Last fall, Dan Howell and Phil Lester broke the internet.
In a 46-minute video titled “Are Dan and Phil in a Relationship? The Truth,” the OG British YouTubers finally revealed — after 16 years of speculation — that they’re a couple, and have been since they started making videos together in 2009. The news made headlines around the world and delighted their 3 million fans, many of whom had shipped “Phan” for over a decade.
“It feels so different to have hard launched and be open about this,” Howell tells Variety over Zoom, sitting besides Lester in the London flat they share. “Living with this secret, having this wall up between ourselves and the audience and feeling like there’s something to be afraid of, has just felt like this barrier the whole time.”
There were several fears around going public with their relationship, including the fact that the duo — who made a name for themselves with videos featuring their comedic banter and gaming escapades — didn’t want to limit themselves to “couples content.” But as the years went on, they realized how much keeping the secret was limiting them. They were hesitant to have romantic dates in public, had to alter stories they told on their channels and could barely do press for their burgeoning careers.
