BenjyFishy and BillieIDK on coming home: How VALORANT Masters London is a big moment for their careers and UK esports

Craig Robinson, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 12/06/2026

VCT Masters London is underway, with the teams having battled through the Swiss Stage and the playoff bracket being set. With the event finally in London, years after its Manchester debut, we are seeing UK talent well represented across multiple facets of the event.

From Ben “BenjyFishy” Fish competing for the EU #1 seed, Team Heretics, to Billie “BillieIDK” Purdie in the commentary box, there’s UK talent aplenty. Then of course there’s the rapper, Che Lingo, who made the song for the event, and community artists, SUNFWER, making art for Valorant, with over 1 million followers across Instagram and TikTok.

The foursome of UK talent had the chance to sit with Notion Online and let the wider world know about what Valorant is.

BenjyFishy on competing in Valorant

For BenjyFishy, taking to the stage at Copper Box “means the world” to him. The British representative of Team Heretics, the EU’s biggest hope heading into the playoffs, is poised to do well. Yet, speaking ahead of the event, he was candid about the unpredictable nature of Valorant as a spectator sport, saying: “any team can beat anyone. It’s not like some other games where it’s really hard for a team to win if they get behind early, any team can win no matter how far they are behind.“

Valorant is considered (as with other games too), heavily skill-based, with individual agency mattering more than other titles. All it takes is one clutch eco round, and the momentum can swing for the next ten minutes. A clutch eco round can swing a match on its head and make a match that should have been a foregone conclusion a much closer, tenser fight than it was meant to be.

Asked about inspiring younger players watching from home, Benjy remained humble and offered sage advice. “I hope I’m able to inspire young players that want to be professional,” he said. “I would tell them to work hard but stay in school.” BenjyFishy first made his name in Fortnite at the young age of 15, performing well in the 2019 Fortnite World Cup, which launched his esports career.

Billie’s entry into esports and its perception

Meanwhile, BillieIDK, who hosts the VALORANT broadcast, reflected on how far the perception of esports has come in the UK. 

“Truthfully, I didn’t know that Esports existed, or that it was a viable career path until 2021,” she admitted. “Since joining the VALORANT broadcast team, the easiest way for me to explain my role in the industry is to compare it to football punditry.” It’s taken her around 4 years, and now she has just done her first global desk, which is essentially getting to commentate an international matchup on ITV, if you’re looking for a current reference.

Other commentators in the article also mentioned the perception is gradually changing, with Che Lingo saying “I’ve been writing music for Esports since 2018. It’s definitely become a more common thing but the stigmas are still lucid, that’ll change, though.” Benjy also commented on the topic: “I think more and more people are starting to know what Esports is, but there are still a lot of people, especially in the older generation, that are shocked you can make so much money playing games.“

It’s interesting to see that esports is still in this twilight zone to be fair. These more youthful members of esports in their early and mid-20s are doing their part in letting the wider world know esports exists. Esports has always been emerging with the odd trend there, with its meteoric rise roughly this time last decade. Yet, the scene is damaged via the post covid esports winter (a larger topic for another time) and seeing a vibrant VALORANT UK community is a good reminder we are still here for the scenes we love.

That comparison feels apt for Masters London, an event built to feel like a major sporting occasion in its own right. The Copper Box, the current home of the VCT Masters London event, formerly hosted Riot Games’ other premier esports, League of Legends Mid Seasonal Invitation (MSI) in London in 2023. It was also home to the former Gfinity esports events too in the late tens, where more grassroot UK organisations did battle in games like Rocket League, another game also explained as football, but with cars.

BillieIDK described the atmosphere fans can expect inside Copper Box: “Expect vibrancy, high energy, and unspoken connection, most importantly. There is nothing more incredible than having thousands of people sat in a live audience watching the same show, even if they are supporting different teams, all sharing that moment and excitement together.“

She also pushed back on the lingering stereotype of esports as a solitary pursuit. “Gamers are often stereotyped as sitting in their bedroom and participating in a solitary activity, when in fact, from my own experience, I have met so many of my best friends through Valorant that are from all over the globe.“

VCT Masters London return later today

With Benjy and Heretics gunning for silverware on home soil, and BillieIDK fronting the broadcast that will carry the tournament to millions of viewers worldwide, Valorant Masters London looks set to be a landmark moment for UK esports and Valorant.

For those curious, the VCT Masters recommences later today on June 12th. BenjyFishy is scheduled to play in the 6PM fixture, with the British star once again doing battle with rival French organisation Vitality, in another marquee matchup from the EU regional finals just a month before. It comes after Vitality had to scrap their way through the Swiss Stage to book a match-up with Heretics, the old enemies..  You can also expect Billie to be on desk through the weekend too.

If you’re curious, you can catch them on YouTube, Twitch or other live-streaming service.

Craig Robinson, Senior Editor

Craig began his career with Esports News UK back in 2015/2016, looking to write about a passion while studying at Manchester Metropolitan University. He stayed there for several years before moving on to other websites to begin his career after graduating. Now he's back, covering esports adjacent topics and UK stories.

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