The Sidemen’s Vikkstar has broken his silence on KSI’s departure.
Back in May, KSI left the gaming community in mourning after announcing he was leaving the popular YouTube group.
Now Vikkstar, whose real name is Vikram Singh Barn, 31, has spoken out about KSI’s sudden exit and the future of The Sidemen on Paul Brunson’s podcast, We Need To Talk.
Formed in 2013, The Sidemen produced videos of various challenges, sketches and video game commentaries across their YouTube channels, which collectively have more than 155 million subscribers.
Such is their success that in 2024 the group made The Sunday Times Gaming Rich List with an estimated worth of £50million.
Vikkstar said: ‘The six of us have said that we want to carry on making the content and we have the same team that we’ve built to help us deliver the content. So we are continuing making content and having a great time as the six of us.’
The Sidemen’s Vikkstar has broken his silence on KSI’s departure as he appeared on Paul Brunson’s We Need To Talk
Back in May, KSI left the gaming community in mourning after announcing he was leaving the popular YouTube group
The group will now be Simon Minter, known online as Miniminter; Joshua Bradley, known online as Zerkaa; Tobi Brown, known online as TBJZL; Ethan Payne, known online as Behzinga; Vikram, known as Vikkstar123 and Harry Lewis, known as W2S.
He continued: ‘It is amazing because we did always say at one point, we said if one of us leaves, do then others leave? Does that end The Sidemen?
‘That was a complete unknown that arrived on our doorstep and there is no road map. There was no off-ramp. We never built an off-ramp. There was no on-ramp to The Sidemen, so to speak. Operationally The Sidemen is much the same which is what we wanted.’
Elsewhere in the interview, the YouTuber revealed he worked up to 16 hours a day for years and sacrificed his social life and going to university to grow The Sidemen.
He said: ‘I guess, if I had to pick one thing I maybe missed out on, it would have been going to university itself. I never got that experience.’
KSI – whose real name is Olajide ‘JJ’ Olatunji and became a judge on Britain’s Got Talent last year – shared in a YouTube video announcing his departure. He said: ‘This is honestly the hardest video I’ve ever had to make in my life.
The Sidemen are made up of (from L to R, T to B) Tobi Brown, Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, Joshua Bradley, Simon Minter, Vikram Barn, Ethan Payne, and Harry Lewis
‘I’ve gone back and forth on this decision for a very long time. I’ve spent months trying to figure out what the right thing to do is.’
KSI continued: ‘But after a lot of thought, I’ve decided that I’ll no longer be doing sidemen videos. Today, 31st of May, will be my final Sidemen video.
‘Even saying those words out loud doesn’t feel real… The Sidemen have been such a huge part of my life for over 12-13 years.
‘For almost half my life, this Sidemen has been my second family. We’ve grown up together. We’ve travelled the world together.’
He later added: ‘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 a lot of directions than ever before.
‘Between everything else in my life, I feel like I’ve been running at full speed at 100mph.
‘I’ve 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’ve found it hard to make enough time for myself. I’ve definitely found it hard to find time for my family. I’ve found it hard to make time for the people I love. And I’ve realised that something has to change.
‘The Sidemen deserve somebody who can give 100 percent. And right now, I know I can’t do that. It just wouldn’t be fair to the boys.
‘It wouldn’t be fair to you. And it wouldn’t be fair to myself. Walking away from something you love is painful. Trust me, it’s not been easy. But deep down, I know it’s the right thing to do.
‘Those boys helped shape who I am today. And I hope in some small way I helped shape who they became too.’
KSI completed his video by saying: ‘For now, I need to focus on myself, and I need to focus on fixing my work life balance, just so I can finally focus on my health, and finally make time to see my family and make time to see my partner.’
As well as working on Britain’s Got Talent, KSI is also a boxer and entrepreneur.
Earlier this year, he bought a stake in sixth-tier football club Dagenham & Redbridge in March.
His aim is to take the National League South side to the Premier League and he set about quickly making his stamp on the club.
He sacked manager Lee Bradbury within two weeks and replaced him with former England striker Andy Carroll.
He also attends matches and streams himself reacting from the stands.
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