KSI Announces Departure From Sidemen After 13 Years, Says Final Video Is 31 May

KSI, whose real name is Olajide Olatunji, announced he is leaving the YouTube collective Sidemen after 13 years, saying he will no longer be doing Sidemen videos and that "Today, 31 May, will be my final Sidemen video."

“- Published Social media star and Britain's Got Talent judge KSI has announced he is leaving the YouTube collective Sidemen after 13 years”

BBC

In his YouTube announcement, KSI described the decision as "This is honestly the hardest video I've ever had to make in my life," and said he had "gone back and forth on this decision for a very long time" while spending months trying to figure out what was right.

BBC

BBC reported that KSI’s spokesperson confirmed the departure to the BBC after many followers voiced suspicions it was a stunt, while Sidemen said it "came as a surprise" and wished him well.

The Express Tribune also said the Sidemen issued an official statement after KSI confirmed he was stepping away, and it described the collective as having built a global audience since forming in 2013.

Sidemen’s statement, posted on social media, said they were "sad to share the news" that KSI had "decided not to continue," and it added that "This came as a surprise to us" while assuring fans that "we’ve got lots of exciting stuff planned."

The BBC noted that some fans initially dismissed KSI’s claim that he was leaving as a stunt, with one reaction saying, "Thought it was fake at first, but looks like it's real. Still don't want to accept it though," while another wrote, "Good luck on the rest of your journey JJ! Takes courage to make this next step."

Female First

Radio News Hub said KSI’s departure was confirmed to the Press Association by his representatives amid rumors that the announcement may have been part of a bet.

The Express Tribune framed KSI’s exit as a personal choice with no conflict behind it, quoting the statement that his departure came as a surprise to the rest of the members while the group said it would continue content, events, and brand projects.

KSI said he was stepping away to focus on his health, family, and work-life balance, telling viewers, "But for now, I need to focus on myself, and I need to focus on fixing my work-life balance."

“Always see our news on Google KSI, whose real name is Olajide Olatunji, has announced that he is leaving the YouTube collective Sidemen after 13 years of collaboration”

Informat.ro

In the same announcement, he said he had been "running at full speed, at 100 mph" and that he had "started losing balance in my own life," while thanking the other Sidemen members Simon Minter, Josh Bradley, Vikram Barn, Tobi Brown, Ethan Payne, and Harry Lewis.

The BBC said the collective has more than 140 million YouTube subscribers between them, with KSI the most widely recognised, and it listed their most popular video as a challenge where they divided into two groups and took holidays on budgets of $20,000 (£14,867) and $200 in Europe.

The Express Tribune added that the Sidemen remain committed to continuing their content, events, and brand projects despite the change in lineup, and it pointed to their annual charity football matches and collaborations with high-profile personalities such as MrBeast and Erling Haaland.