Rocky life of ‘next Justin Bieber’ Conor Maynard after pop career flopped, gunpoint robbery and Traitors baby scandal
CONOR Maynard thought he’d be dominating headlines with hit singles – not a baby scandal involving a star of The Traitors.
The singer, 31, was named as the father of Charlotte Chilton’s unborn child last week, as the reality star vowed not to make her daughter a “dirty secret”.
Conor has not commented on Charlotte’s claims about him being her baby’s father.
The pair met through Traitor’s winner Harry Clark, 23, who is dating Conor’s younger sister Anna, 23.
It’s a far cry from where Conor’s star seemed to be heading back in 2012, when he shot to fame with his single Can’t Say No.
The young upstart was tipped to be the “next Justin Bieber” because they both came up through YouTube singing covers and their own original songs.
But while superstar Justin has made millions and settled down with supermodel wife Hailey, with whom he is expecting his first child, Conor has navigated a rockier road to fame.
Over the last decade, he has struggled to get a song into the Top 40, been targeted in a horror gunpoint robbery and found himself in hot water after breaking lockdown rules.
His famous YouTuber brother, Jack, has courted controversy too, notoriously getting the boot from I’m a Celeb in 2017 after past homophobic Tweets were unearthed.
Success came early for Conor, who reached number two on the singles chart aged just 19, before bagging two more top ten hits.
His fame led to him taking part in a charity single for England’s 2014 World Cup song alongside Melanie C, Eliza Doolittle, Emma Bunton, Katy B, Kimberley Walsh, and Pixie Lott.
But his loyal online following of 3million Instagram followers and 13.6million subscribers on YouTube weren’t enough to keep him at the top of the charts.
Just three years after his initial success, Conor’s single Talking About didn’t even crack the top 40, and the album it was from, Covers, didn’t even rank in the UK.
Despite that, he’s still recording music and has high hopes.
He told a magazine in 2022: “Getting a Brit or a Grammy would be absolutely amazing – it would be a crazy thing to happen. Or even to be nominated! That would be sick, winning would be an added bonus.
“To do an arena tour one day would be amazing. Acting was something I loved doing before, so getting a role in a film would be great.”
Bad to worse
After Conor’s music career stalled, things for the Maynard family went from bad to worse when his younger brother headed into I’m A Celebrity in 2017.
After vile tweets Jack had posted years ago were unearthed, he was removed from the jungle and issued an apology.
He said: “Nothing can justify the language I used.”
I didn’t know what to do. It was honestly terrifying
Conor Maynard
The following year, Conor opted to hop across the pond and try his luck in the US on Broadway, in New York.
He landed the lead role of Charlie Price in Kinky Boots at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre and got positive reviews.
Before appearing on stage, he admitted he had basically no experience, saying: “The only thing I’ve ever done even close to this was when I was like nine years old and that was in a pantomime.”
His stint ran from November 2018 until the January 2019, when he went travelling and ended up in a truly horrifying situation.
Terrifying robbery
While travelling in the back of an Uber in São Paulo, Brazil, the singer was held at gunpoint during an attempted robbery.
Conor later shared: “I didn’t know what to do. It was honestly terrifying.
“The motorcyclist kept banging on my window and then all of a sudden there was a big shatter and there was a hole in the window.”
Despite not hearing a gunshot, Conor wondered if the gun had been fired, explaining: “Rather than the whole thing smashing there was a hole in the window, so I thought it was a gunshot.
Getting a Brit or a Grammy would be absolutely amazing – it would be a crazy thing to happen
Conor Maynard
“I’ve never been that close to a gun; I think he just hit through the glass.”
After returning to the UK, Conor found himself in hot water again for violating lockdown rules with his brother Jack and Made In Chelsea’s Miles Nazaire.
He was caught on video drinking and partying with 12 other people in May 2020 as well as performing Labrinth’s song Jealous on the keyboard.
Neither of the brothers or Miles commented on the party or breaking lockdown rules.
Romance struggles
Over the years, Conor has enjoyed a string of romances that he has largely managed to keep out of the spotlight – although he has written songs about them.
Talking to People about one of his relationships, he said: “We had built such an emotional connection.
“It went from something I thought was going to last for a very long time to something that was completely over. It was just such a shock to the system.
“I just wanted the time to take a step back from social media and get in the studio and not feel the pressure to make content.
Children, if you’re out there please reach out to me
Conor Maynard
“I wanted to put everything I was feeling into my music.”
Internet sleuths theorised that Conor was probably talking about Casa Amor bombshell Layla Al-Momani when she entered the Love Island villa in 2023.
She teased in her intro that she had a famous ex, and Conor appeared in photos on her Instagram.
Prior to Layla, Connor had been in a two-year relationship with model Victoria Tansey, but they split in 2016.
“It was very, very sad obviously but this break-up wasn’t a f*** you break-up, it was more of a mutual decision and having to do the right thing,” he told the Daily Star.
“We had to be adults and realise what was best for us at the time. There was no hatred or anything like that, it’s hard, though.”
The couple met in 2013 on a photoshoot and Conor fell head over heels, claiming he expected to be with her forever.
His heartbreak didn’t last long, and earlier this year he was linked to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola‘s daughter Maria.
The pair were spotted smooching at Chiltern Firehouse, but haven’t been seen together since.
Traitors winner Harry caught in middle
Traitors winner Harry Clark, 23, has found himself caught in the middle of Conor Maynard and Charlotte Chilton’s baby scandal.
Charlotte insisted that Harry – who is dating the singer’s younger sister Anna – had pressured her to attend The Traitors after-party and meet Conor, who fancied her.
A TV insider said: “People want Harry to take sides and are getting annoyed that he won’t.
“It’s an incredibly messy, tangled web of claims and counterclaims that has spun around The Traitors in the most unexpected way.
“The irony of it is not lost on any of those involved, either.
“Harry is doing his best to keep out of it, which is understandable — not least because he is blameless in the situation. But he is obviously associated with both the show and the Maynard family.
“And with every passing day, the plot seems to thicken.”
He’s currently dating a mystery brunette who he has been seen out and about with since the bombshell claim that he fathered a baby.
Conor has happily made jokes about his way with the ladies over the years, but some resurfaced jokes have come back to bite him.
In a video with YouTuber pal Caspar Lee trying out birth simulators, Casper joked: “You all know Conor Maynard, you know he’s damn well got some kids out there.”
Conor replied: “I’ve dabbled, I’ve dabbled.”
Joe added: “He doesn’t know where they are, but he’s got some kids.”
Conor replied: “Children, if you’re out there please reach out to me.”
He then joked that his “baby mums” would be watching him go through the pain, and “like me, you won’t be there.”