An amateur barber from Birmingham has gone viral by helping people with lockdown haircuts over social media.

Anthony Weir, a graphic designer at Creative Media Design, learned to cut his own hair before the lockdown and is now helping others via Instagram Live.


As the coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage the world and whole populations continue under quarantine and lockdown, people have have been trying to keep themselves motivated and positive in their homes while self-isolating.

Social media has become a huge platform for folk to publicize and share their skills with people during lockdown. Everything from keep fit sessions to music and poetry jams have taken YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram Live by storm.

One impact of the lockdown is the closure of barber shops which has resulted in people trying to find other solutions for haircuts.

While millions are chatting and posting pictures of their dishevelled lockdown looks and hashtags such as #LockdownHaircut and #QuaratineHaircut are trending on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, celebrities and individuals have been inspired to highlight their skills at cutting their partners’ hair.

Although he is not a professional barber by trade, Birmingham-based Anthony Weir has successfully cut his own hair for 15 years, including the hair of his immediate family members.

Anthony’s break into the Instagram spotlight came via his friend Asher Ray, a Birmingham DJ, who tagged him in a post from a Huddersfield couple.

Anthony was inspired to use social media to help people with haircuts during lockdownLensi Photography
Anthony was inspired to use social media to help people with haircuts during lockdown

Ms Simpson, a fitness trainer, was struggling to cut her partner Mark’s hair, and she asked the world of Instagram for help.

Anthony said: “When I first joined the Instagram live stream I thought it would be about a DJ set or something, as I’m also a DJ, and there have been so many DJ sets during lockdown.

“So I was a little puzzled to see a couple in their garden.

“You could see she didn’t know what she was doing. At one point she even put the clipper level on back to front.

“That would have been a disaster!”

Anthony joined the Instagram Live stream to assist with a haircut during lockdown Lensi Photography
Anthony joined the Instagram Live stream to assist with a haircut during lockdown

Anthony was aware the couple had never cut hair before.

He guided the couple through what clipper level to use, how to hold the shavers, what direction to cut the hair, and what hand movements to do.

He said: “I talked her through a whole lockdown haircut from fade, to shape up and bread trim.”

The online haircut session took Ms Simpson 3 hours in total, with friends joking they had managed to cook Sunday dinners and get all their household chores done while she was still cutting hair.

This joyful banter added a positive social mix to the online haircut session.

Anthony was very impressed with Ms Simpson’s concentration and dedication to perform the instructions he relayed via Instagram Live.

He said: “Judging by the photos online afterwards and comments during and after the live, people were impressed.

“She did really well.”

The BEFORE and AFTER pictures of the lockdown haircutSparkzz
The BEFORE and AFTER pictures of the lockdown haircut

Photographs of the BEFORE and AFTER the haircut were shared across social media and interest grew in Anthony’s skills.

The satisfied couple took to social media and left Anthony with some very positive feedback and testimonials.

Anthony’s online lockdown haircut for a couple who were a 100-miles away from Birmingham really caught the mood of the online community.

The interest began to grow and soon Anthony’s lockdown haircut for the Huddersfield couple went viral.

lockdown hair cut, instagram liveSparkzz
Mark took to social media thanked Anthony for the lockdown haircut

BBC Radio West Midlands, who had heard about the Instagram Live stream, contacted him for an interview.

People began to contact Anthony for more appointments for his special online barber skills.

Anthony realized that even with the government’s strict lockdown rules in place one could still offer a service via technology.

Anthony was interviewed by BBC Radio WM about his lockdown haircut skillsLensi Photography
Anthony was interviewed by BBC Radio WM about his lockdown haircut skills

This is the first time Anthony has ever attempted to help people cut hair online.

Anthony refuses to let the coronavirus pandemic dent his morale and positive outlook.

He feels inspired and is now actively looking forward to helping others during lockdown to cut their own hair, learn new skills, and have a much needed laugh in the process.


WATCH: Anthony conducts an Instagram lockdown haircut session


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