KSI has announced his ‘painful’ decision to leave YouTube’s The Sidemen after huge Britain’s Got Talent success.
13:39, 31 May 2026Updated 14:18, 31 May 2026
KSI announced his decision to leave The Sidemen(Image: Getty Images)
Hours after appearing in the Britain’s Got Talent finale, judge KSI has announced his exit from YouTube sensation The Sidemen. He confirmed his “painful” decision in an emotional video, thanking his co-stars for the “friendship”.
The group, also consisting of internet personalities Vikram Singh Barn, Joshua Bradley, Simon Minter, Tobi Brown, Harry Lewis and Ethan Payne, first formed over a decade ago and would regularly post gaming videos.
They found huge success and branched out with their content – which now attracts millions of viewers. In 2024, they landed their very own Netflix documentary exploring their rise to stardom and internet fame.
In a new video, KSI revealed that he would officially be leaving the group to focus on other projects. The 32-year-old began: “This is honestly the hardest video I’ve ever had to make in my life. 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 revealed his exit in a poignant video(Image: Getty Images)
“But after a lot of thought, I’ve decided that I’m no longer [going to] be doing sidemen videos. Today, 31st of May, will be my final Sidemen video. Even saying those words out loud doesn’t feel real.”
Looking back over his time in the group, he continued: “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. We built something that none of us ever thought was possible, especially back then when we were making random videos together and playing GTA.
“I still remember those early days with no idea that 10s of millions of people were going to be watching us on the channel. And somehow, that turned into an incredible journey. Together we’ve done things I never thought were possible. We’ve sold out arenas, we sold out stadiums. We’ve broken records. We’ve made Netflix shows, we’ve done a lot and we’ve shared so many good moments on YouTube and those moments will stay with me for the rest of my life.
“We’ve been there for each other through some of the highest highs and lowest lows of our lives. I’ve watched these boys grow into incredible men. I’ve watched them grow into fathers. I’ve watched them grow into husbands. And I’m so incredibly grateful to experience that journey alongside them.”
They even landed their own Netflix show(Image: Netflix )
Touching on why he is leaving, KSI – real name Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji – insisted that the truth was that “nothing bad had happened”, and the decision was “completely my own”.
He explained that he began to “lose balance” in his life after being pulled in different directions, and was hoping to use his free time to focus on “the people I love”.
“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,” he reflected. “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.
KSI insisted that “nothing bad had happened”(Image: Getty)
KSI has made his BGT stint permanent(Image: Ian West/PA Wire)
“The Sidemen deserve somebody who can give 100%. 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.”
He went on to issue shout-outs to his former co-stars and those who had worked on their content behind the scenes.
“Thank you all for the memories. Thank you boys for the friendship. And to all of you watching, thank you,” he concluded. “Thanks for giving the group a career beyond our wildest dreams. I hope you’ll continue supporting the boys because they deserve it.
“They’re still going to do amazing things, I know. They’re still going to make incredible content. And I’ll definitely be watching alongside all of you. But 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.”
KSI rose to fame on YouTube and still commands millions of views with his videos. After making a name for himself on the platform, he branched out into music – and collaborated with Craig David – while stepping into the boxing ring against Logan Paul and Tommy Fury.
Last year, he enjoyed a stint as a guest judge on BGT before being unveiled as a full-time member of the panel for the most recent series – which ended last night.
He replaced Bruno Tonioli and appeared alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon.
Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.