Who is Big Manny? Meet the TikTok sensation starring in BBC's Horrible Histories spin-off
TikTok star Big Manny is putting his skills to the test in BBC's new series, brought to life by the team behind Horrible Histories.
Horrible Science premiered on CBBC on May 9, with the entire boxset available to stream on iPlayer. Like Horrible Histories, the new comedy show makes learning accessible for children through fast-paced sketches, all related to scientific topics.
Five of the fifteen episodes even feature themes that are on primary school curriculums, including outer space, motion, light and electricity.
Among its reoccurring cast, the show also has guest appearances from First Dates star Fred Sirieix and social media scientist Big Manny.
While viewers will be acquainted with Fred, this may be their first time seeing Manny on the big screen. Below, we delve into the viral sensation's life off screen.
Why is Big Manny famous?
Big Manny's real name is Emanuel Wallace, however he uses the moniker on his social media platforms. The BBC star started posting educational science videos on TikTok in 2021, when the COVID-19 lockdown had forced children into remote learning.
Having just graduated with a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, from the University of East London, Manny began working as a science technician in a secondary school. His stint at the school sparked the idea to start sharing videos online.
"I could see first-hand that students were struggling in science because of the lockdown," the Londoner told Chemistry World in 2023.
Four years on from his first post, he now boasts two million followers on TikTok and an additional 1.6 million on Instagram. His accolades don't stop there, Manny was recently honoured with the Education Creator of the Year award, at the inaugural TikTok Awards in December 2024.
The content creator appeals to young audiences by using colloquial London slang to explain complex scientific theories. Ultimately, he aims to demonstrate to young people that anyone can pursue a career in the science field, regardless of their background.
He opened up about the motivation behind his content to The Voice in 2024, saying: "So what I am trying to do with my platform is show young people that there are scientists out there that look like you, talk like you, dress like you, come from the same background as you.
"So if they can become a scientist then there is no reason why you can't as well."
Prince William link
Back in January, Manny shocked his followers with a royal guest star. During a visit to Nature Metrics, a research group that studies environmental DNA, Prince William joined the scientist for an experiment.
The royal described himself as "Manny's beautiful assistant," before showcasing a step-by-step guide on how to extract DNA from a strawberry. The short 48-second clip garnered over six million views on TikTok, and sent fans wild.
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