Dan & Phil break silence on relationship rumors: “We want a clean slate”

British YouTubers Dan and Phil revealed that they have been secretly dating for the last 15 years after both influencers came out as gay in 2019.

Daniel Howell and Phil Lester are a popular YouTube duo who have been making content on the platform since the mid-2000s, although they didn’t start their joint gaming channel until 2014.

For years, their fanbase joked that the two were secretly dating each other — rumors that ramped up when they both came out as gay in 2019.

In his coming out video, Dan admitted that he and Phil were “obviously more than friends,” describing their relationship as “actual soul mates.”

“It was more than just romantic. This is someone who genuinely liked me. I trusted them, and for the first time since I was a tiny child, I actually felt safe… we are real best friends. Companions through life,” he said.

In January 2021, the two revealed that they had purchased a home together… and four years later, they’ve come out with another major announcement.

Dan & Phil ask fans for privacy after revealing 15-year relationship

As they explained in a YouTube video uploaded on October 13, 2025, Dan and Phil have been dating since 2009, the year they first met online.

However, they each chose to wait for the right time to reveal their relationship for several reasons. First, Dan explained that he was raised in an “extremely homophobic” environment, making it difficult for him to come out as gay.

On top of this, both YouTubers worried that admitting the truth about their romance would potentially overshadow their careers, saying that fans’ constant speculation could have added even more stress onto them during the height of their fame.

“In my mid-twenties, I felt that we had to hide the relationship, because I was still hiding who I was to my friends, family, myself,” Dan explained. “‘..Dan and Phil the comedy duo’ and ‘Dan and Phil the boyfriends’ hit different.”

“It’s a big scary deal for us,” Phil added. “It’s kind of like another mini coming-out.”

With the elephant in the room finally addressed, the duo revealed a newfound commitment to making content and even announced the start of their long-awaited podcast.

“What we want to do is create content to make you laugh. That is what we are giving, and we’re hoping that you’re gonna be happy with that. This is a commitment to you [the fans],” they said.

However, both Dan and Phil requested privacy and laid out new “rules” for their fans, which included boundaries against them “digging into things they don’t share” and “leaking” things against their will.

“I want to leave the house without being spied on,” Phil said. “Even going for a meal.”

“I just want to eat my pasta in peace!” Dan joked.

Fans’ responses have been both positive and humorous, with some genuinely confused and under the impression that the two had been openly dating for years.