British YouTuber criticised for ‘Hong Kong no money’ video series
- Simon Wilson’s three-part series shows him sneaking onto public transport without paying and conning McDonald's staff into giving him free food
- Videos have caused mixed reactions in a city where 1.3 million people live below the poverty line
A British vlogger has caused a stir online after visiting Hong Kong and filming a series of videos in which he claims to have navigated the city without spending any of his own money. Self-described entrepreneur and YouTuber Simon Wilson, who is from Wales, posted a three-part video series titled “Hong Kong no money” after he and a friend spent three days exploring Hong Kong Island last month.
As well as receiving food and assistance from Wilson’s fans and other members of the public, the pair also brag about sneaking onto public transport without buying tickets, and seemingly deceive McDonald’s staff into giving them free food.
Wilson gained notoriety in 2017 after he claimed to have sneaked into the Emmy Awards in the United States by pretending to be a photographer. The 27-year-old’s trademark “no money” clips involve him visiting cities around the world and seeking free accommodation, activities, food and transport. In the Hong Kong videos, he is joined by his subscriber Peter Jones, a fellow YouTuber from the Isle of Man, a British dependency in the Irish Sea.
The pair begin their three-day expedition by accepting food from a group of domestic workers who are having a picnic in Central. They meet one of Wilson’s Hong Kong subscribers, who advises the men on how to get through MTR turnstiles without paying.
Wilson next stages an interaction familiar to his subscribers, entering a McDonald's and claiming to have received the wrong order. The staff ask to see his receipt, which Jones claims they have lost. In the end, the pair receive two burgers and a drink.