Dan Howell and Phil Lester are embracing the opportunity to reshape their public story. On Sunday, October 6, the two British YouTubers kicked off the North American portion of their third joint tour, Terrible Influence, in Seattle, Washington.
Over the next two months, they plan to perform in cities like New York, San Diego, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Nashville, among others. In a conversation with PEOPLE, the pair, with over 12 million combined YouTube followers, discussed their recent return to the spotlight and how their new tour pushes boundaries with their fanbase.
As they celebrate 15 years of collaboration, both YouTubers feel grateful for their loyal audience and the freedom to explore new creative avenues
“This is the era of not caring,” Dan, 33, said. “We’re older now, and so is our audience. We’ve all matured together.” Following their 2018 Interactive Introverts tour, Dan and Phil explored separate career paths. Dan’s YouTube activity halted, including their shared channel, DanandPhilGAMES.
During this period, Dan wrote the New York Times bestselling mental health book You Will Get Through This Night and embarked on his 2022 solo comedy tour We’re All Doomed, while Phil, 37, focused on his AmazingPhil YouTube channel.
Despite going solo, Dan shared that Phil wanted them to revisit their gaming channel. After going on hiatus in 2018, it returned in October 2023 with a dramatic announcement video featuring their signature Sim character emerging from a coffin. From there, it felt right to revive their joint brand, leading to the planning of their third tour in December 2023.
“It wasn’t planned,” Dan explained. “It just happened naturally. We didn’t realize how excited people would be for Dan and Phil again.” Phil confessed he played a major role in their return, noting, “I’ve been the voice in Dan’s ear saying, ‘What if we came back? What if we did another tour?’”
Dan admitted he was initially hesitant. “I was sitting there like, ‘Are we sure the world is ready for Dan and Phil again?’” Phil, however, was confident, replying, “But it worked out, didn’t it?”
Even during their solo projects, they continued to support one another. Phil served as the remote crisis manager for Dan’s solo tour, earning a production credit. “I needed a break,” Phil recalled. “But after a while, I missed it. Seeing Dan on tour made me realize how much I missed connecting with my audience.”
Both YouTubers publicly came out as gay in 2019, and since then, they’ve been recognized as major figures for young LGBTQ+ audiences, with YouGov listing them among the top influencers for queer youth in Britain, alongside Lady Gaga and RuPaul.
This tour will be Phil’s first time interacting with fans on stage since coming out. “A lot of our fans are queer, so it’s great to connect with them in this new way,” he said. “I feel like I’m finally part of that community.”
As for the show itself, which includes 70 performances worldwide through February 2025, Phil wants the audience to have fun. However, Dan points out that the performance dives into deeper themes. “We’re asking the big question: were Dan and Phil and the content we created a positive influence, or did we mess things up?”
Dan hopes the show will provide closure for their fans. “We want everyone to leave feeling healed and content, like ‘Wow, what a refreshing outlook on life,’” he added. Dan and Phil first connected online in 2009, launching their joint YouTube brand and creating a close, though sometimes complicated, relationship with their audience.
Dan reflected on their early days in YouTube fame, explaining, “We were one of the first to ask ourselves, ‘What should we be okay with?’ We didn’t know where to draw the line back then. Our 2018 tour was literally asking that—do we owe our fans whatever they want before we get to do what we want?”
What sets Terrible Influence apart from their previous tours, Dan explains, is that “now we’re saying everything we were too scared to say before, and that’s as thrilling for us as it is terrifying for the audience.”
The duo appreciates that they now have the language to discuss fan-idol relationships. They even playfully incorporated this concept into their tour merchandise, selling shirts that say “parasocial social club.”
Dan acknowledged the changing times, saying, “We grew up in an era that was more toxic, and we were scared to come out. Now, we’re lucky to have found our tribe on the internet.”
Although the tour may feel like a farewell at times, Phil views it as a fresh start. “This isn’t a goodbye; it’s more of a ‘hello again.’” Dan agreed, adding, “In order to move forward, we need to address some things from the past. We have to say, ‘What was that about?’”
Looking ahead, both are excited about the future. Dan reflected on their journey, saying, “It’s been 15 years of Dan and Phil. It’s incredible that we’ve managed to connect with millions of people, and our fastest-selling tour yet is a testament to that.”
For personal ambitions, Phil hinted at venturing into film, joking that he might create his own Megalopolis. He expressed interest in using his creativity for projects like a book or a scripted film, noting that YouTube’s unscripted content has limited him from exploring other avenues.
Dan, however, remains unsure about bringing back his solo channel, though he briefly returned for his Dystopia Daily series in 2022. “I did it for so long, it consumed my life,” Dan said. “But maybe I’ll find a new way to make it fresh. I miss parts of it, but I also want to keep things authentic.”
In the meantime, both are content with their supportive audience, grateful for the freedom to choose their future projects. “For two kids who had no plan 15 years ago, it’s incredible to be here in 2024 with so many options beyond social media,” Dan added.
