Leaning on one another with huge smiles on their faces, British YouTubers Dan Howell and Phil Lester look just like the happy double act they have always been.
But these photos, shared exclusively with the Daily Mail, mark a brand new chapter in Dan and Phil’s online story.
For they are the first pictures of the pair since Monday when, after almost two decades of rumours, denials and endless fan theories, the YouTube duo finally confirmed what millions suspected – that they’ve been in a relationship all along.
In a 46-minute YouTube video titled ‘Are Dan and Phil in a Relationship?’ which I’m told was the product of months of work, the pair – who have been roommates and colleagues for over fifteen years – admitted that their friendship blossomed into romance not long after they met. The revelation sent shockwaves through one of the most devoted fanbases of the digital age.
For those unfamiliar, Berkshire-born Dan, 34, (formerly known online as danisnotonfire) and Phil, 38, from Lancashire (AmazingPhil) were among the first stars of YouTube, beloved for their awkward and deeply British sense of humour. Both were aspiring internet stars before meeting in 2009 on Twitter, when Dan messaged Phil seeking advice on his budding YouTube career.
There followed a torrent of videos, a joint and highly lucrative YouTube channel with 6 million subscribers, a primetime BBC 1 radio show and world tours. In 2010, they moved into a small Manchester apartment after realising they were more successful together than as individuals.
Though Dan and Phil were inseparable, both maintained an air of mystery surrounding their private lives. The question of whether they were ‘just friends’ became one of YouTube’s longest-running conspiracies and fans made entire chatroom threads and compilation videos devoted to speculating whether the pair were, in fact, lovers.
And now it seems they were correct all along. ‘We fell into it hard and fast in 2009, and here we are almost 16 years later,’ Dan said in the new video, which racked up 1.5million views in just 12 hours. He added: ‘It was so fast that we never labelled it. We just ended up living together and here we are!’
Leaning on one another, with huge smiles, Dan Howell and Phil Lester look like the perfect, happy couple
Though Dan and Phil were inseparable, both maintained an air of mystery surrounding their private lives as their YouTube careers grew
The couple also spoke about the intrusion and speculation from fans into their love lives, which Dan admitted ‘could have killed me’.
Still, for their millions of fans, the revelation was a moment of collective catharsis: ‘This is like a gay independence day,’ one fan commented. ‘It is bigger news than Taylor Swift getting engaged,’ said another.
But many wondered how on earth two of the most famous men on the internet managed to keep their relationship a secret all this time.
I can reveal a carefully curated ‘ring of trust’ kept their love confidential.
An insider told me: ‘It’s been hard on them, knowing who to trust. Out of fear, but they also wouldn’t want to put people in a challenging position by asking them to keep their secret.
‘Now they are able to draw a line under it all and it will be exciting for them to be able to get closer to people and live their lives without any barriers,’ they said.
‘Both Dan and Phil have been fearful of living [as a couple] for quite some time, then to also factor in how they are in a relationship as well, it’s been really hard on them.
‘People have a view that they have been going on dinner dates and holidays and cuddling in public secretly, but actually they have had to learn to have a different kind of relationship,’ my source continued.
The confirmation of their relationship on Monday was a moment of collective catharsis for the pair’s millions of fans
My source added that the duo are expected to make some big announcements in the coming weeks.
Some have predicted that it will be more content showcasing their relationship, perhaps a rebrand of their merch and most likely some iconic brand deals.
I am also told they are eyeing up TV shows and would love the opportunity to dance in the Strictly ballroom.
Many fans, however, have been pointedly asking why it has taken so long for the pair to come out as a couple.
Dan explained that the secrecy was largely down to the repercussions of his ‘extremely homophobic childhood’, which meant he had been ‘deep in the closet’ for years.
‘In my mid 20s I felt we had to hide the relationship because I was still hiding who I was to my friends, family, myself,’ he said.
‘This is why all of the digging from people online hit a nerve, because Phil was my safe space. You were my first boyfriend… You were a literal ray of light in my life back then.’
Dan only came clean about his sexuality in 2020, in a YouTube video titled Basically I’m Gay. He said at the time: ‘Am I totally gay? No.’ But he didn’t elaborate.
In the same year, he moved into a ‘forever home’ with Phil that the pair had spent years designing and in 2024, they announced and embarked on a worldwide, sell out tour.
‘Imagine having been on that tour, and the only thing everyone wanted to ask was whether or not they were romantically together,’ one source told me.
‘The relief they must feel now being able to love out loud must be immense.’
Another said: ‘A lot of people are saying “we already knew”. But the video wasn’t just for the fans, it was for Dan and Phil.
‘This is them finally getting to share their relationship on their own terms.
‘The reason for their announcement now is because they felt like they needed to take a stand for the community.
‘This is about making sure there are more safe spaces for those that need it,’ they told me.
Even so, both Dan and Phil have their own worries about carrying on as normal after the seismic announcement.
In Monday’s video, Phil said he’s keen to avoid the ‘dystopian nightmare that is “couple vlogging”’.
‘You are sharing your life and you are selling the perfect relationship on Instagram. Look at how we kiss. Look at how we vacation in Santorini,’ Dan added.
‘And then when your relationship inevitably goes wrong, not only do you have a personal problem, you’ve destroyed your entire professional life because – congratulations – everybody got invested in the storyline of your relationship.’
But for now, the pair are simply basking in the joyous relief of finally being openly in love – and looking forward to a long and happy future together.
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