When seven British YouTubers came together in 2013, nobody could’ve predicted they’d become one of the world’s most successful content creator collectives. The Sidemen went from a gaming group into a mainstream entertainment powerhouse with over 155 million combined subscribers, multiple eight-figure businesses, and even a Netflix documentary. Their 2025 charity football match at Wembley Stadium drew 90,000 spectators and raised £4.7 million.
Biography
The Sidemen’s origin story actually starts earlier than most people think. While many sources cite June 14, 2015, as their formation date, that’s actually when they launched their shared YouTube channel. The group truly formed on October 19, 2013, when six members created “The Ultimate Sidemen” as a Rockstar Games Social Club group for Grand Theft Auto Online. You’ll see this date commemorated in the Roman numerals “XIX” throughout their branding.
The original six founding members were KSI (JJ Olatunji), Miniminter (Simon Minter), Zerkaa (Josh Bradley), TBJZL (Tobi Brown), Behzinga (Ethan Payne), and Vikkstar123 (Vikram Barn). Harry Lewis, known as W2S, joined in January 2014 after Zerkaa met him at a FIFA gaming event in New York City. At just 16 years old, Harry became the group’s seventh and youngest member.
KSI and Miniminter met at Berkhamsted School around age 12 or 13, though their friendship didn’t start smoothly. They initially disliked each other and even got into a physical fight before teachers forced them to work together. Zerkaa and TBJZL were longtime friends from Bexley Grammar School in London, whilst Vikkstar123 first met KSI at GameFest Birmingham in 2011. Behzinga joined after other members watched his streams and invited him into the group.
The name “Sidemen” has a surprisingly humble origin. Simon explained he was “basically JJ’s bitch,” following around the more famous KSI and essentially being his sideman. The self-deprecating name stuck, and the rest is history.
The Members
KSI (JJ Olatunji)
Born June 19, 1993, KSI is undeniably the wealthiest and most famous member. His wealth extends far beyond YouTube into boxing, music, and business. He’s the CEO of Misfits Boxing, the influencer boxing promotion he founded, and his boxing record stands at 4-1 (plus one no contest) after losing to Tommy Fury in October 2023.
Musically, he received a BRIT Billion Award in 2024 for amassing over 1 billion UK streams. His single “Thick of It” charted at number six in the UK, despite (or perhaps because of) widespread mockery online. KSI was even announced as a permanent judge on Britain’s Got Talent for 2026.
His business ventures are where things get really impressive. Prime Hydration, which he co-founded with Logan Paul in 2022, achieved $1.2 billion in sales in 2023. KSI holds approximately a 20% stake, though UK sales dropped 48% in 2024. He also launched Lunchly with MrBeast and Logan Paul, though it faced controversy over mold contamination reports.
KSI maintains a private relationship with an NHS worker he met on Tinder around 2017. His net worth is estimated between £35-100 million, making him by far the wealthiest Sidemen member due to his Prime equity.
Miniminter (Simon Minter)
Simon married singer Talia Mar on June 3, 2023, in Tuscany, Italy, after dating since 2017. In January 2025, they announced Talia’s pregnancy through her music video for “365.” Their daughter Juni Angèle Minter-Mar was born on July 19, 2025, making Simon the second Sidemen member to become a father.
Born September 7, 1992, Simon operates multiple YouTube channels totalling over 10 million subscribers. He remains central to Sidemen content production, and his net worth is estimated at £10-15 million.
Vikkstar123 (Vikram Barn)
Born August 2, 1995, Vik married Ellie Harlow in September 2023 in Malta, featuring performances by DJs Afrojack and Alan Walker. Beyond YouTube, he’s co-owner of the Carolina Royal Ravens Call of Duty League franchise. In March 2024, he revealed he suffers from Crohn’s disease.
Vik’s Minecraft servers reportedly earned over £2 million, and he’s expanded into music, releasing “Humans” and collaborating with Alan Walker. His net worth is estimated between £8-25 million.
Zerkaa (Josh Bradley)
The oldest member at 32 (born September 4, 1992), Josh married Freya Nightingale on September 6, 2025, at a 17th-century château in Provence, France, after 15 years together. They got engaged in January 2024 in the Maldives. Freya is among the UK’s top female Twitch streamers.
Josh ranked as the number one most-watched UK Twitch streamer in 2022 with 17.68 million hours watched. He’s considered the group’s operational backbone, and his net worth is estimated at £4-5 million.
Behzinga (Ethan Payne)
Ethan’s daughter, Olive Ottilie Payne, was born on September 25, 2022, with partner Faith Kelly. They got engaged in April 2024 and married in December 2024. Born June 20, 1995, Ethan’s health journey has been remarkable. He lost 36 kilograms and survived a life-threatening asthma attack during filming in April 2024.
His documentary “How to Be Behzinga” addressed his struggles with depression and alcoholism. He now serves as Teenage Cancer Trust’s first “Content Icon” ambassador. His net worth is estimated at £4-6 million.
TBJZL (Tobi Brown)
Born on April 8, 1993, Tobi maintains a very private personal life and is believed to be single, with no confirmed relationships. He’s managing team VZN FC in the new Baller League UK six-a-side football competition on Sky Sports. His streetwear brand, ILLVZN, launched in 2019, and he serves as an executive producer on Inside. His net worth is estimated at £3-7 million.
W2S (Harry Lewis)
The youngest member, Harry (born November 24, 1996), hasn’t uploaded to his main channel, which has 16.3 million subscribers, since 2020, but continues to appear in Sidemen group videos. He’s been single since 2020 after breaking up with Katie Leach.
In 2022, he won $2.5 million in a MrBeast challenge by keeping his hand on a private jet for the longest, and then he gifted it to his siblings. He splits time between London and his native Guernsey. His net worth is estimated at £5-7 million.
Career
The Sidemen currently operate five YouTube channels. Their main channel boasts 22.8 million subscribers, whilst MoreSidemen has 9.2 million, SidemenReacts has 5.7 million, SidemenShorts has 2.1 million, and Side+ has 377,000 subscribers. Combined group views exceed 17.3 billion. They maintain their signature Sidemen Sundays weekly format, though Harry participates less frequently than other members.
Their 2024-2025 expansion into mainstream entertainment has been remarkable. The Sidemen Story documentary premiered on Netflix on February 14, 2024, marking their first central feature on a streaming platform. Their original reality competition show Inside launched in June 2024 with a £1 million prize pool. Netflix was so impressed that they acquired Season 2 for March 2025 and commissioned Inside USA for September 2025.
Google has featured them as a case study in digital marketing, whilst academics have published research on their cultural influence. A British Council survey found that KSI ranked as the top-recognised UK digital figure among Gen Z at 25.5%, with the Sidemen group at 24.6%. Their production operation now employs over 100 people and has been described as “closer to a Hollywood studio system of the 21st century.”
Business Ventures
The Sidemen have built an impressive business empire where profits are split equally among all seven members, regardless of individual involvement.
Sidemen Clothing, founded in 2014, opened its first physical store at Bluewater Shopping Centre in July 2023. They opened a second 4,500-square-foot Birmingham store in October 2024. Online revenues approximate $1.7 million over six months, with annual sales estimated at £1.5-2 million.
Sides restaurant chain launched in November 2021 and now operates over 80 dark kitchen locations across the UK, plus 20+ in the UAE. They’ve opened physical locations at Boxpark Wembley and Gravity Wandsworth, as well as standalone restaurants. The ambitious goal is 200 global sites within 10 years.
XIX Vodka launched in 2022 and expanded to J D Wetherspoon pubs nationwide in March 2024. They’ve introduced new flavours, including Gumball Orange.
Best Cereal launched in March 2024 in Tesco stores with British oat producer Mornflake.
Side+ is their subscription platform (launched in September 2021), offering exclusive content, behind-the-scenes footage, and member events for £6.99 per month.
In May 2025, they co-founded Upside VC, an £18-25 million venture capital firm targeting consumer tech startups with investments ranging £100,000-£500,000. Initial investments include social calendar app Howbout and digital rights tool Ceartas DMCA.
Charity Work
The Sidemen Charity Match has become Britain’s largest creator-led charity event. Their first match in 2016 at St Mary’s Stadium drew around 12,000 attendees and raised £110,000. The event grew consistently, with 2017 raising £210,000 and 2022 exceeding £1 million for the first time.
The 2022 match set a Guinness World Record for most viewers on a YouTube charity sports livestream with 2.55 million concurrent viewers. Their 2023 match at London Stadium attracted 62,000 spectators and raised £2.4 million.
They took 2024 off to prepare something special. Their 2025 charity match at Wembley Stadium was their largest yet, drawing 90,000 spectators and raising £4.7 million. The game sold out in under three hours despite 250,000+ attempting to access tickets, and attracted 8 million live viewers. In total, their charity matches have raised over £8.5 million.
Net Worth
The Sidemen’s combined net worth is estimated between £50-105 million, according to various sources including The Times. The significant range largely reflects uncertainty around KSI’s Prime Hydration stake valuation.
The group’s revenue streams are diverse. YouTube ad revenue from their main channel alone ranges from £189,500 to £3 million annually. Sidemen Clothing brings in approximately £1.5-2 million annual sales. Their Sides restaurant operates 80+ UK locations and has expanded into the UAE. Side+ provides consistent subscription revenue, whilst XIX Vodka enjoys growing retail distribution.
Six-figure sponsorship deals are typical for brand partnerships, and individual ventures add considerably to their collective wealth. KSI’s Prime stake, music, and boxing significantly inflate his personal net worth compared to other members’. Vik’s esports ownership and Josh’s streaming success also contribute substantial income beyond group ventures.