Sidemen
Born 2013 · Age 12
British YouTube collective (KSI, Miniminter, Zerkaa, TBJZL, Behzinga, Vikkstar123, W2S) producing challenge, sketch and gaming content; diversified into clothing, restaurants, apps, beverages, cereal, media and philanthropy.
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Life & Career Timeline
Formation of the group (The Ultimate Sidemen)
The group officially formed as a Rockstar Games Social Club group called 'The Ultimate Sidemen'. Original members included KSI, Miniminter, Zerkaa, TBJZL, Behzinga and Vikkstar123.
W2S (Harry Lewis) invited to join the Sidemen
Josh Bradley met Harry Lewis at a FIFA gaming event in New York in January 2014 and invited him to join the group, completing the seven-member line-up.
First Sidemen House — members move in
In February 2014 KSI, Miniminter, Zerkaa and Vikkstar123 moved into the first 'Sidemen House' near London to collaborate more frequently.
Sidemen Clothing incorporated
Sidemen Clothing Limited appears on Companies House (company overview record dated 30 December 2014), marking formalisation of merchandise business.
Major popularity growth and event appearances (2015)
Group popularity surged: members attended conventions (Insomnia 54), toured the U.S., and individual members increased mainstream exposure (KSI book, film, music).
Appearance at Insomnia gaming conventions (growth period)
The Sidemen attended major gaming events such as Insomnia 54 (April 2015) and other conventions, increasing mainstream exposure.
Sidemen: The Audiobook released (tie to book)
An audiobook version of Sidemen: The Book was released after the print edition, supporting promotional tour and broader reach.
Move into second, larger Sidemen House (Bromley mansion)
In 2016 members moved into a 15,000 sq ft mansion in Bromley (reported value ~$8.5M), often referred to as a new Sidemen House.
Sidemen channel created for charity match and fastest to 1M
Their official Sidemen YouTube channel was launched for the inaugural charity match and became the fastest channel to reach one million subscribers (tied to the match livestream).
First Sidemen Charity Football Match (St Mary's Stadium)
Sidemen FC v YouTube Allstars at St Mary's Stadium on 3 June 2016, raising over £110,000 for the Saints Foundation and launching the official Sidemen channel.
Publication: Sidemen: The Book released
Sidemen: The Book published by Coronet Books; embarked on a UK promotional tour; became a UK No.1 bestseller, selling 26,436 copies in the first three days.
Rocket League collaboration (SDMN FC flag)
Sidemen collaborated with Rocket League in November 2016 to release a free in-game SDMN FC community flag.
Second Sidemen Charity Football Match (2017)
Held 21 May 2017; Sidemen v YouTube Allstars; Sidemen lost 2–0; continued philanthropic efforts.
Sidemen War / staged drama (KSI 'left' the group)
August 2017 saw a publicised 'beef' and diss-track period after KSI announced he was leaving the group (later revealed largely fabricated/part of a publicity storyline).
End of Sidemen House era / members move out
In 2018 the members who had lived together moved into separate London residences, marking the end of the long-running group house collaborations.
Launch of weekly 'Sidemen Sunday' series
From 2018 the group committed to a weekly main-channel upload schedule branded 'Sidemen Sunday'.
2018 Sidemen Charity Match (The Valley)
Held at The Valley in June 2018; Sidemen FC played a charity match — by this time the three matches had raised an estimated cumulative total of over £1M.
Release: The Sidemen Show (YouTube Premium)
Seven-episode YouTube Premium series featuring global challenges and celebrity guests premiered on 18 June 2018.
Release of group single 'The Gift'
Sidemen released 'The Gift' featuring S-X in December 2019; it charted in multiple territories (UK peak 77, NZ 27, Scotland 26).
COVID-19 '#StayHome' video and NHS donation
In March 2020 the Sidemen released a 20-minute '#StayHome' video with 100+ creators; all advertising revenue was donated to the NHS.
Sidemen channel surpasses 10 million subscribers; Diamond Play Buttons
On 1 December 2020 the group's eponymous YouTube channel passed 10 million subscribers; each member was awarded a Diamond Play Button.
Signed with Arcade Media (talent management)
In August 2021 the Sidemen signed with London-based digital talent management company Arcade Media.
Launch: Side+ subscription app
In September 2021 the Sidemen launched Side+, a subscription-app for behind-the-scenes/content extras.
Sidemen Clothing x Ellesse collaboration (AW21)
In October 2021 Sidemen Clothing released an AW21 co-branded collection with Italian sportswear brand Ellesse.
Founded Sides (virtual restaurant chain) with Reef
In November 2021 the Sidemen partnered with Reef to launch Sides, a virtual fried-chicken restaurant/delivery brand.
XIX Vodka launched
In 2022 the Sidemen founded and launched XIX Vodka, their alcoholic beverage brand.
Guinness World Record: Most viewers for a charity sports match live stream on YouTube
In 2022 the Sidemen were credited with a Guinness World Record for the most viewers for a charity sports match live stream on YouTube (related to their charity matches livestreams).
Sides network scale (dark kitchens)
By September 2022 Sides operated over 80 dark kitchens in the UK and about 20 in the UAE, marking rapid expansion of the virtual restaurant footprint.
Sidemen's YouTube channels ecosystem expands
Over time the group developed multiple group channels: MoreSidemen (2018), SidemenReacts (2020), SidemenShorts (2021) and Side+ (2021), diversifying content distribution.
Side+ becomes available on Xbox
On 14 January 2022 the Sidemen announced that Side+ is available on Xbox platforms.
First physical Sides branch opens (Boxpark Wembley)
Sides opened its first physical branch in Boxpark Wembley on 24 February 2022; the opening drew queues of several hours.
Second Sides physical branch opens (Boxpark Croydon)
Sides opened a second physical branch in Boxpark Croydon on 29 September 2022.
Sides partners with Farnham Town F.C. as front-shirt sponsor
In October 2022 Sides became the front-shirt sponsor for Farnham Town F.C.'s 2022/23 away kit.
Founded Bright Side charity (grant-making)
In 2023 the Sidemen established Bright Side, a grant-making charity focused on homelessness support and youth access to education and opportunities.
Controversy: racial slur used by KSI in Sidemen video
On 2 April 2023 a Sidemen Sunday video contained a racial slur by Olatunji (KSI); the clip went viral and KSI apologised and took a social media break.
Paradise Wildlife Park partnership and hide-and-seek video
On 3 July 2023 the Sidemen made a collaborative hide-and-seek video with Paradise Wildlife Park as part of a broader conservation-supporting partnership.
Investment in The Fellas Studios (~£1.5M)
In July 2023 the Sidemen (and associates) invested reportedly around £1.5 million in The Fellas Studios, a production company founded by Callum Airey and Joshua Larkin.
Sidemen Charity Match (September 2023)
A charity football match held on 9 September 2023 as part of the ongoing Sidemen Charity Match series.
Signed with United Talent Agency (UTA) for North America
On 26 September 2023 the Sidemen signed with UTA for representation across North America.
Netflix release: The Sidemen Story documentary
On 14 February 2024 Netflix released The Sidemen Story, a documentary directed by Luke Hyams chronicling the group's decade-long rise.
Launch: Best Cereal with Mornflake
In March 2024 the Sidemen and British oat producer Mornflake launched cereal brand Best Cereal with two flavours Choco Crunch and Caramel Gold.
Release: Inside (YouTube reality competition) Season 1
The Sidemen premiered Inside on 2 June 2024 — a reality gameshow where 10 celebrity guests competed for a £1,000,000 prize; it ran until 9 June 2024 on the Sidemen channel.
First physical Sidemen Clothing store opens (Bluewater)
On 15 July 2023 (reported) the Sidemen opened their first bricks-and-mortar Sidemen Clothing store in Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent. (Note: store opening widely reported July 2023.)
Listed by The Times: group estimated £50M fortune
On 17 August 2024 The Times ranked The Sidemen 21st on 'The UK's top 30 richest gamers and creators in 2024' and estimated a shared fortune of £50 million among the group.
Second Sidemen Clothing store opens (Bull Ring, Birmingham)
On 4 October 2024 the Sidemen opened a second physical Sidemen Clothing retail location in Bull Ring, Birmingham and announced a TMNT apparel partnership with Paramount.
Inside Season 2 and Inside USA announced for Netflix
In November 2024 a second series of Inside and a USA version were announced, to be shown on Netflix.
Cumulative charity fundraising reported (since 2016)
By May 2025 the Sidemen's recurring charity football matches and related fundraising had collectively raised over £8.5 million for UK charitable organisations.
Co-founded Upside VC (venture capital firm)
In May 2025 the Sidemen and Jamie Elliott co-founded Upside VC, a VC firm backing consumer tech startups; Sidemen member Josh Bradley noted focus on tech.
Combined YouTube subscriber total reported (May 2025)
As of May 2025 the Sidemen's combined YouTube subscriber total across group and member channels was reported as over 155.6 million (combined).
Key Achievement Ages
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