Before interviewing stars such as Jacob Elordi, Margot Robbie and Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jack Edwards was filming videos from a student bedroom in Durham.
The 27-year-old has become one of Britain's most successful online book creators.
He has built an audience of more than 1.4 million followers, and spends much of his time at major events, hanging out with VIPs.
His book reviews and reading recommendations have wowed literature fans, helping him find an online audience while studying at Durham University.
Now, years after arriving in the city as a student, Edwards has returned to the places that helped launch a career few could have predicted.
"This is such a trip down memory lane for me," he said in a video shared with followers.
"This is where it all started."
Jack Edwards outside St Cuthbert's Society Library during a return visit to Durham, reflecting on the city where he first began creating content. Picture: Jack Edwards/TikTok (Image: Jack Edwards on TikTok)
Edwards studied English Literature at Durham and began posting videos about student life while living at St Cuthbert's Society.
What started as simple university vlogs documenting lectures, essays, revision and everyday student experiences quickly attracted viewers from across the country.
Standing outside his former first-year accommodation during his return visit, he pointed to the room where his online journey began.
"This is where I lived in my first year of university, where I first started making content. That was my bedroom up there."
He added: "I cried many times over essays that did not warrant crying about."
Those early videos proved transformative.
Edwards was the first member of his family to attend university and initially built his following by giving viewers an insight into student life in Durham.
Over time, his focus shifted towards books and reading, helping him establish himself as one of the leading voices in the BookTok and BookTube communities.
Today, his content reaches millions of readers worldwide.
Alongside reviewing books and discussing literary culture online, he has interviewed major celebrities and authors, including actors Jacob Elordi, Margot Robbie and Daisy Edgar-Jones, while also hosting events linked to some of literature's biggest prizes.
Despite the international success, much of the video focused on the city where his career first took shape.
Among the locations Edwards revisited was St Cuthbert's Society library, where he volunteered as a student.
"This is evidence that at one point I was an actual librarian because I used to volunteer at the Cuth's library and my job was basically just providing refreshments," he said.
"But I think that's crucial actually."
The tour also took in Palace Green, where he celebrated the completion of his degree.
"And at the end of uni, this right here is where I graduated. This is Palace Green," Jack said.
Looking back on his studies, Edwards recalled attending lectures on the Anglo-Saxon scholar Bede, whose shrine can be found in nearby Durham Cathedral.
He added: "I used to take lectures in this building right here about a writer called Bede, who is buried in the cathedral next door. That is crazy."
He also shared one of his favourite pieces of Durham folklore, recounting the legend of the dun cow that is said to have guided travellers to the site where the city was founded.
The final stop on the tour was the house where he lived in his final year at university.
"I kind of feel a bit like a real estate agent being like, this house in sunny Durham," he joked.
"But this house in sunny Durham is actually where I lived in my final year of university, in that bedroom right there."
As cathedral bells rang out across the city, Edwards reflected on his return.
"Wow, that was magical," he said.
"That concludes our tour of Durham."
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For many followers, it was a glimpse into the origins of a creator who now interviews Hollywood stars and helps shape online reading trends.
For Durham, it was a reminder that one of the internet's most influential literary voices first found his audience in a university bedroom overlooking the cathedral city.