# Phil Lester
**Phil Lester** (Philip Michael Lester) is an English YouTuber, presenter, and actor known online as **AmazingPhil**, whose main channel has been active since 2006 and is considered among the first notable British YouTube channels[1](https://fame.am/person/phil-lester). He is also known for his long collaboration with fellow YouTuber Daniel Howell, with whom he has hosted [BBC Radio 1](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-radio-1), run the gaming channel DanAndPhilGAMES, written books, and toured internationally[2](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/phil-lester-amazingphil/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1987, Rawtenstall, Lancashire, England[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2886816/bio/) |
| YouTube start | Channel created February 2006; first video, "Phil's Video Blog - March 27th 2006", uploaded March 27, 2006[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2886816/bio/) • [4](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Phil_Lester) |
| Audience | 14.5 million followers across his platforms; over a billion YouTube views[2](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/phil-lester-amazingphil/) • [5](https://shows.acast.com/talentworkspodcast/episodes/episode19-phillester) |
| BBC Radio 1 | Co-hosted a weekly show with Dan Howell from 2013 to 2016[2](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/phil-lester-amazingphil/) |
| DanAndPhilGAMES | Launched 2014; 2.8 million subscribers to date[2](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/phil-lester-amazingphil/) |
| Creation | Devised the 7 Second Challenge and the resulting app[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2886816/bio/) |
| Record | Set a Guinness World Record as the fastest coin stacker in 2011, stacking 25 coins in 31.617 seconds[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2886816/bio/) |
## Early life and education
Lester was born in 1987 in Rawtenstall, Lancashire, England[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2886816/bio/). His earliest online videos, posted in 2006 when he was 19, included references to his family and to Rawtenstall Grammar School in Bacup[6](https://www.dictionary.com/culture/famous-people/phil-lester).
Before his channel became popular, he completed a degree in English Language and [Linguistics](https://www.edgepedia.org/linguistics) and then a postgraduate course in the Department of Theatre, Film, and [Television](https://www.edgepedia.org/television), obtaining a [Master of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/master-of-arts) in Video Postproduction with Specialisation in Visual Effects at the University of York[7](https://the-phandom.fandom.com/wiki/AmazingPhil).
## YouTube career
Lester created his channel AmazingPhil in February 2006 and uploaded his first video blog in March 2006[4](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Phil_Lester). He has said he was inspired by other channels he had been watching and started as a hobby; it took him a year to reach 100 subscribers before his profile grew[8](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tech/amazingphil-youtube-vidcon-interview-a4350266.html). His videos include vlogs about his personal life, humorous segments, and advice for viewers, and he has refrained from swearing in his videos out of consideration for his younger audience[6](https://www.dictionary.com/culture/famous-people/phil-lester).
Growth came steadily: he reached 1,000,000 subscribers in 2013[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2886816/bio/), and by 2018 his main channel had over four million subscribers[6](https://www.dictionary.com/culture/famous-people/phil-lester). His agency reports 14.5 million followers across his platforms to date[2](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/phil-lester-amazingphil/), and a 2020 interview described his career as having reached over a billion views[5](https://shows.acast.com/talentworkspodcast/episodes/episode19-phillester).
**Inventions and spin-offs.** Lester is credited with creating the YouTube trend the 7 Second Challenge, which was later developed into an app[6](https://www.dictionary.com/culture/famous-people/phil-lester) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2886816/bio/). In 2011 he set a Guinness World Record as the fastest coin stacker, stacking 25 coins in 31.617 seconds[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2886816/bio/).
## Collaboration with Dan Howell
When fellow British vlogger [Daniel Howell](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-howell) began his own channel, he connected with Lester online and they became friends[9](https://blog.promolta.com/how-amazingphil-turned-a-vlogging-hobby-into-a-lasting-career). The two moved in together in 2011 and have regularly appeared in each other's content[10](https://www.leftnews.net/youtubers-dan-and-phil-claim-demonetisation-has-impacted-them-just-for-saying-gay-2026/).
Their joint projects have been extensive. In 2014 the pair launched DanAndPhilGAMES on YouTube, which has amassed 2.8 million subscribers[2](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/phil-lester-amazingphil/). They have released two books, created board games and digital games, won numerous awards, and performed in two global live tours, including the 2018 tour show Interactive Introverts[2](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/phil-lester-amazingphil/) • [5](https://shows.acast.com/talentworkspodcast/episodes/episode19-phillester). Their April Fool's channel produced a craft video that prompted the internet memes "squareflakes" and "Don't cry, craft"[6](https://www.dictionary.com/culture/famous-people/phil-lester).
## Radio, television, and acting
In 2013, BBC Radio 1 signed the vloggers Howell and Lester to host a weekly show titled *Dan and Phil*, an offbeat entertainment and request show involving physical challenges, songs, and music videos; they hosted on Radio 1 from 2013 to 2016[11](https://shura.shu.ac.uk/23569/1/EJCS%20v8f.pdf) • [2](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/phil-lester-amazingphil/). An early Independent profile noted that Lester then had more than 900,000 subscribers and that the pair described their program as the most technologically advanced on air[12](https://www.the-independent.com/news/media/tv-radio/dan-phil-the-youtube-stars-tasked-with-bringing-new-young-listeners-to-radio-1-8639836.html).
As an actor, Lester is known for *Faintheart* (2008), Disney's *Big Hero 6* (2014), and *The Lion Guard* (2015)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2886816/bio/) • [2](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/phil-lester-amazingphil/). His other appearances include *The Weakest Link* and *Friday Download*[2](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/phil-lester-amazingphil/).
## Coming out and relationship
Lester came out online in June 2019, saying he hoped his story would help others come out of the closet[8](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tech/amazingphil-youtube-vidcon-interview-a4350266.html) • [13](https://youtube.fandom.com/wiki/AmazingPhil). Howell and Lester each came out as gay separately in 2019[10](https://www.leftnews.net/youtubers-dan-and-phil-claim-demonetisation-has-impacted-them-just-for-saying-gay-2026/).
In 2025 the pair published a 46-minute video titled "Are Dan and Phil in a Relationship? The Truth", revealing after 16 years of speculation that they are a couple and have been since they started making videos together in 2009[14](https://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/dan-phil-going-back-tour-130000699.html). They released the podcast *Hard Launch* on October 16, 2025, following the confirmation video, in which they discussed parasocial relationships and moving past years of secrecy[15](https://theticker.org/17248/arts/arts-amp-style/dan-and-phil-release-a-new-podcast-on-the-heels-of-their-coming-out-video/). They have since toured internationally on the Terrible Influence tour and launched the *Hard Launch with Dan and Phil* podcast series[16](https://www.buzzfeed.com/natashajokic1/dan-howell-phil-lester-interview) • [17](https://thetvdb.com/series/hard-launch-with-dan-and-phil).
## Study of his speech
Lester's long output has made him a subject of linguistic research. A 2017 acoustic study by Sarah Lee of the [University of Edinburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-edinburgh) compared his vowels across four contexts: a solo vlog, a collaborative vlog, a gaming video, and a live video[18](https://journals.ed.ac.uk/lifespansstyles/article/download/1826/pdf_16/7346). The study found significant differences between the more scripted solo vlogs and the less scripted gaming and live videos: in solo vlogs his FOOT/STRUT merger was reduced, while in gaming and live contexts he showed considerable variability in his use of the TRAP/BATH split. The author argues this reflects greater attention paid to level aspects of his Northern accent for an international audience[18](https://journals.ed.ac.uk/lifespansstyles/article/download/1826/pdf_16/7346).
## References
1. [Philip Michael Lester, fame.am](https://fame.am/person/phil-lester)
2. [Phil (AmazingPhil) Lester, InterTalent Representatives](https://www.intertalentgroup.com/client/phil-lester-amazingphil/)
3. [Phil Lester Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2886816/bio/)
4. [Phil Lester, Fanlore](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Phil_Lester)
5. [Episode 19: Phil Lester, The TalentWorks Podcast (Acast)](https://shows.acast.com/talentworkspodcast/episodes/episode19-phillester)
6. [Phil Lester, Dictionary.com Famous People](https://www.dictionary.com/culture/famous-people/phil-lester)
7. [AmazingPhil, The Phandom Wiki](https://the-phandom.fandom.com/wiki/AmazingPhil)
8. [AmazingPhil on the changing nature of YouTube, coming out videos and getting filmer's block, London Evening Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tech/amazingphil-youtube-vidcon-interview-a4350266.html)
9. [How AmazingPhil Turned A Vlogging Hobby Into A Lasting Career, Promolta Blog](https://blog.promolta.com/how-amazingphil-turned-a-vlogging-hobby-into-a-lasting-career)
10. [YouTubers Dan and Phil claim demonetisation has impacted them just for saying 'gay', LeftNews/PinkNews](https://www.leftnews.net/youtubers-dan-and-phil-claim-demonetisation-has-impacted-them-just-for-saying-gay-2026/)
11. [YouTubers and the media persona, Sheffield Hallam University research repository](https://shura.shu.ac.uk/23569/1/EJCS%20v8f.pdf)
12. [Dan & Phil: The YouTube stars tasked with bringing new young listeners to Radio 1, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/news/media/tv-radio/dan-phil-the-youtube-stars-tasked-with-bringing-new-young-listeners-to-radio-1-8639836.html)
13. [AmazingPhil, Wikitubia](https://youtube.fandom.com/wiki/AmazingPhil)
14. [Dan and Phil on Going Back on Tour After Finally Revealing Their Relationship, Variety via Yahoo News](https://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/dan-phil-going-back-tour-130000699.html)
15. [Dan and Phil release a new podcast on the heels of their coming out video, The Ticker](https://theticker.org/17248/arts/arts-amp-style/dan-and-phil-release-a-new-podcast-on-the-heels-of-their-coming-out-video/)
16. [Dan Howell And Phil Lester Told Us About Coming Out On YouTube, Their New Tour, And Temporarily Wanting To "Kill" One Another, BuzzFeed](https://www.buzzfeed.com/natashajokic1/dan-howell-phil-lester-interview)
17. [Hard Launch with Dan and Phil, TheTVDB](https://thetvdb.com/series/hard-launch-with-dan-and-phil)
18. [Sarah Lee (2017). Style-Shifting in Vlogging: An Acoustic Analysis of "YouTube Voice", Lifespans & Styles](https://journals.ed.ac.uk/lifespansstyles/article/download/1826/pdf_16/7346)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Online creators and internet personalities › Gaming content creators*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license