A homeless man who was given a free makeover a year and a half ago has yet to find a job – but is no longer homeless thanks to the generosity of an anonymous benefactor.

Hundreds of thousands of people have watched the transformation of 55-year-old Jose Antonio, also known as Josete, a homeless man in Palma de Mallorca who was given a total makeover by local hairdressing salon La Salvajeria.

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The makeover was filmed in July 2015, but the video was only posted online on 14 March to celebrate the hairdressing salon's third anniversary. It became a viral hit, attracting 1.8 million views in less than a week.

Josete has since become the object of international media attention. One of the locals, Paola Bocardo, wrote on Facebook he was missing from the square for a few days since he was constantly being interviewed by the media.

Josete's life has improved since the makeover. "This was not just a change of looks," he told Spanish TV channel Tele Cinco. "It changed my life". His hair has gone back to grey, but the man is no longer homeless. According to the news website El Espanol, Josete is now living in a shared room in a flat donated anonymously.

The man, who had lost everything after a work accident, has also received the necessary medical attention to cure his injuries and is now looking for a job and waiting for hear about an assessment of his disability, since he lost hearing in a ear.

Despite the transformation that turned him into the "George Clooney of the square" – as one of the hairdressers put it – Josete was still doing his job as a parking attendant. He remained in good spirits. "I am enormously grateful," he told El Espanol over the phone, speaking from the hairdressing salon. "Santi and his team have not just recorded a video and that's it, they are helping me a lot in everything."