The young party-goer who became an internet sensation for his Lego-style haircut while dancing in Ibiza is fighting to save his relationship to his model girlfriend – after she unceremoniously dumped him as he partied on the White Isle.
Jack Kay, 26, nicknamed ‘Ibiza Bob’ after his distinctive razor-sharp bowl haircut went viral, was reportedly told it was over by glamorous girlfriend Alisha Cook just days into his trip.
Alisha, 23, a debt collector, from Co Durham, is said to have been so angry with Mr Kay raving in Ibiza she dumped him before footage spread online and propelled him to viral stardom as the ‘Ibiza final boss’.
They have since reconciled, but a source close to Mr Kay said he was ‘skating on thin ice’ over his partying ways.
A friend of Mr Kay’s told the Daily Mail: ‘Alisha called it off when Jack went to Ibiza with the lads.
‘They’d been together for almost a year and he was living at her place but things hadn’t been right for months.
‘His car is still on her drive, she threw all his clothes in the back of it. She doesn’t want him around anymore.
‘She’s had inklings that something was not right for a while. She just wants to wash her hands of him.
‘Alisha is so beautiful. No one is quite sure what she saw in him.’
The friend added: ‘It’s hard to believe that he’s been branded the super king of Ibiza – the final boss – when she’s been left on her own back here.’
When Mr Kay sprung to viral fame after being filmed dancing on the party island, donning a gold chain and baby pink cup, Alisha revealed herself publicly as his girlfriend.
She shared a series of TikTok videos captioned ‘POV (point of view) ya boyfriends now known as Ibiza final boss’.
In the clips, blonde-haired Alisha was seen cuddled up to Mr Kay, with him kissing her on the cheek.
However, the friend claimed that Alisha had only posted the video ‘to boost her TikTok’ and that she had already handed out her marching orders.
She has subsequently deleted her presence on social media after Mr Kay’s sudden fame.
Mr Kay, whom the Daily Mail revealed is the son of a career criminal jailed for armed robbery, is thought to want to continue the relationship.
And his new-found celebrity – which PR experts believe could lead to huge riches for the Newcastle car dealer – may also appear to have given him a second chance at love.
When approached, Alisha insisted: ‘All I want to say is, I love him, we’re back together.’
Mr Kay returned briefly to the North East on Wednesday night for a fresh £26 haircut at his local barber’s – before flying out of Newcastle airport 24 hours later on a private jet.
He was accompanied by his crew of four other friends, who all posed for a picture in front of the Cessna plane.
It is not known who funded the private flight, which landed in Barcelona, but one follower quipped online: ‘Big man’s gone from Easyjet to private jet in the space of a week.’
Posting a picture inside the jet, with his thick gold chain and signature beard trim on display, Mr Kay wrote: ‘Ibiza we on way, let’s get this party started.’
Mr Kay had earlier addressed his new-found fame on Instagram, describing himself as ‘just a normal person from Newcastle’.
He thanked fans for their support, saying: ‘It’s a lot to take in at the moment. Stay locked in, got some big news coming.’
Fans have compared Mr Kay’s unique look to Ringo Starr, a Lego man, monks and a coconuts, One internet wag described the cut as a ‘short back and Battle of Hastings’.
Derived from video games, a ‘final boss’ has come to mean the best or ultimate example of something.
It typically refers to the most difficult opponent at the end of a game, who is normally stronger than, and unique from, other enemies players face.
In the case of Jack Kay – with his gleaming teeth, heavy duty jewellery, perfectly manicured beard and unique haircut – it means, jokingly, that he has come to represent the absolute crux of a typical Ibiza partygoer.
His barber Ali Kurbani revealed: ‘To get this style, Jack asks for a medium skin fade and then a bit of length of the top.’
The key to creating the crisp shape is to ‘keep the fringe sharp at the front,’ Mr Kurbani, master-barber at B&D Barbers, in Newcastle, said.
Brands have meanwhile rushed to cash in on the meme on social media.
Retailer Currys shared an image depicting Mr Kay as a Henry Hoover, while bakers Greggs shared a photoshopped version of its gingerbread man.
Elsewhere, package holiday firm On The Beach – with whom Mr Kay booked his Ibiza trip – is depicting his mop-top as a parasol in a series of new adverts it is rolling out on advertising billboards.
Kay’s own social media following has exploded. His TikTok – labelled ‘IBIZA FINAL BOSS’ – has already picked up nearly 20,000 followers, while a newly created Instagram has 27,000.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede told the Daily Mail that Mr Kay stands to earn six figures in the next 12 months alone – between nightclub appearances at home and abroad and potential brand deals.
He has appointed talent agent Dave Read, whose firm Neon Management are credited with making reality star Joey Essex a millionaire.
But Mr Kay has also inspired a series of imitators in what appear to be cryptocurrency scams, launching what look to be unauthorised ‘meme coins’ bearing his face.
One such account, which used AI generated images of Kay’s face, shared a video appearing to suggest he had tattooed his own face on his leg.