DanTDM Real Name
Daniel Robert Middleton (born 8 November 1991), better known as DanTDM (formerly TheDiamondMinecart), is a British YouTuber, gamer, and author. He is primarily known for his Let’s Play videos, particularly those featuring Minecraft, Roblox, Pokémon, and Five Nights at Freddy’s. Middleton’s YouTube channel, which he started in 2012, has amassed over 29 million subscribers and 20 billion views as of 2025, making him one of the most popular content creators on the platform.
Middleton began his YouTube career with Minecraft content, later expanding to other games and vlog-style videos. He has published a graphic novel, voiced a character in the UK version of the film Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), and embarked on several world tours featuring live shows. In 2016, he was listed in the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition for “Most views for a dedicated Minecraft video channel.”
Beyond his online presence, Middleton has been involved in various charitable initiatives and has won several awards, including multiple Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in the UK Favourite Gamer category. In 2017, Middleton topped the Forbes list of Highest-Paid YouTube Stars, earning £12.2 million (about $16.5 million) in one year
Personal life
Daniel Robert 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, where he studied music production. Prior to his career as a YouTuber and author, he worked at Tesco, telling the BBC in 2017 that when he earned enough money from YouTube to match his wage at Tesco, his wife persuaded him to pursue it.
Middleton married his girlfriend, Jemma, in March 2013. Their first son, Asher, was born on 5 January 2020, and their second son, Miles, was born on 22 November 2022. He has openly discussed his struggles with mental health after experiencing severe depression due to the isolation of the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Career
In 2012, Middleton first created TheDiamondMinecart, a gaming channel. In August 2014, Middleton signed with the multi-channel network Maker Studios under its Polaris label. He decided to change his channel’s name to TheDiamondMinecart // DanTDM later on, and on 12 December 2016, to DanTDM. He currently produces videos out of his home studio in Wellingborough.
Middleton’s content is largely targeted at children, though many teens and adults watch it as well. As his original fanbase that propelled his career has grown up, Middleton has scaled back his video production schedule and focused more on creating graphic novels, hosting live shows, and DanTDM merchandise. He released a graphic novel titled Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal on 6 October 2016, which remained at the number one spot on The New York Times Best Seller.
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. He then embarked on a tour through the United States and Australia in 2017. His live show at the Sydney Opera House was the second fastest to sell out in the venue’s history. While acknowledging that he might not be a household name “yet“, he was noted by the Tampa Bay Times as being “one of YouTube’s brightest stars and biggest successes.”
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Ralph Breaks the Internet | eBoy | Voice role; UK theatrical version | [31] |
| 2019 | DanTDM Presents: The Contest | Himself | Interactive cinema event | [32] |
| 2021 | Free Guy | Cameo | [33] | |
| 2025 | A Minecraft Movie | Auction attendee | [34] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–2017 | Skylanders Academy | Cy | Voice role; 2 episodes | [35] |
| 2017 | DanTDM Creates a Big Scene | Himself | YouTube Original mini-series; 6 episodes | [36] |
| YouTube Rewind | Only in 2017 | |||
| 2025 | Black Mirror | Cameo; Episode: “USS Callister: Into Infinity” | [37] |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Minecraft: Story Mode | Himself | Episode 6: “A Portal to Mystery” | [38] |
Awards and nominations
- Guinness World Record for “Most goals scored in a game of Rocket League for a team of 2” (shared with Tom “Syndicate” Cassell) 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.
- Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in the category UK Favourite Gamer: 2020.
Publications
- DanTDM (6 October 2016). Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-1409168393.
- DanTDM (17 November 2016). Official DanTDM 2017 Diary and Activity Book: Lots of Things to Make and Do. Trapeze. ISBN 978-1409171188.
Notes
- Subscribers, broken down by channel:
- 29.2 million (DanTDM)
- 1.81 million (DanTDM Live)
- 895 thousand (DanTDM Shorts)
- 3.16 million (MoreTDM)
- 119 thousand (PokemanDanLv45)
- Views, broken down by channel:
- 20 billion (DanTDM)
- 283 million (DanTDM Live)
- 96.1 million (DanTDM Shorts)
- 586.2 million (MoreTDM)
- 3.809 million (PokemanDanLv45)
