The Sidemen Show

Lore & Background

The Sidemen Show was announced on 3 May 2018, following months of speculation that the group had been working on a secret project. The series was produced by Blue Ant Digital Studios in association with Antenna Pictures, with executive producers Jago Lee, Dan Lubetkin, Austin Long, and James Tooley. Craig Pickles directed, Chris Lore served as series producer, and Iain Glen narrated. Deadline Hollywood described it as 'thought to be one of the largest YouTube Red commissions for a British production company since Origin.'

Reader's Guide

The Sidemen Show represents a significant milestone in the evolution of YouTube-originated content, being one of the largest commissions for a British production company on YouTube Red (later rebranded YouTube Premium). The series saw the Sidemen take on stunts and challenges around the world alongside celebrity guests including Steve-O, Steve Aoki, Jack Whitehall, Kristian Nairn, Jme, Bear Grylls, Nicole Scherzinger, and Sergey Volkov. Filming took place in the United Kingdom, Morocco, Russia, and Austria. The series originally launched exclusively behind the YouTube Premium paywall, but on 8 April 2020, YouTube temporarily removed the paywall for the remaining six episodes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision that became permanent. The series' legacy lies in its demonstration of how online creators could successfully transition to a premium, professionally produced format while retaining their core audience.

Did You Know?

• The series was released on YouTube Premium on 18 June 2018, the same day YouTube Red rebranded to YouTube Premium.
• Iain Glen narrated the series.
• Filming took place in the United Kingdom, Morocco, Russia, and Austria.
• On 8 April 2020, YouTube removed the paywall for the remaining six episodes, initially temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the decision became permanent.