YouTuber and entertainer KSI has revealed that some members of the Sidemen are still struggling to come to terms with his departure from the popular content group, admitting several of them are “angry” and “upset” over the decision.
The social media personality, whose real name is Olajide William Olatunji, popularly known as JJ among close friends and family, officially confirmed his exit from the YouTube collective over the weekend.
In a YouTube video that has already attracted close to three million views, KSI explained that there was “nothing bad” between him and the group, insisting the decision to leave was entirely personal.
Following widespread reactions from fans, many of whom questioned whether the announcement was a prank, the Britain’s Got Talent judge later clarified that the exit was genuine and opened up about the emotional impact it had on both himself and the group.
“I know you’re all grieving in your own way because of my decision, but you knew it was coming for a while,” he wrote in a statement posted on Instagram.
“And I know some of you are angry, some of you don’t want to accept it, some of you might even hate me, and some of you are just upset.
“It’s ok, I’ll always be here for you.”
Despite the emotional reactions, KSI urged the Sidemen to remain hopeful and confident about what lies ahead.
“You have an audience that adore you. An audience that enjoy the content,” he wrote.
“An audience that have grown with us. You’re all very entertaining so don’t think otherwise.”
The post also featured several throwback images of KSI alongside the Sidemen, with the YouTuber admitting the memories left him emotional.
“I had the time of my life. It’s been such an awesome crazy journey,” he said.
“I love these guys, and they will always be my friends for life.”
Reflecting on the group’s rise to global fame, KSI recalled how unexpected their success had been during the early days of the channel.
The 32-year-old content creator, who has also ventured into boxing and holds a minority ownership stake in Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. — explained that balancing multiple commitments had become increasingly difficult.
“Between everything else in my life, I feel like I’ve been running at full speed, at 100mph,” he said.
KSI also paid tribute to fellow Sidemen members Simon Minter, Josh Bradley, Vikram Barn, Tobi Brown, Ethan Payne and Harry Lewis, saying they deserved someone capable of giving complete commitment to the group.
Earlier, the Sidemen released a statement admitting KSI’s exit came as a surprise, although they wished him success in his future projects.
“We’ve got lots of exciting stuff planned that we can’t wait to share,” the group said.
So far, none of the Sidemen members have publicly reacted to KSI’s latest emotional message.
