Are Dan and Phil dating? The bond between the YouTube pair explained

Are Dan and Phil dating? As of 2025, they have not publicly confirmed whether they are in a romantic relationship. The British YouTube content creators have been close for many years, leading fans to speculate that they might be more than just friends.

Key takeaways

• Dan and Phil are an English entertainment and business duo best known for their collaborative work on YouTube since meeting in 2009.
• The content creators have lived and worked together since 2011.
• Their relationship has been a topic of speculation for years, largely fuelled by their close bond and collaborative projects.
• Dan and Phil both came out as gay in 2019.
• Despite years of speculation, neither Dan nor Phil has officially stated whether they are or were romantically involved.

Profile summary

Are Dan and Phil dating?

While they were previously romantically linked and have both publicly come out as gay, they have not confirmed whether they are in a romantic relationship. Below is an overview of their relationship.

2009: Dan and Phil’s journey from fans to flatmates

Dan Howell and Phil Lester sparked dating rumours due to their close bond, frequent collaborations, and the way they spoke about each other. Their friendship started in 2009 when Dan reached out to Phil as a fan, and they quickly became close.

Dan and Phil started appearing on each other's videos and later launched their joint YouTube gaming channel and authored two books. The two first moved in together in August 2011, originally in Manchester, and later relocated to London in 2012.

June 2019: Dan Howell came out as gay via a YouTube video

On 13 June 2019, the YouTube stars' dating rumours intensified when Dan released a YouTube video where he publicly came out and shared his journey of self-acceptance. The video detailed his struggles with identity, bullying, and internalised homophobia, and his experiences growing up in an environment that made him fear his sexuality. He stated:

Based on your circumstances, you might not feel ready to tell people yet, or that it’s safe, and that’s fine too. Just know that living your truth with pride is the way to be happy. You are valid. It gets so much better. And the future is clear. It’s pretty q__r.

He added:

Q--r people exist. Choosing not to accept them is not an option. To anyone watching this who isn’t out, it’s OK. You’re OK. You were born this way. It’s right. And anyone who has a problem with it is wrong.

Dan Howell also addressed speculation about his relationship with Phil Lester, describing Phil as his "soulmate" and someone who made him feel safe and understood. While he did not explicitly define their relationship, he emphasised their deep bond and companionship. He said:

It was more than just a love affair....This is someone who genuinely cared about my health. I trusted them. For the first time since I was a tiny child, I felt safe… we are truly great friends. Companions through life. Like actual soul mates.

Dan did not share many details about their relationship status, simply telling fans in the same video that:

I'm sure a lot of people want to know a lot more than that, which I take as a compliment...I prefer to keep my personal life private; Phil is similar.

30 June 2019: Phil Lester also publicly came out as gay

Phil Lester publicly came out as gay on 30 June 2019, shortly after his long-time friend and collaborator Dan Howell did the same. He uploaded a video on his channel titled Coming Out to You. In the video, Phil also confirmed that he is gay, but did not include further insight into his relationship with Dan. He said:

There is something quite big I’ve been meaning to tell you guys. I’m gay. It’s a little bit strange to say it like this on camera, but I just wanted to let you know as I feel like it’s something I want to share and hopefully it might help someone. I’ve been meaning to do it for a while, but I wanted to make sure it felt right for me.

Phil also explained that he had come out to his friends and family years before, but had not publicly discussed it online until then:

I’ve already come out to most of my friends and family quite a while ago, but I hadn’t felt like I was ready to do it publicly. I always thought coming out was something that just happened once, but I’ve learned it’s more of a journey and happens in stages.

Are Dan and Phil still together?

Dan Howell and Phil Lester continue to collaborate on various projects and share their lives online. While their joint gaming channel has been inactive since 2018, they still work together on videos, podcasts, and other media.

In 2021, Dan and Phil shared on X that they bought a house together, but they do not work together online as much as they used to.

Their last video on their gaming channel was on 24 December 2018. After that, Phil kept posting on his channel, while Dan took a long break from YouTube. He returned in May 2022 with a video titled Why I Quit YouTube, where he opened up about his decision to step back.

Since then, he has uploaded a few more videos as part of a new series called Dystopia Daily. On 7 September 2022, Phil joined him in a video titled Dan and Phil Finally Tell the Truth. In the video, the content creators did not confirm their relationship, but instead, they addressed their longtime closeness and fans' curiosity.

When asked if they were a couple or if people should “stop the lies,” Phil replied:

People share too much on the internet and then everyone wants a little piece of your life...So, I like to be aloof and a little mysterious.

FAQs

1. Who are Dan and Phil? They are British YouTubers and entrepreneurs best known for their collaborative YouTube channel, where they create entertaining, relatable, and often hilarious content.
2. How old are Dan and Phil? As of June 2025, Dan Howell is 34 years old, having been born on 11 June 1991, and Phil Lester is 38 years old, born on 30 January 1987.
3. What is the age gap between Dan and Phil? The YouTube content creators have an age gap of 4 years.
4. Are Dan and Phil a couple? The British content creators have never publicly confirmed that they are currently a romantic couple.
5. Did Dan have a crush on Phil? Dan has not directly said he had a crush on Phil, but he described him as a past romantic partner and soulmate.
6. Why do Dan and Phil call each other friends? The content creators call each other friends because they prefer to keep their relationship private and focus on their close friendship.
7. How tall are Dan and Phil? Dan is 6 feet 4 inches or 193 centimetres tall, while Phil is 6 feet 3 inches or 190 centimetres tall.

While Dan and Phil have never officially confirmed a romantic relationship, their deep connection is undeniable. Over the years, they have described each other as best friends, creative partners, and even soulmates. In 2019, both Dan and Phil publicly came out, further deepening the openness they have shared with their audience.

Legit.ng recently published an article about Cameron Herrin. He is a former racer born in Texas, United States of America. His parents are Cheryl, vice president of State Farm Insurance, and Chris Herrin, filmmaker.

Cameron Herrin attended Tampa Catholic High School and Texas Tech University. The former racer caused a fatal accident on Bayshore Boulevard and killed a 24-year-old woman and her daughter. Find out more about where he is now after the incident.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng