Introduction
Daniel Robert Middleton (born November 8 1991), known online as DanTDM (formerly The Diamond Minecart), is a British YouTube personality and professional gamer. His online video channels have covered many video games, mainly the popular games Minecraft and Pokémon.
His channel has been listed among the top YouTube channels in the United Kingdom. In July 2015, he was listed as one of the most popular YouTubers in the world by viewership. He has won several Kids' Choice Awards and set Guinness World Records for his gaming and presenting. In 2017, Middleton topped the Forbes list of Highest-Paid YouTube Stars, earning $16.5 million (about GB£12.2 million) in one year. As of February 2020, Middleton has over 16 billion views, around 22.5 million subscribers and has posted more than 3,400 videos.
Early life
Daniel Middleton was born on 8 November 1991 in Aldershot, England as the elder of two siblings. His parents divorced when he was a child. He attended the University of Northampton, and started a YouTube channel in 1999 dedicated to Pokémon while at university, in which he called himself "PokemanDanLv45".
Career
In 2012, Middleton created The Diamond Minecart, a gaming channel. He changed his channel's name to TheDiamondMinecart // DanTDM, and then, on 12 December 2016, to DanTDM. He currently produces videos out of his home studio in Wellingborough.
He released a graphic novel called Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal on 6 October 2016. The novel remained at the number one spot on The New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover graphic books for eleven weeks. He was a featured guest at the Cheltenham Literature Festival and went on a book tour that included parts of the UK and a visit to New York City. In 2017, he embarked on a tour through the United States and Australia.
His online video channel had focused primarily on the popular game Minecraft, as of January 2020, he has allocated part of his channel to playing random video games, community Discord challenges and reaction videos. Daniel Middleton also has a Minecraft Hardcore series which is a big part of his channel. He streams it live on Twitch and posts an edited version on his YouTube Channel.
In 2017, he starred in a web series called DanTDM Creates a Big Scene starring himself and featuring other social media entertainers and actors. The series premiered on 7 April 2017 exclusively for YouTube Red, YouTube's subscription service, The show "follows DanTDM and his group of animated friends as they battle to keep their live show on the road". and ran for six episodes.
Personal life
In June 2013, when his channel exceeded 100,000 subscribers, he posted a video revealing his face for the first time ever. Middleton married his girlfriend Jemma on 17 March 2013. The two have a son, Asher, born on 5 January 2020. The two are owners of two pugs, Darcie and Ellie. They also owned a foster pug named Peggy, who they had to put down.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Ralph Breaks the Internet | eBoy | Voice role; UK version |
| 2019 | DanTDM Presents The Contest | Himself | Main voice of the flim. |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Skylanders Academy | Cy | Voice role; recurring |
| 2017 | DanTDM Creates A Big Scene | Himself | YouTube Original series; 6 episodes |
| 2019 | DanTDM Presents The Contest | Himself | From the 2nd tour. |
Awards
- Guinness World Record for "Most goals scored in a game of Rocket League for a team of 2". and "Most goals scored in a game of Rocket League (team of three)."
- Guinness World Record for "Most views for a dedicated Minecraft video channel".
- Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in the category UK Favourite Tipster: 2015 and 2016
Books
- Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal (HarperCollins, 2016)
- Official DanTDM 2017 Diary and Activity Book: Lots of Things to Make and Do (Trapeze, 2016) ISBN 978-1409171188