OAKLAND COUNTY
More than 1,000 Josh & Jase fans pack Novi meet-and-greet to see duo
Max BryanThe Detroit News
Updated Aug. 14, 2026, 3:15 p.m. ET
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Novi — They may not be the Beatles, but a meet-and-greet with Michigan’s favorite British duo on Friday exuded some of the same Fab Four energy
More than 1,000 fans flocked to a Planet Fitness on Adell Center Drive in Novi to meet popular content creators, Josh & Jase. The British social media stars, who’ve been touring Michigan for the last several weeks and posting about their stops on social media, were at the fitness center to try to have “the biggest meet and greet ever,” according to one of their social media posts
Jennifer Yats, 57, traveled to Novi all the way from Davidson to meet the duo
“A lot of us can’t get out and can’t go places and travel as much as we’d like to, and it’s really nice to be able to see the world, especially through their eyes, because they’ve got such a positive spin on everything,” said Yats, who brought a homemade sign that read “Josh, Jase & Jenn.”
The line to meet Josh & Jase wrapped around Planet Fitness’s building and snaked all the way the parking lot. Fans of all ages, some wearing t-shirts that read “I like British boys,” snapped photos and waited their turn to meet the duo. The meet-and-greet was scheduled to run until 3 p.m
Josh Clarke said everyone has been “so welcoming.”
“The thing about Michigan is, people want you to experience Michigan like they have, so when we arrived on Mackinac Island, we would go to these places and people would say, ‘You have to do this. It’s fun. Come with us.’ We’ve been accepted with open arms,” he said
Josh & Jase, who are from Nottingham, England, announced in July that they were returning to the Great Lakes State after a winter visit that they shared on social media. Their journey through Michigan has been highlighted with social media posts of the two Brits firing a cannon on Mackinac Island, enjoying Michigan sunsets, and even helping raise more than $21,000 for the nonprofit Hospice of Michigan and trying Jet’s Pizza
But their visit to Michigan hasn’t been all Petoskey stones and Mackinac Island fudge. The two called out comments from some on social media when they visited Traverse City, calling them “scalawags” and telling them to go home
“When people say things like this, we don’t have to put up with that,” said Clarke in a post on Instagram, who refuted that they were paid to visit specific cities. “…It puts a sour taste in your mouth.”
The Friday meet-and-greet was in partnership with Planet Fitness
Mary Scott, Planet Fitness VP of marketing, noticed Josh & Jase when they were visiting in the winter. Scott said Planet Fitness reached out to them because they had gyms in the places they were stopping and couldn’t host them if they wanted to work out
This idea evolved into the meet-and-greet, which doubled as a sponsorship for the British duo. Scott said there are “endless reasons” for their partnership
“They’re fantastic. I love their positivity, and really, we just kind of felt like their spirit and everything they’re about kind of aligned with what our brand is all about,” said Scott
For many on Friday, they’d been following Josh & Jase long before the visit to Michigan this summer
Max Foxall of Chesterfield said his dad loves the duo, but he’s watched some of their videos. Foxall was there with his family for his brother Benson’s 13th birthday
“I like what they do, because they go to spots I haven’t been, and I’d like to go,” said Foxall, 16
Josh & Jase will be in Michigan through Monday, Aug. 17
