Shameless Star Jody Latham Now A Multi-Millionaire With £18m Empire

An actor who made his name as a smart-mouthed tearaway in Shameless says he now owns a cosmetic business worth £18 million.

Jody Latham hit our screens back in the early 2000s as Philip 'Lip' Gallagher, but seven years after the series last aired in the UK, the actor is flying high in the beauty industry.

And the 38-year-old recently signed a £9.5million deal with a firm in South Korea to distribute dermal fillers for cosmetic treatments.

Speaking to The Mirror about how his new career began, Jody said: "I became friends with an extra.

"Years later I saw she was giving Botox and I said, 'Jab me up.'

"I felt so good. I thought, 'There's got to be an in into this industry.' I wanted to make people feel this good."

And after opening up a string of clinics, Jody set up distribution company Epitique.

But he has learnt from his past mistakes of splashing the cash and now puts all the money he makes back into the business.

He added: "I live in two-bed flat and drive a modest car. I'm pumping everything back into the company.

"It's valued at £18 million. We'll see where we are in a couple of years.

"I've had money before but not in my hands long enough. After series one of Shameless, I went with my first wage of £21,000 and bought an Audi convertible. I didn't even think of rent or food."

Despite his success, though, Jody said he hasn't given up on his acting career.

He said: "I had a fantastic career and hope there's more to come."

Earlier this year, Jody revealed that he had contracted Covid-19.

Speaking at the time, he said: "I was tested straight away. I isolated until I got the results and when I got the results I couldn't believe it, it was such a shock.

"You're as anxious as anything thinking the worst.

"Some people haven't been that fortunate to get over it. It's a brutal time we're in.

"I'm in lockdown with my family and we all had to quarantine."

He added: "I just pray we don't have to go through this again in our lifetime."

Following his experience, the actor said he aimed to donate 100,000 face masks to care homes and charities across the North West, through his company Safe and Protect UK.

He explained: "Previously my background has been in cosmetics and aesthetics distributions, besides acting.

"Because of the Covid-19 outbreak my suppliers and a lot of people in the industry turned their attentions to PPE.

"We're giving 100,000 masks away and it's first come, first served.

"Come on the website and there's an option to apply for up to 1,000 free three-ply disposable face masks for you and your charity. All we need is the charitable number and if it's a trust we can get the registered trust number.

"Be it a care home or charity shop, if you need them for your customers or for staff so they can serve customers, please get in touch with us."

Topics: UK News, Business, TV and Film, Coronavirus, Politics, Health, Covid-19

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

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