Additional Coverage:
- YouTubers Dan and Phil are dating: Why they forgive invasive fans for ‘trying to out us’ (latimes.com)
YouTube Stars Dan and Phil Confirm Long-Rumored Relationship After 16 Years
In news that will either confirm long-held suspicions or send shockwaves through their dedicated fanbase, British YouTube sensations Dan Howell and Phil Lester have officially announced they’ve been a couple for 16 years. The duo, celebrated for their gaming content and comedic vlogs, finally addressed the incessant “shipping” from fans in a candid 46-minute video released on Monday, titled “Are Dan and Phil in a Relationship?”
“We fell into it hard and fast in 2009,” shared Howell, 34, in the video. “And here we are almost 16 years later.” Lester, 38, echoed the sentiment, solidifying a romance that has spanned their entire rise to internet stardom.
Before diving into the origins of their relationship, both YouTubers, who publicly came out as gay in 2019, extensively discussed their decision to keep their romance private for so long. A significant portion of their explanation focused on the often-intrusive behavior of some fans.
“Some think that shipping real-life people is problematic. I think that humans cannot stop this natural tendency,” Howell mused, while also emphasizing that “a line gets crossed” when fan speculation veers into actual investigation.
The pair recounted instances of fans meticulously poring over their old social media posts, contacting their loved ones, and even filming them in public. “If all this digging, investigating was small it could’ve been ignored,” Lester stated, with Howell adding, “The problem is this became so big we could not ignore it.”
The YouTubers also detailed how fans would dissect their on-camera interactions and fuel romance rumors during live events, eventually making the speculation “too loud to ignore,” according to Lester.
Howell also spoke openly about his concerns regarding how a public relationship might impact their professional dynamic and the profound effect his own struggles with his sexuality had on their bond. “I had an extremely homophobic childhood,” he revealed, explaining that the constant fan pressure to address the rumors severely impacted his mental health. When their popularity surged, he felt compelled to “hide the relationship because I was still hiding who I was to my friends, family, myself.”
The relentless online chatter “hit a nerve” for Howell, who described Lester as “a literal ray of light in my life back then” and expressed his commitment to protecting their private life. “So when other people tried to grab it and drag it into the light, I felt completely violated,” he continued.
“Having all of these people trying to out us and being so hostile to me when I tried to hide it was so triggering. Honestly, it could’ve killed me.”
Lester added a poignant reflection, saying, “It’s sad because those should’ve been the happiest times of our life. It was so amazing and we were having so much fun personally.”
Howell noted that this invasive fan behavior cast a shadow over their success “like a curse,” leading to anxiety and panic attacks. Lester also recalled a “breaking point” when a private video was leaked and widely re-posted online, despite their efforts to have it removed.
Despite the acknowledged negative impact, both YouTubers emphasized that they hold no grudges. Howell extended grace to their past skeptics, suggesting they “were just young people that had absolutely no idea what the effects of their actions were.”
He concluded, “In the same way that we all want people in our lives to give us patience and grace and benefit of the doubt if we ever make a mistake, I have to extend that to the world in regards to this story. So I understand and I forgive.”
Beyond their YouTube success, Howell and Lester have also ventured into BBC Radio programming and multiple live tours. They concluded their revelatory video by announcing the launch of a new podcast, signaling a new chapter both personally and professionally.