YouTube Star Zoella Takes A Break From The Internet Following Ghostwriting Row

    Her boyfriend, Alfie Deyes, announced that he wouldn't be posting online for a few days either.

    Richard James
    by Richard James

    BuzzFeed News Reporter, UK

    Zoe Sugg, aka Zoella, has announced that she is taking a few days away from the internet following confirmation that her bestselling novel was ghostwritten.

    Luke Macgregor / Reuters

    Publishing house Penguin confirmed over the weekend that a team was used to help the British YouTube star write Girl Online.

    “To be factually accurate, you would need to say Zoe Sugg did not write the book Girl Online on her own,” the publisher told the Sunday Times.

    The revelation provoked a debate over the use of ghostwriters and to what degree celebrities should acknowledge any help they may have received.

    On Monday afternoon, Sugg announced to her followers on Twitter that she was taking a break from the internet.

    Zoë @ZozeeBo

    Bare with me on vlogmas. I'm taking a few days out and off the internet because it's clouding up my brain. Thanks for understanding <img src="http://twemoji.maxcdn.com/36x36/2764.png">

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    Her boyfriend, fellow YouTube star Alfie Deyes, announced that he wouldn't be vlogging for a while either.

    Alfie Deyes @PointlessBlog

    Just to let you know :) Zoë and I are going to take a few days out of daily vlogging to have some time to our selves x

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    Alfie Deyes @PointlessBlog

    We've both been so busy recently working on different things so a little break will do us good as we haven't spent proper time together x

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    Alfie Deyes @PointlessBlog

    Thanks for understanding! <3

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    Sugg, who suffers from anxiety, has taken breaks from her YouTube channel in past. Here she is talking about a previous incident:

    Vine
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    vine.co

    The Brighton-based online star has suffered from panic attacks since she was 14 and told BuzzFeed News people sent her abuse in the past over her anxiety.

    On Sunday, the 24-year-old uploaded this message to Twitter as a response to reports of her use of a ghostwriter.

    Zoë @ZozeeBo

    This might answer some of your tweets! X

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    Author Siobhan Curham is believed to be one of those who helped Sugg write the bestselling novel after being named in the acknowledgements. On Sunday she was thanking people on Twitter who were offering their support.

    Siobhan Curham @SiobhanCurham

    @NicoleBurstein thank you so much - very much appreciated right now x

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    Penguin announced last week that Girl Online had recorded the largest ever first-week sales for a debut book in the UK.

    Luke Macgregor / Reuters

    A number of Sugg's fans in England and Scotland were recently overcome with emotion at meeting the YouTube star during a book tour.

    Sugg has around 9 million subscribers to her two YouTube channels.

    Sugg returned to Twitter on Monday evening to criticise coverage of her announcement about spending a few days offline.

    Deyes also hit out at those suggesting he had quit YouTube.

    Zoë @ZozeeBo

    The stuff press write about it literally ridiculous! I AM NOT QUITTING YOUTUBE. Yet again, twisting stuff to gain views. Sad.

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    Alfie Deyes @PointlessBlog

    Having to turn off my comments as some of you love to make up rumours that I've 'quit' youtube... Im allowed a few days break if I want to x

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