Biography
Who is Phil Lester?
Early life and education
Philip Michael Lester was born on January 30, 1987, in Rossendale, United Kingdom. He spent his youth in Rawtenstall, Lancashire, alongside his older brother, Martyn. For his primary education, he attended Helmshore Primary School before moving on to Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School.
Before finding success online, Phil Lester held various jobs, including working at a veterinary clinic, washing cars, and walking dogs. He later pursued higher education at the University of York. In 2008, he earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English Language and Linguistics. The following year, he completed a Master of Arts in Video Postproduction with Visual Effects.
YouTube career
Phil Lester began his path as a content creator on March 27, 2006. At age 19, he uploaded his first video, titled Phil's Video Blog, to his channel AmazingPhil. He filmed this debut using a camera he won from a cereal box. Over the following years, he built a dedicated audience by posting vlogs, comedy sketches, and surrealist videos. He became one of the first well-known British personalities on the platform.
By 2013, his channel surpassed one million subscribers. Eventually, he branched out into other channels, including a gaming channel called DanAndPhilGAMES, which he launched with his partner, Daniel Howell, in 2014. This gaming channel grew rapidly, featuring recurring series like Spooky Week and Gamingmas.
Radio and television work
Beyond his online videos, Phil Lester expanded his career into traditional media. In 2013, he began co-hosting a Sunday night entertainment show on BBC Radio 1 alongside Daniel Howell. This interactive program ran until August 2014, when the pair transitioned to a monthly slot on the station called The Internet Takeover. This radio work lasted until April 2016.
Phil has also appeared on television, including a stint as a contestant on The Weakest Link in 2007. He played the role of Tim in the 2008 film Faintheart. Also, he provided voice work for the UK release of the Disney film Big Hero 6 and appeared in an episode of The Lion Guard.
Books, tours, and projects
In 2015, Phil Lester and Daniel Howell co-wrote a book titled The Amazing Book Is Not on Fire. The book reached the top of the Sunday Times Bestsellers list and the New York Times Bestseller list. To support the release, the duo started on a stage tour called The Amazing Tour Is Not On Fire, which visited locations across the UK, the US, and Canada. The tour concluded in 2016.
In 2019, The Sunday Times recognized Phil as one of the top influencers in the United Kingdom. Most recently, in October 2025, he and Howell started a weekly podcast titled Hard Launch. This podcast received the Listeners' Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards in October 2026.
Birthday and age
Phil Lester was born on January 30, 1987, which makes Phil 39 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Phil shares the date with 52 other famous people.
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