YouTube star KSI has recently shocked the world with a major announcement after revealing he is stepping away from The Sidemen. In a new YouTube video titled I’m leaving the Sidemen, he admitted that he is stretched thin. He also said that the decision was completely up to him. 

“I’m so incredibly grateful to have experienced that journey alongside them. The truth is, nothing bad has happened. This decision is completely my own. Over the last few years, I’ve felt myself being pulled in more directions than ever before. Between everything else in my life, I feel like I’ve been running at full speed, 100 miles an hour,” he said. 

“I spent so long trying to be everything for everyone, trying to be everywhere, trying to do it all, trying not to let anyone down. But somewhere along the way, I started losing the balance in my own life. I found it hard to make enough time for myself. I found it hard to make time for my family and the people I love. And I realized that something has to change,” he added. 

The surprise update has already got people talking online, and many are now asking what this means for KSI. The news spread super fast, garnering reactions. After all, KSI and the Sidemen have been pretty much inseparable for years. 

For over a decade, KSI and The Sidemen have gone hand in hand, making his exit feel like the end of an era for millions who grew up watching them online. 

KSI’s journey with The Sidemen helped shape one of YouTube’s biggest success stories 

KSI’s rise to fame with The Sidemen is arguably one of the greatest success stories on YouTube. KSI, born Olajide Olatunji, started on YouTube in 2008 by posting videos of himself playing the FIFA video game. He later branched out into vlogs and comedy clips and released two studio albums.

The Sidemen consisted of KSI, Simon Minter, Josh Bradley, Vikram Barn, Tobi Brown, Ethan Payne, and Harry Lewis, and have 23 million YouTube subscribers. KSI has been one of the most recognizable faces of the lot and has played a huge part in its growth through the years.

KSI brought energy, competitiveness, and a larger-than-life personality that helped define many of the group's most memorable moments. He was a huge part of the Sidemen’s identity, be it challenges, comedy sketches, or big collaborations, helping them win millions of fans globally. Their most viewed video is a challenge in which they split into two groups and took holidays on budgets of $20,000 and $200 in Europe, and has racked up more than 100m views. 

Now, with KSI leaving the group, the world is looking back at how crucial his journey has been to The Sidemen’s story. His time with the collective helped craft a time of YouTube entertainment that extended far beyond the platform itself. This chapter may be closing, but his legacy in The Sidemen is a huge part of what the group became.

What do you think KSI’s exit means for The Sidemen, and can the group ever feel the same without him? Let us know in the comments. 

Written by

Bias Sinha

Edited by

Hriddhi Maitra