After more than a decade of speculation, beloved YouTubers Dan Howell and Phil Lester have officially confirmed what many fans have long suspected: they’ve been in a romantic relationship since 2009.
In a candid and characteristically humorous new video posted to their shared YouTube channel, the pair opened up about their nearly 16-year partnership for the first time. The announcement marks a significant moment not only for longtime followers of the duo but also for LGBTQ+ representation in online media.
“Alright, let’s get this over with. Are Dan and Phil in a relationship?” Howell begins, sitting down in front of the camera. Lester doesn’t hesitate, answering plainly: “Yes.”
“Alright, bye,” Howell jokes, pretending to leave the frame before adding, “Oh, sorry, you wanted more, did you?”
The video balances humor and heartfelt honesty, as the two creators finally peeled back the curtain on their personal lives after years of maintaining privacy around their relationship.
“We fell into it hard and fast in 2009,” Howell shared. “And here we are almost 16 years later.”
Lester chimed in, laughing, “Stop telling me how long it was. So yeah, relationship—boyfriends.”
The pair explained that they never felt the need to label their relationship in its early days. “It was so fast that we never labeled it,” Howell said. “We just ended up living together and here we are.”
The announcement follows their individual coming-out videos in 2019. At the time, Howell’s video, titled “Basically I’m Gay,” hinted at a past romantic connection between the two but stopped short of confirming an ongoing relationship. Lester came out publicly on his own channel shortly afterward.
While fans speculated for years, piecing together clues through their content, live shows, and social media—the creators maintained a boundary between their public personas and private lives. In the years since their coming out, both Dan and Phil have explored separate creative ventures. Howell authored a mental health guide titled You Will Get Through This Night and embarked on a 2022 solo tour, We’re All Doomed. Meanwhile, Lester continued uploading to his YouTube channel AmazingPhil.
In 2024, the duo reunited professionally for their third joint tour, Terrible Influence, marking a return to their signature double act after going separate ways following 2018’s Interactive Introverts. That reunion reignited their collaborative spark and led to a revival of their gaming channel in late 2023.
“Coming back to our joint brand felt natural,” Howell said in a 2024 interview with People. “We missed it—and we missed each other, honestly.”
While some fans might wonder if the content will shift now that the relationship is public, the duo was quick to address those concerns.
“We’re not going to be couple vloggers in bed,” Howell joked. Lester added, “Don’t expect romantic candlelit dinners on camera. That’s not who we are.”
However, they did announce one exciting new project that will give fans a deeper look into their thoughts and stories: the launch of the Dan and Phil podcast.
“Fifteen years of suppressing all of these stories and opinions,” Lester laughed, “and they’re finally gonna come out.”
Reflecting on their relationship, both were honest about the ups and downs that come with being in such a long-term partnership, especially one shared so closely with a public audience.
“It’s not always perfect,” Lester admitted. “Don’t get it into your head that we are the ideal of human partnerships.”
“We have had ups and downs like anybody,” Howell agreed. “We’ve lived a thousand lifetimes of a normal person’s relationship. I have no idea why we’ve survived.”
