Lex Online - YouTube Creators: A Few of My Favourites.

In today’s Internet-Age, it seems only logical that people my age don’t watch television that much anymore. I certainly don’t. Well, the odd American TV Series every now and again, but nothing religiously. (Alright, aside from Grey’s Anatomy, but that doesn’t count.) Okay, okay. People still watch TV, but what I’m really trying to say is that people watch LESS television now. I, for one,  spend a lot of time watching people on Youtube which seems like an odd concept,  but it’s the television of today only more interactive, more personable and more accessible. 

I thought I would give you a rundown of my favourite Youtube Creators, listing their various traits, talents and topics. Quite a lot of the time, these clips of their lives on Youtube inspire and educate me – I hope they do the same for you. 

Carrie Hope Fletcher.  (ItsWayPastMyBedTime)

Carrie’s been on Youtube since March, 2011 and in that time she has amassed a whopping 500,158 subscribers on YouTube.  Carrie was one of the first YouTube creators that I watched religiously, and since her start on the web she has become a household name in one of the biggest West End Shows; Cameron Mackintosh’s Les Miserables. Having played Young Eponine years earlier, Carrie is now playing Eponine as an adult – she says it had always been her dream to play older Eponine. 

Aside from being West End Star, Carrie is also writing her own book, keeping up a blog, regularly posting on her YouTube account and writing her own music. She produces videos running a theme of her ‘big sister’ vibe, she gives her following of ‘hopefuls’  advice and posts regular ‘Ask Carrie’ videos where she strives to provide information, reassurance and charming anecdotes from her life.

Boys In Books Are Better is a hilarious homage to all the wonderful characters in Carrie’s favourite books that is the culmination of everything Carrie; books, the inclusion of her fans, singing and making people smile. 

Unfortunately, recently some of Carrie’s messages have been lost in a cloud of controversial issues surrounding her private relationships involving other YouTubers; some YouTube viewers and creators can be unforgiving and without knowing the full stories - the community can be quick to judge. Carrie has navigated the situation that she didn’t bring upon herself with grace and honesty.

Carrie Fletcher is a member of John and Hank Green’s DFTBA(don’t forget to be awesome) and this links her to my next favourite Youtuber...

Charlie McDonnell.  (CharlieIsSoCoolLike)

Charlie is an equally as British, equally as charming member of DFTBA as Carrie.

The first YouTuber I ever saw consecutive videos by; Charlie made a cup of tea, filmed it and it went viral. His quintessential British life online has collected 2,377,747 subscribers and he’s now huge everywhere – a regular at conventions such as LeakyCon, VidCon, Playlist Live and Summer In The City. 

Charlie originally started with funny little skits and songs that he’d written. He’s now progressed onto explaining tricky science in layman’s terms with concise logic but also comedy, participating in charity events and of course, commenting on some of the more controversial topics surrounding the YouTube community currently. Early- Charlie also took part in the Trock movement; Time Lord Rock, writing songs about Doctor Who with his band Chameleon Circuit which featured Micheal Aranda among other You Tubers. 

Charlie now focuses mainly on making short films and at this year’s upcoming VidCon in Los Angeles, he will be hosting his own meet-up and panel based on the production side of creating short films. From what I can gather, rather adorably, it seems that Charlie is still in complete awe that his hobby of making videos at his home computer in Bath now pays his bills and allows him to travel wherever and whenever he wants. 

One of my favourite Charlie videos is one of his earliest – he doesn’t use this the intro anymore but now he has a fabulous end card voiced by none other than THE Stephen Fry which emphasizes Charlies quintessentially British attitude. 

Louise Watson, nee Pentland. (SprinkleOfGlitter)

Mum of one, Louise is full of joy, glitter and enthusiasm.  1,446,552 subscribers watch her weekly/biweekly videos featuring her darling baby girl, ‘baby glitter’ otherwise known as Darcy and her husband Matt. Louise’s husband, not Darcy’s; that would be weird. 

Louise’s videos range from DIY Craft videos, to make up and fashion hauls, to family life as well as coping with marriage and having a young-one around. Louise quite often defends herself against what she calls the ‘Mummy Mafia’ who leave comments and messages for Louise, telling her she’s not looking after her child properly or not conducting her married self in an appropriate way, but I honestly think she’s one of the best mother’s I’ve seen. 

Not only is Louise raising a baby girl, she’s hosting her YouTube channel, attending conventions and inspiring viewers left right and centre. By the looks of it, she never stops, yet still manages to succeed at all of the above. Darcy is never sad or massively misbehaving, on camera, which speaks volumes about Louise’s ability as a mother – makes me wish people wouldn’t bash her so much. I’d like to see them try everything Louise has accomplished. 

Louise is completely real on her YouTube channel and doesn’t struggle to bring both light hearted chatty videos in line with slightly more topical videos of a serious note. Louise is capable of it all. A wonder woman, some might say. Louise has a profound honesty about her life; her struggles, her triumphs and most importantly her beliefs – she doesn’t seem to let people get to her, although obviously I don’t know what goes on behind closed camera lenses. 

Louise’s very close friend features as my next chosen ‘Top YouTuber’...

Zoe Sugg. (Zoella) 

5,054,357 subscibers makes Zoella our most popular YouTube Creator so far. Zoe Sugg, sister of Joe Sugg (Thatcher Joe on YouTube) and best friend to Louise,  is vlogging every day in June as a challenge and so far it’s paid off – she featured on Loose Women, as well as reaching 5 million subscribers and that’s just this week.  Clearly this week was a good week, but Zoe is plainly honest about her down days. I think it’s that, that love about her. Her realness on camera makes her so relatable and easy to watch that viewers feel good about themselves; if this girl on YouTube has down days like I do too, I am capable of all the success that she has too. 

Zoe suffers from anxiety and severe panic attacks, however the majority of the time we see Zoe in her vlogs and videos she is her usual charming, bright and bubbly twenty-four year old self. Managed by Gleam Futures, along with boyfriend Alfie (PointlessBlog) as well as Louise and Joe; Zoe has a PO box that is regularly filled with letters, parcels and packages from friends and fans but pleads with people not to send presents – she’s not in it for the free things and gifts, you can tell that from the sheer honesty in her videos. 

Just to truly explain Zoe’s success as Zoella, Sugg won not only the 2011 Cosmopolitan Blog Award for ‘Best Established Beauty Blog’ but also ‘Best Beauty Vlogger’ as well as Radio 1 Teen Awards ‘Best British Vlogger’ and the 2014 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards for ‘UK Favourite Vlogger’. 

When Zoe was made redundant from a job she hated years ago, she never knew how popular she would get through her blog and eventually her YouTube channel, which she only started in 2009. She also has Louise’s chattery happiness and commitment and this is what makes them a fabulous pair to watch in their many collaborations.  Her ever changing style, baking, decorative and make up/hair choices inspire viewers everywhere to be exactly who they want to be, no holds barred. You want to wear those trousers that kind of look like pyjama pants, you do it. 

Zoe is one for saying yes. Her anxiety held her back for so long and now she won’t let it anymore. As if that personal achievement wasn’t enough, she’s just been given a book deal.  Zoe has signed, apparently a two-book, deal with Penguin Books and now has her debut novel due for release in November of this year. According to her announcement video, the novel will circle a young girl whose blog goes viral and what that means for her life, love and tendency to have panic attacks. It’s going to be loosely  autobiographical,  yet I’m looking forward to reading this – to my knowledge Zoe has never talked about wanting to write a book before, so for this to come out of the blue means she obviously suffers from that writerly-need to have something perfect before she puts it out into the world. The book will be entitled Girl; Online.

Here are two videos that will hopefully encourage you to head over to YouTube and check Zoella out;

*

I hope you have enjoyed this sample of a few of my favourite YouTube Creators, I will however name check a few more, for your interest:  Alfie Deyes, Marcus Butler, Niomi Smart, Tanya Burr, Jim Chapman, Fleur De Force, Jenna Marbles, CherryWallis, Emma Blackery, and Troye Sivan.

Just below here, you can find links to everyone I’ve discussed above and I highly recommend you go and check them out. Just the same as watching television, they offer the escapism and light comedic relief at the end of a day, only they’re far more relatable; they’re all real people living in the same world as us. 

Carrie Hope Fletcher – Twitter, Instagram, Main YouTube, Side Channel, Blog.

Charlie McDonnell – Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Blog.

Louise Glitter – Twitter, Instagram, Main YouTube, SideChannel, Blog.

Zoe Sugg – Twitter, Instagram, Main YouTube, Side Channel, Blog.