Sidemen Vikkstar123: How YouTube gamer from Sheffield has made his millions and is adored by fans around world

What started out as a hobby for Vikram Singh Barn when he was a Sheffield schoolboy quickly became his livelihood, and now Vikkstar123 is huge in the gaming world and a YouTube and internet personalilty with fans around the globe.

The former Silverdale School pupil, who moved to the Steel City from Guildford, Kent, when he was eight years old, is part of the popular Sidemen group, with members having amassed fortunes through YouTube videos of their gaming, lives and exploits.

Celebrity KSI, behind the Prime drink sensation, is another of the successful Sidemen.

The group produce videos of various challenges, sketches, and video game commentaries across their YouTube channels, which have tens of millions of followers.

Back in 2016, Vikram said he was making more than 20 times the amount he needed and could have retired then.

He shot to fame by filming himself playing video games such as Call of Duty and putting them online with commentary for other gamers to watch.

He began by sharing clips with friends but the videos quickly became popular with other YouTubers who had never met him – and his reputation grew.

He and the other Sidemen, who were also individual gamers then, all knew each other online and were invited to the same gaming event, where they met up for the first time, realised they all got on in the real world too and agreed to start making content together.

They then moved to London together and with their combined followers, their online reach became huge – as did their earning potential.

When he finished sixth form at Silverdale in Bents Green, Vikram received an offer to study Natural Sciences at University College London but deferred it for 12 months to concentrate on his gaming business...and has never looked back.

YouTube pays content creators per so many thousand views, and with millions of fans following Vikkstar123’s every move, he is now believed to be a multi-millionaire.

He previously told The Star: “I think me and all my friends have been successful because we started so early. We started when there weren't many people creating content.”

In 2019, Vikram was invited to speak at a special rewards assembly for Year 8 students at his old school in Sheffield.

He spoke to pupils about life as a YouTube personality and encouraged them to pay serious attention to their studies.

Speaking to the students he said: “I’m here to motivate you. When I was your age I saw something that I kind of enjoyed. I didn’t even really know it could be a job and I started doing it. But I always had to do my schoolwork as well. That may sound boring but it was something I had to balance with my school work and everything else I was doing.”

Vikram gained 12A* in his GCSEs at Silverdale before taking his A-levels.