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Leighton Clarke and Olivia Campbell

PHOTO: TOM LEE/STUFF

Leighton Clarke, 27, (Nga¯ti Maniapoto) otherwise known as Uncle Tics, is the second most followed TikTok user in New Zealand, with 3 million global fans, his videos often discuss life with Tourette’s (he also featured on the show Living with Tourette’s). Leighton has been with his partner Olivia Campbell, 24, a nurse, for five years. The couple flat with three others in Hamilton.

LI was diagnosed with Tourette’s when I was 9, and I also have ADHD and OCD. So it’s not easy being in a relationship with me! But Livvy has never noticed my illness – she’s never judged me the way some other people do. When we got together, she knew what she was getting into. It isn’t easy living with someone with Tourette’s, but Livvy has a heart of gold.

We met at Countdown Claudelands in 2016. I was working as a videographer, but that work wasn’t full-time, so I spent three days a week as a checkout operator. Livvy was my supervisor and we became good mates, so I didn’t think of her in terms of a girlfriend at all.

I ended up crashing her 19th birthday party and realised there was something more. She’s definitely my type – a pretty blonde with the most amazing eyes! I’m really close to my mum and about eight or nine months into my friendship with Livvy, I called Mum and said, this one’s a keeper.

But Livvy friend-zoned me, and it took a while before she moved me from friend to boyfriend.

I was flatting with a group of mates in central Hamilton and Livvy was living at home with her parents to save money. She finally moved in 10 months ago and it’s been great. We love having flatmates, but often talk about one day buying a house and having a family.

Livvy is a nurse, so she’s really caring and respectful. She has the perfect personality for her job. To be honest, Livvy is probably the calmest and most laid-back person I know – she’s totally the opposite to me. But she helps balance out that side of my personality. It also means we never argue – we might have disagreements, but Livvy is so laid back they never turn into an argument.

Livvy is the most organised person I know – she’s the sort of person who hates being late for anything. With my OCD I can be like that too, so we’re a good mix in that respect. Because of my tics, I’m pretty high maintenance. For example, I make a mess when cooking, so Livvy does most of that, and I help clean. My OCD really comes out in terms of cleaning!

The only negative thing I can say about

Livvy is that she buys too many clothes and then promises she’s going to donate some of them, but they sit on the floor for months.

That annoys me. Livvy works shifts so sometimes, with my work, we don’t see each other that much. Whenever I can, I arrange my schedule so that we can be together.

OBefore training as a nurse, I was studying hairdressing for a year, which is when I met Leighton. I worked part-time at Countdown as a supervisor, so I was his boss.

I’d never met anyone with Tourette’s before, but my first impression of Leighton was someone really funny who made everyone laugh. He would take the p... out of me, doing things like untying my shoelaces when I had to go to his till.

His illness has never bothered me. What does bother me is when people stare. We were having lunch in Raglan and this guy across the room kept staring at Leighton. It’s so rude and it really annoys me. I want to say something to them, but it’s not really who I am.

Friends told me Leighton liked me, but I considered him a friend. One night he asked me to go see a band, Sticky Fingers, he was touring with and filming. I didn’t know who they were, but we had a great night. We both had to work at the supermarket the next day, so Leighton stayed at my house.

We’ve been together ever since. I’ve never lived anywhere but my parents’ house, so it was a bit of a change moving in with Leighton.

My initial attraction to Leighton was because of his bubbly personality, but he’s also good-looking and funny – there isn’t a day goes by that he doesn’t crack me up. Our relationship is so strong because we were friends first, but I still get that butterflies feeling in my stomach when I look at him.

I’m quite shy, whereas Leighton is incredibly social. That’s good because he brings me out of myself and helps me feel less uncomfortable in situations with lots of people. When they were filming the television show (Living With Tourette’s), I was fine until the cameras started rolling, then I didn’t know what to say.

We also balance each other out when it comes to the way we experience life. Leighton can tend to get fiery and feisty about things whereas I’m more easy going. I’ll say to him, why are you wasting so much energy on that?

His OCD will come out in things like vacuuming – he’ll get home at 3am and start vacuuming. His ADHD will kick in when he starts something and then wanders off to do something else. But that’s just who he is.

I’m so proud of Leighton and the way his videos have taken off. It’s crazy – he’s got so many followers on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook who love what he’s doing. When he was verified on Instagram we all sat around saying

we’re in the presence of a celebrity!

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2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/283102777200196

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