BOSH! is a duo of English vegan chefs from Sheffield consisting of Henry Firth and Ian Theasby.[2][3] They rose to fame in 2016 with the launch of their YouTube channel,[4] and have gone on to host the ITV1 television programme Living on the Veg[5] and author a number of books. Their eponymous vegan cookbook ranked fifth in the Sunday Times Bestsellers chart in 2018,[6] and is among the top 50 best-selling UK cookbooks of all time.[7]
BOSH! | |||||||
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Born |
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Occupation | Chefs | ||||||
YouTube information | |||||||
Channel | |||||||
Years active | 2016 – Present | ||||||
Genre | Cooking | ||||||
Subscribers | 166 thousand[1] | ||||||
Total views | 14.6 million[1] | ||||||
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Last updated: 6 May 2022 | |||||||
Website | bosh |
Early life
editFirth was born in Hackney, a district of East London, in April 1984. Son of a teacher and professor, he worked in the tech industry for 12 years after leaving Sixth Form, for various companies including Blacks, Arcadia Group and Drum&BassArena. Theasby was born in Sheffield in August 1984, he is the son of a nurse and a teacher. He worked in the fashion industry after leaving school, choosing not to attend university. Firth and Theasby's relationship began at the age of 11 when the pair attended High Storrs School in Sheffield.[8][9]
The pair became vegan in the mid-2010s: Theasby aimed to give something up each month and after an alcohol-free January, decided on giving up meat for February and additionally giving up dairy in March. The pair watched the documentary Cowspiracy together, after which Firth became vegan. They were concerned over the environmental impact of meat production.[10][11]
Career
editIn 2016, Firth and Theasby launched BOSH.TV,[4] a social media channel publishing videos of vegan cookery. The name BOSH! was chosen because it "sound[ed] fast and fun and the very opposite of fussy",[12] a mantra they took into their video production style. The duo adopted a camera style similar to that of other YouTube food brands like BuzzFeed Tasty, with the hope that the vegan nature of their content would help set them apart. BOSH's initial success came in the form of a 'healthy sushi cake' video, which hit 3.5m views on Facebook,[13] and a viral 'watermelon Jagerbomb' video which racked up 20 million views across all platforms.[14] A profile in The Times dubbed them "the vegan Jamie Olivers".[15]
In 2018, BOSH! released their first vegan cookbook of the same name. It became the UK's best-selling vegan cookbook of all time, and one of the 50 best-selling UK cookbooks.[16][7] It received a British Book Award and a PETA Vegan Food Award.[17][18] They subsequently published several further cookbooks and the book How to Live Vegan. Their first book reached 350,000 UK sales in 2018. By 2022, the pair had reached a million sales from books published in 60 countries in eight languages. At this point the revenue from UK print sales (excluding lockdown periods) was £6 million, from 600,000 sales.[19]
Alongside their range of cookbooks, Firth and Theasby brought BOSH! to British television screens in 2020 with their ITV1 show Living on the Veg.[5] The 10-part series[20] was ITV's first vegan cooking programme,[21] and featured a series of recipes cooked by Firth and Theasby and a guest who talks about food and their work.[20]
BOSH! have appeared on television programmes such as Good Morning Britain,[22] This Morning,[23][24] BBC Breakfast,[25] Sunday Brunch,[26] and The Today Show.[27][28] They were interviewed for BBC Radio 2 by presenters Claudia Winkleman[29] Michael Ball[30] and Jo Whiley.[31]
BOSH! products
editBOSH! launched a range of plant-based products into supermarkets nationwide across the UK.[32][33] The range of products includes cake mixes, savoury mixes, store cupboard products, sweet treats and ready meals, with the intention of encouraging individuals to adopt the vegan diet.[34]
As well as being stocked in all major UK supermarkets, BOSH! products are all available in Costa Coffee shops UK-wide.[35][36][37][38]
Books
edit- BOSH! (2018)
- Bish Bash BOSH! (2019)
- How to Live Vegan (2019)
- BOSH! Healthy Vegan (2019)
- Speedy BOSH! (2020)
- BOSH! on a Budget (2021)
- BOSH! Meat (2023)
Partnerships
edit- Brewdog – Released two BOSH! beers[39] and designed plant-based options for pub menus[40]
- Alpro – Ambassadors[41]
- Tesco – Launched Vegmas Christmas campaign[42][43]
- Kettle Chips – Launched first plant-based cheese and onion crisps[44][45]
- Vitalite – On-pack promotion for BOSH! METHOD – a plant based cooking course[46][47][48]
- AXA – AXA Start Up Angel Judges[49][50]
Awards and honours
edit- BOSH! – 2018 Best Book – PETA Vegan Food Awards
- BOSH! – Silver Nielssen Award for more than 250,000 UK copies sold
- BOSH! – British Book Awards 2019 Non-fiction: Lifestyle Book of the Year
- BOSH! – 2019 Marketing Strategy of the Year – British Book Awards (Nibbies)
- Speedy BOSH! – 2020 Best Vegan Cookbook – PETA Vegan Food Awards
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "About BOSH.TV". YouTube.
- ^ Blackledge, Richard (21 November 2019). "Sheffield's BOSH! to present their own TV series about vegan cookery". The Star. Sheffield. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ Scott, Catherine (26 January 2020). "Meet the vegan sensations from Sheffield who now have their own TV show". The Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ a b Morrisroe, Clare (9 June 2021). "How BOSH! have spent the last five years on a mission to make veganism cool". Metro. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ a b Carpani, Jessica (18 January 2020). "Waitrose apologises for offending vegans by advertising meat and dairy during ITV's first plant-based cooking show". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ Times, The Sunday. "Books: The Sunday Times Bestsellers of the Year, 2018". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ a b Smith, Rachel (6 July 2020). "BOSH! is officially in the top 50 UK cookbooks of all time after selling 300,000 copies". Vegan Food & Living. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Star Interview: The Sheffield friends with an online audience of millions for meat-free recipes that don't moralise". www.thestar.co.uk. 1 May 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Second helping of Bosh! boys as they launch new vegan cookery book in Sheffield tonight". www.yorkshirepost.co.uk. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Rose, Hilary (31 March 2018). "The Bosh! boys: the vegan Jamie Olivers". The Times. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ "Why there's never been a better time to try veganism". The Independent. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Jones, Eleanor (25 March 2018). "The mighty Bosh boys! Meet the YouTube superstars sharing their love of plant-based food". YOU Magazine. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Healthy Sushi Cake". Facebook. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Watermelon Jägerbomb Punch". Facebook. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Rose, Hilary. "The Bosh! boys: the vegan Jamie Olivers". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Chiorando, Maria (13 August 2018). "EXCLUSIVE: BOSH! Book Officially Bestselling Vegan Cookbook Ever". Plant Based News. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "British Book Awards: Sally Rooney's Normal People wins Book of the Year". The Irish Times. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ "PETA Vegan Food Awards 2018". People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ Bayley, Sian (6 January 2022). "HQ celebrates one million sales for BOSH! duo Firth and Theasby". The Bookseller. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ a b "BOSH! duo serve up vegan cookery show for ITV". The Bookseller. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Living on The Veg: First ITV Vegan Cooking Show Airs This Sunday". The Flexitarian. 9 January 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Gillett, Katy (22 February 2020). "'It's a progressive way to eat': 'Bosh!' cookbook duo on the future of veganism". The National. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "BOSH!'s vegan burger and flat fries". ITV. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ admin (22 June 2018). "The boys from Bosh giant vegan burrito recipe on This Morning". The Talent Zone. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Bestselling authors BOSH! support National Vegetarian Week 13–19 May". Vegetarian Society. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Sunday Brunch – This week's line up is looking 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Ross Noble, Kerry Howard & Kara Tointon will be around the table, along with Django Django who are performing at the end of the show. Guest chef Jo Pratt is cooking a creamy vegetarian pie, and the lads Ian & Henry from Bosh will be showcasing some of their incredible vegan desserts. Same time, same place 😉". Facebook. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Hamilton, Chloe (20 April 2018). "The boys behind vegan cooking channel Bosh! that attracts millions". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "BOSH! Brings Vegan to the Today Show!". Wholesome Culture – Blog. 18 May 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "BBC Radio 2 – Claudia on Sunday, BOSH!, BOSH! chat to Claudia about their new vegan cookbook". BBC. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "BBC Radio 2 – The Michael Ball Show, Thunder and BOSH!, BOSH! talk about Veganuary". BBC. 20 January 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "BBC Radio 2 – Jo Whiley & Simon Mayo, Bosh!, Jacqueline Wilson Confession, School Run Hacks". BBC. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Smith, Rachel (4 May 2020). "BOSH! launch new vegan cake range in UK supermarkets". Vegan Food & Living. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Jones, Eleanor (6 May 2020). "BOSH! vegan cakes are coming to a supermarket near you". YOU Magazine. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "BOSH! Launches Vegan Cake Range Into UK Supermarkets". Plant Based News. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Smith, Victoria (2 March 2021). "Costa partners with BOSH! to launch vegan Ultimate Chocolate Slice". Vegan Food & Living. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Costa Coffee And BOSH! Team Up To Launch Vegan Chocolate Cake – The Vegan Kind Blog". TheVeganKind. Retrieved 16 August 2022.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Enjoy a feel-good start to the New Year with Costa Coffee's new food menu!". Costa. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Gilliver, Liam (24 February 2021). "Costa Coffee Partners BOSH! To Launch 'Ultimate' Vegan Cake Slice, Says Insider". Plant Based News. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "BrewDog and BOSH! launches alcohol free vegan beer". The Metal Packager. 8 January 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Vithlani, Mansi (16 September 2020). "BOSH!'s Henry Firth and Ian Theasby: 'Small changes can make big differences'". The Vegan Review. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Alpro teams up with BOSH! to launch 'Plant Power Day'". Vegan Food & Living. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Chiorando, Maria (21 November 2018). "Tesco's Derek Sarno Partners BOSH! To Create 'Vegan Christmas Feast'". Plant Based News. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Tesco and Bosh Present "Vegmas" – vegconomist – the vegan business magazine". 26 November 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "BOSH! and Kettle Foods launch Vegan 'Sheese & Onion' Chips". Totally Vegan Buzz. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Kettle Chips x BOSH! 'Cheese or Sheese?'". Ciara O'Meara. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Parten, Susan. "Vitalite partners with Bosh! for on pack campaign". Food and Drink Technology. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Stein, Findlay (20 January 2020). "Bosh partners with Vitalite". Scottish Local Retailer Magazine. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ Paul, Kiran (21 January 2020). "Vitalite partners with vegan sensation BOSH! for new on-pack campaign". Asian Trader. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "AXA launches Startup Angel competition". AXA UK. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ "Entrepreneurs: win £25,000 to launch your business". Evening Standard. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.