STANDING in her bathroom as she spoke to her Instagram followers, top influencer Sydney May Crouch suddenly broke down in tears.
Just a few weeks earlier, she’d seemed to have it all: the expensive car, the mortgage-free home, almost one million followers, and the perfect family with her partner of six years, Cassius Straughn. But behind the glossy facade, Sydney’s relationship had imploded. And now, insiders reveal she has been struggling after uncovering a devastating secret about her ex.
Sydney, 28, from Hertfordshire – who first hit YouTube in 2017 as part of a duo with her best pal of 20 years, Ellie Jarret – announced her split with 26-year-old Cassius at the beginning of January.
Insiders say the pair had been going through a rough patch as Cassius prioritised his new career as a gym owner above the needs of his family, but they were determined to keep things civil and co-parent their daughters, Ocean, two, and five-month-old Soul.
Last week, however, Sydney posted the heartbreaking video in which she tearfully said she was “healing all over again” after a bombshell message from another girl.
An insider told us: “Syd is pretty sure he cheated. She had a gut feeling, but didn’t think Cass would do that to her while she was pregnant with her second.
“But then she was messaged by another girl, and that was all she needed to hear.
“She’s absolutely heartbroken and really angry with the way she’s been treated. They have a family, and she’s not impressed by his immaturity.”
Chatting to her fans in her broadcast channel on Instagram, Sydney let rip about her ex.
She said: “This is a different kind of breakup now, some things have come to light, and in no way are me and my ex on good terms now.
“If you f with me, then you know where his unfollow button is.
“Ladies, your gut never lies and the truth always comes out. I hope that brings someone comfort as I always had trust in this story and it hasn’t let me down.
“Also please always be girls girls. If you EVER have some information on a man (or manchild) bring it to people’s attention.”
Sydney added: “It’s come to my attention that someone’s not happy with my broadcast message. Well, well, well, I’m not happy to be a single parent family and to have found out what I have recently, but life goes on!”
The former couple, who met as teens in 2014 through Sydney’s cousin, got together in 2019, with Sydney once describing their relationship using the ‘invisible string’ theory – the idea that two people are linked and pulled together, no matter what.
The insider told us: “We’re all really worried about her, she’s having to juggle two kids, an online career and now this breakup.
“At first, we thought they would get back together. They’re young, he’s started a new career at the wrong time, and he didn’t fully embrace being a dad, but then it all came out.
“Everything is a bit up in the air. There’s a lot of emotions involved, but Syd knows she doesn’t want to settle.”
The insider adds that after a rollercoaster of a month, Syd – who was recently spotted deep in conversation with Cassius at Flat Iron restaurant in London’s Shoreditch – is trying to stay positive. And, although the situation is complicated, she is even open to dating again.
It’s a sentiment she echoed to a TikTok troll, who commented: “It’s hard to move on with two kids for women…”
Sydney clapped back: “Not what the DMs are saying. All jokes aside, my nan is living proof.”
Meanwhile, Cass was spotted out partying in London, which apparently came as no surprise to Sydney. According to the insider, she has felt like a single parent for a long time.
Tragic Past
The split is just the latest devastating blow for Sydney, who has suffered a string of heartbreaks since childhood.
When she was just nine years old, she and her younger brother Joel lost their mum, Nikki Ramsey, following her 25-year battle with drug addiction.
Sydney, who was raised by her nan and grandad, rarely saw her mum and when she did, it was supervised visits with social workers.
Addicted to crack, ecstasy and heroin, Nikki was in and out of prison as she shoplifted to fund the deadly habit that would eventually claim her life.
Seven years after her mum’s death, Sydney faced heartbreak again after losing her beloved grandad to prostate cancer.
More recently, Sydney’s friendship with her original social media co-creator – and long-time friend – Ellie Jarrett fell apart in 2021 in the most public of manners.
The pair, who made frequent videos together, were each other’s biggest cheerleaders, building an audience of around 250,000 followers on their joint YouTube channel – then savagely unfollowing each other on Instagram and beginning separate social media careers.
Speaking about their 20-year friendship breakup, Syd alluded to their different priorities and personal changes, including her new role as a mum.
And despite likening it to grief for a life she once imagined, she has since dropped hints that she was the one who initiated the split.
Once their friendship breakdown was out in the open, rumours swirled -and most pointed to her boyfriend Cassius…
Whether Sydney and Cassius end up making their relationship work, there’s one thing we can be sure of: she’ll be documenting all the ups and downs for the fans along the way.
