‘Fish and Rice Cake’ Guy Looks Totally Different 18 Years Later

Danny Andrews, once known solely for his viral “fish and rice cake” diet clip from the 2007 BBC documentary Baby Faced Body Builders, has turned his meme fame into both a successful business and a love story. Now 35, the former teen bodybuilder has found lasting happiness with 29-year-old Sadie Bass, a social media manager from Bristol, whom he met while filming Channel 4’s Love Triangle.

Andrews gained notoriety as a 16-year-old when his rigid eating routine – eating fish and rice cakes multiple times daily – became an internet phenomenon. However, backlash from the viral clip pushed him off social media for several years.

More recently, Danny returned to the public eye via appearances on First Dates, Celebs Go Dating, and ultimately Love Triangle—originally just a platform to promote his rice cake brand. But what started as a marketing move turned into something more: “I never expected to meet the love of my life, but Sadie is absolutely my soulmate,” Danny shared.

The couple had to keep their relationship private for seven months due to a non-disclosure agreement, but are now open about their romance. Sadie, who was initially unaware of Danny’s meme status, says she found out only after fans approached him for photos. “He awkwardly told me he was the ‘fish and rice cake guy’—I couldn’t stop laughing. I’m dating a legend!”

Danny, originally from Barrow-in-Furness and now based in Preston, says the unexpected pairing worked because the show stripped away their preconceptions. “She’s into poetry and not typically into gym lads like me, and I probably wouldn’t have approached her either if we met in a club,” he said. “But on the show, we clicked.”

Sadie will soon be moving in with Danny after a holiday to Tenerife. Meanwhile, his meme-inspired business, a protein rice cake company he co-founded with Zack McGuirk, is thriving. “I thought—why not make something good out of it?” Danny explained. The venture, launched in March last year, now employs five people and is eyeing supermarket distribution.

Danny says the tide has turned on public opinion: “At first, 80% of the comments were negative—that’s why I quit social media. Now, 80% are positive. People stop me for pictures and still remember me.”

From internet punchline to entrepreneur and reality TV success story, Danny Andrews is no longer just the “fish and rice cake guy”—he’s a man who turned a meme into a meaningful life.