Michael Doherty says he’s quit OnlyFans to focus on becoming a pilot and starting a family
Michael Doherty (itsmichaeldoherty)
Michael Doherty has said he has quit and deleted his OnlyFans accounts as he focuses on training to become a pilot, as well as hopes of finding love and starting a family.
In an Instagram post announcing he quit OnlyFans on 28 October, the 24-year-old gay content creator wrote: “I’ve waited a while to make this decision. Today I quit and deleted my OnlyFans accounts,” adding that it was something he had been considering for several years.
Doherty continued: “It has been a huge burden on my heart, soul and mind over the last few years. It has distracted me and made me comfortable.” He also said that while the income had brought him pleasure, he had not felt “real success” from it.
Why did Michael Doherty say he quit OnlyFans?
Doherty framed the decision as a reset towards the parts of his life that matter most to him offline.
“While talking to the closest people to me today, I realised I needed to do this in order to focus on what I love,” he wrote. “That is my friends, family, my gardening, my chickens, but most importantly, my childhood dream of becoming a pilot, starting a family and finding love.”
He also thanked those close to him for supporting him “through every part of my life journey”, and said he hoped they would support him “through this change”.
What has he said about stigma and self-image?
Doherty has previously spoken about how being on OnlyFans affected how he felt he was perceived. On the Say It, Slay It podcast in March 2024, he said: “When you do only fans you’re looked at in a different way and even look at yourself in a different way.”
He has also spoken about his coming-out journey. Doherty came out to his family at 18, and has said his mum and dad “weren’t very happy” at first, but after a month they “lightened up to it”.
Other creators have also spoken about stepping back from adult subscription platforms. On 7 October, actor Chris Salvatore said he was taking a break from OnlyFans after four years, explaining that making adult content left him feeling “empty” and reflecting on boundaries and intimacy.
