets'', ''Nikki Lilly Bakes''. She has appeared in Celebrity Supply Teacher doing a lesson on vlogging<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47895442|title=Nikki Lilly: YouTube campaigner wins International Emmy Kids Award for My Life show - CBBC Newsround|access-date=2019-12-01|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thechildrensmediaconference.com/profile/nikki-lilly-2/|title=Nikki Lilly Profile {{!}} CMC 2019|website=The Children's Media Conference (CMC)|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref> and is the youngest ever recipient of the BAFTA Special Award.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-50422275/youtube-star-nikki-lilly-to-be-given-bafta-special-award|title=YouTube star Nikki Lilly: 'Social media isn't reality'|work=BBC News |language=en-GB|access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref> In 2016, Christou received the Child of Courage award at the Pride of Britain Awards.
==Early life== Christou is from Enfield, London.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parikiaki.com/2013/08/remarkable-nikki-from-enfield-is-rewarded-for-bravery-with-national-wellchild-award/|title=Remarkable Nikki Christou from Enfield is rewarded for bravery with national WellChild Award|work=Parikiaki|date=28 August 2013|accessdate=7 March 2025}}</ref> She is of Greek Cypriot and Indian descent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b0e74d775f9eefeadca6f6e/t/5ef09d7e2814402a19ec0399/1592827264258/Lesson+2+Inspirational+or+Ordinary+Lesson+Presentation.pdf|title=Who is Nikki?|work=Inspirational or Ordinary?|accessdate=7 March 2025|page=5}}</ref> At age six, Christou was first diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a rare medical condition that has required treatment with numerous operations, and which has visibly changed her physical appearance. She missed 4 months of primary school and went to the United States multiple times for treatment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bafta.org/media-centre/press-releases/nikki-lilly-to-receive-bafta-special-award|title=Nikki Lilly To Receive BAFTA Special Award|date=2019-11-14|website=www.bafta.org|language=en|access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref>
== Media work == Christou first became known for her YouTube videos, which she started making at the age of eight, to share her experiences of living with a 'visible difference'.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-02-11 |title=Vlogger Nikki Lilly on filming TV show about living with chronic illness |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/nikki-lilly-this-morning-interview-cbbc-my-life-episode-chronic-illness-vlog-a8773996.html |access-date=2019-12-01 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> Her YouTube channel covers topics including living with a chronic illness, bullying, mental health, baking and beauty.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-02-11 |title=Vlogger Nikki Lilly on filming TV show about living with chronic illness |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/nikki-lilly-this-morning-interview-cbbc-my-life-episode-chronic-illness-vlog-a8773996.html |access-date=2019-12-01 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>
Christou has been the subject of two episodes of the CBBC documentary series ''My Life'': ''Born to Vlog'', and ''I Will Survive''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.parikiaki.com/2019/02/cbbcs-i-will-survive-follows-uk-cypriot-nikki-lilly-christou-as-she-goes-through-her-toughest-surgery-yet/|title=CBBC's I Will Survive follows UK Cypriot Nikki Lilly Christou as she goes through her toughest surgery yet|date=2019-02-09|website=Parikiaki|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref> In 2016, Christou won the fourth series of the ''Junior Bake Off'' competition,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thechildrensmediaconference.com/profile/nikki-lilly-2/|title=Nikki Lilly Profile {{!}} CMC 2019|website=The Children's Media Conference (CMC)|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref> and in 2018 Christou started presenting the CBBC show ''Nikki Lilly Meets...'', in which she interviews politicians and celebrities including tennis player Andy Murray and former Prime Minister Theresa May.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/kdz4ff/nikki-lilly-meets-episode-guide/|title=Nikki Lilly Meets Series and Episode Guides {{!}} TV from RadioTimes|website=Radio Times|language=en|access-date=2019-12-01}}{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> For her work on her CBBC show ''My Life: Born to Blog'', she was nominated for a BAFTA award, and won 2018 Emmy Award for Best Factual Program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nikki Lilly |url=https://www.butterflyavmcharity.org.uk/nikki-lilly/ |access-date=2025-11-17 |website=The Butterfly AVM Charity |language=en-GB}}</ref>
At the 2025 TikTok Awards UK & Ireland, she was honored as "Fashion & Beauty Creator of the Year".<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 November 2025 |title=Introducing the Winners of the TikTok Awards UK & Ireland 2025 with headline Partner Sky |url=https://newsroom.tiktok.com/introducing-the-winners-of-the-tiktok-awards-uk-ireland-2025-with-headline-partner-sky?lang=en-GB |website=newsroom.tiktok.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TikTok Awards UK and Ireland 2025 live updates: 'Career ladder' Max Klymenko crowned Creator of the Year |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c1lqyq7y4pnt |access-date=2025-11-17 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Modeling == In May 2025, Christou partnered with L'Oréal to model on the red carpet at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-05-25 |title=BTS In Cannes, with Nikki Lilly |url=https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2025/05/25/nikki-lilly-cannes/ |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=Wonderland |language=en-GB}}</ref> In October 2025, she walked the runway at Paris Fashion Week for Matières Fécales' Spring 2026 show.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nikki Lilly Makes Her Runway Debut at Paris Fashion Week During the Matières Fécales Show: 'Feels Like History' |url=https://people.com/nikki-lilly-makes-her-runway-debut-at-paris-fashion-week-11822951 |access-date=2025-11-17 |website=People.com |language=en}}</ref> That year, she also modeled for Acne Studios' Spring 2026 show.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Getting Acne Studios Ready With Nikki Lilly |url=https://www.papermag.com/nikki-lilly-acne-studios |access-date=2025-11-17 |website=PAPER Magazine |language=en}}</ref>
== Activism == Christou and her parents set up The Butterfly AVM Charity to raise awareness of AVM, raise funds for research into the condition, and to support sufferers and their families.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://enablemagazine.co.uk/embracing-differences-nikki-lilly/|title=Embracing our differences with Nikki Lilly {{!}} Enable Magazine {{!}} The UK's leading disability and lifestyle magazine|last=Magazine|first=Enable|date=2018-12-21|website=Enable Magazine|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.butterflyavmcharity.org.uk/|title=The Butterfly AVM Charity is the first specific AVM charity in the UK.|website=The Butterfly AVM Charity|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-01}}</ref>
In 2024 Christou became a patron of Face Equality International, an alliance of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), charities and support groups which are working at national, regional or international levels to promote the campaign for ‘face equality’. In March 2025 Nikki spoke at the United Nation Human Rights Council about her experiences of facial differences.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMqxKGz16cs |title=Digital creator Nikki Lilly speaks about facial difference to the UN Human Rights Council {{!}} HRC58 |date=2025-03-10 |last=UN Human Rights Council |access-date=2025-10-16 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lilly, Nikki}} Category:Living people Category:2004 births Category:British Academy of Film and Television Arts winners Category:British women television presenters Category:English people of Greek Cypriot descent Category:English people of Indian descent Category:International Emmy Award winners Category:Television personalities from the London Borough of Enfield Category:Television presenters with disabilities Category:YouTubers from London Category:Models from London