Kevin Stephens
Kevin Alexander Stephens (born 28 July 1984), known professionally as Stevo the Madman, is an English internet personality, actor, and former professional footballer who played as a defender.[1][2] Stephens pursued a football career from 2001 to 2009, representing clubs such as Leyton Orient, Boreham Wood, Redbridge, Enfield, and Newport County, primarily in lower-tier English leagues including League Two.[1][2][3] After retiring from the sport, he transitioned to social media, achieving prominence on Snapchat through raw, comedic vlogs and daily life content that amassed over one million subscribers and established him as a key early influencer on the platform.[2][4] In addition to online content creation, Stephens has appeared in acting roles, including in the films Are We Dead Yet (2019) and Get in the Van (2022), and has worked as a brand presenter for companies like JD Sports.[5][4] A father of three daughters, he has also explored music production in the grime genre.[6]Early life
Youth and entry into football
Kevin Stephens was born on 28 July 1984 in Enfield, England.[3] Growing up in the London area, he developed an interest in football from a young age, though specific details of his pre-professional playing experience in local or amateur clubs remain undocumented in available records. Stephens entered professional football as a trainee with Leyton Orient in 2001, at the age of 16.[7] The club, competing in the Football League Third Division at the time, provided his initial platform in organized senior-level development, where he trained as a defender. By the 2002-2003 season, he had forced his way into first-team consideration, making four league appearances for the side.[8]Professional playing career
Leyton Orient
Stephens began his professional football career with Leyton Orient, joining the club as a youth trainee in July 2001.[9] He had previously been associated with Queens Park Rangers.[10] In May 2003, at age 18, Stephens signed his first professional contract with Orient, a Third Division side at the time.[10] His opportunities in the first team were limited, with the defender featuring sparingly in league matches during the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons. On 16 September 2003, he was loaned to non-league Billericay Town for one month, having made just one substitute appearance in the Third Division that season.[11] Later in the 2003–04 campaign, under caretaker manager Martin Ling, Stephens was placed on the transfer list owing to his lack of playing time.[12] Interest from clubs like Cambridge United was short-lived.[13] His contract with Orient was ultimately cancelled by mutual consent in June 2004, marking the end of his association with the club after three years.[10]Newport County
Kevin Stephens signed for Newport County on 18 July 2008 following a period without a club.[3] Playing primarily as a central defender, he quickly established himself as a key figure in the team's backline during the 2008–09 season in the Conference South.[14] In September 2008, amid squad reshaping under manager Dean Holdsworth, Stephens was released alongside midfielders Anthony Church and Dave Collins ahead of an FA Cup match.[15] He was subsequently re-signed by the club later that season, continuing to feature in defensive roles.[16] Stephens' tenure ended abruptly in March 2009 following a league match against Bath City on 18 March. During the game, Bath striker Stuart Douglas endured racist abuse from a small group of Newport County supporters, prompting Stephens, then aged 24, to express profound disgust.[17] He informed the club he would refuse to play for them again, citing the incident as the final straw after prior concerns, and departed permanently.[18] The episode drew local media attention, with calls for genuine fans to address such behavior to protect the club's reputation.[18]Career statistics
Kevin Stephens recorded limited professional appearances during his brief Football League career. All of his documented league matches occurred with Leyton Orient in what was then League Two (now EFL League Two), totaling 4 appearances (2 starts and 2 as substitute) with no goals scored between the 2001–02 and 2003–04 seasons.[19] Alternative records indicate a total of 8 appearances across competitions for Leyton Orient, also without goals.[20] Comprehensive statistics for his time at non-league clubs, including Newport County in the Conference South during 2008–09, remain sparsely documented in available databases, reflecting the lower-tier nature of those engagements and his limited playing time prior to an incident leading him to withdraw from the squad. No goals were recorded in senior professional play overall.Post-playing career
Media and social media presence
Following his retirement from professional football, Stephens developed a prominent online persona as "Stevo the Madman," focusing on comedic content depicting everyday life, family dynamics, and van-driving experiences.[2][21]
His breakthrough occurred on Snapchat, where he built a dedicated audience under the username STMM, later transitioning to @stmmspartan; by June 2025, he achieved 1 million subscribers on the platform.[22][23]
Stephens shares similar humorous skits and personal anecdotes on Facebook, maintaining a page with 622,000 followers as of October 2025.[24]
On Instagram (@stevothemadman), he posts reels, stories, and updates on business ventures and entertainment, garnering 578,000 followers.[25]
He hosts the YouTube series The DadMan Show, which features family-centered content and has contributed to his cross-platform reach exceeding 1 million followers collectively.[26][27]
Beyond social media, Stephens has engaged in traditional media, including a 2021 BBC Three pilot for an improvised family comedy series and podcast appearances detailing his shift to digital content creation.[28][29]
Other ventures
Stephens co-owned a restaurant business with his brother prior to transitioning away from the venture.[30] In August 2021, he announced involvement in Vuepay as his subsequent business endeavor, following the exit from the restaurant sector.[30] Vuepay operates as a digital payments platform aimed at facilitating transactions for influencers and content creators.[31] Stephens has also pursued investments in various companies, holding shares in entities aligned with his entrepreneurial interests, though specific details on these holdings remain limited to his public disclosures.[32]Filmography
Stephens portrayed a ghost in the 2019 independent horror-comedy film Are We Dead Yet, directed by Fredi 'Kruga' Nwaka.[33]| Year | Title | Role | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Are We Dead Yet | Ghost | Film | Independent horror-comedy |
| 2021 | Back Chat | Denny (voice) | TV series | Credited as Kevin Stephens |
| 2022 | Get in the Van | Self/Participant | TV series | Competition series on Channel 4.0 |
| 2022 | Lee Mack's The 1% Club | Self - Contestant | TV series | Quiz show appearance |