The Sidemen have issued a joint statement following the departure of KSI, also known as JJ Olatunji, after his surprise announcement that he would be leaving the group after 13 years.

The YouTuber, musician, boxer and entrepreneur recently revealed his decision to step away from the collective, citing the need for greater balance between his professional commitments and personal life. In a video addressing fans, KSI explained that the demands of his schedule had reached a point where he felt it was necessary to make a change, describing the move as a difficult but important decision.

His announcement came as a shock to many viewers who have followed the group's journey since its early days on YouTube. Formed in 2013, the Sidemen consists of KSI, Miniminter, Zerkaa, TBJZL, Behzinga, Vikkstar123 and W2S. Over the years, the group has grown into one of the biggest online entertainment brands in the UK, building a huge audience through challenge videos, travel content, gaming, podcasts and live events.

Following KSI's announcement, the remaining members released a shared statement addressing the situation and acknowledging the reaction from fans.

“We want to start this by saying that we as the Sidemen wish JJ the best and respect his decision to leave. We will be forever grateful for the amazing moments and memories we've shared together.”

The group also addressed confusion surrounding how the news became public, revealing that the departure had not unfolded in the way they had hoped.

“Unfortunately his exit did not happen in the way any of us wanted it to. That has understandably left lots of you confused and we feel like we owe you some clarity.”

The statement went on to explain that, ideally, they would have liked more time to prepare a farewell for one of the group's founding members.

“Ideally, we would have loved the opportunity to give JJ the send off he deserved, a proper farewell video, time for everyone to process it, and a chance to celebrate everything we've built together. Unfortunately JJ released the news before we had agreed on a mutual way of letting our audience know.”

Despite the disappointment surrounding the circumstances of the announcement, the group made it clear that the Sidemen will continue moving forward.

“This is the end of an era, but not the end of the Sidemen.

The rest of us will continue to bring you Sidemen content with the same commitment and optimism we've always had.”

For many fans, KSI's departure represents the end of a significant chapter in YouTube history. As one of the original members and arguably the group's most high-profile figure, he played a major role in helping transform the Sidemen from a friendship group making gaming videos into a global entertainment brand with millions of subscribers, multiple business ventures and sold-out live events.

His influence extends far beyond YouTube. In addition to his online success, KSI has built careers in music, boxing and business, becoming one of the most recognisable internet personalities to emerge from the UK. For viewers who have followed the Sidemen since the early FIFA days, the idea of the group without him is difficult to imagine.

Fans have been sharing mixed emotions online since the announcement. One person wrote:

“Aww, kind of sad. I hope they’re all still friends.”

Another said:

“At the end of the day, he's a grown man. All this outrage because he left is actually insane. Yeah, it wasn’t the best way to go about it, but it’s done now so why are people still crying about it.”

While opinions remain divided on how the departure was handled, many supporters appear to agree on one thing, KSI's contribution to the Sidemen cannot be understated. Whether viewers discovered the group through FIFA videos, charity football matches or their blockbuster challenge content, his presence has been a defining part of the Sidemen story for more than a decade.

Now, as the remaining six members prepare for the next chapter, fans will be watching closely to see what comes next, both for the Sidemen and for JJ as he begins a new phase of his career away from the group he helped build.