Joe Sugg

Sugg created his 'ThatcherJoe' channel in November 2011 and reached the one-million-subscriber mark two years later.[8] His channel became known for its pranks, impressions and challenge videos, such as the Whisper challenge, which became a popular YouTube trend after Sugg created a YouTuber version of the challenge in 2014.[5][9] In January 2013, Sugg began his vlogging channel, 'ThatcherJoeVlogs', and in June 2014, he created his gaming channel, 'ThatcherJoeGames'.[10][11]

In September 2020, Sugg announced that he would be the voice of the robot R-41 in Daleks!, an animated Doctor Who series which was released on YouTube in November 2020 as part of Time Lord Victorious.[12]

In May 2022, it was revealed that Sugg had voiced the host of an animated chat show aimed at children and families called Corpse Talk, based on a series of graphic novels and comics about various historical figures, which is available on YouTube.[13]

Sugg had an uncredited voiceover role as a seagull in the 2015 UK version of the film The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.[14] Also in 2015, Sugg appeared alongside Caspar Lee in the direct-to-DVD film Joe and Caspar Hit the Road, which was shown on British television channel E4 in April 2016.[15][16] A second DVD, Joe & Caspar Hit the Road USA, was released in 2016.[17] Alongside fellow YouTubers Alfie Deyes and Marcus Butler, Sugg starred in an episode of the British television show Release the Hounds, which aired in March 2017.[18]

In 2018, Sugg became the first 'social media star' to appear on Strictly Come Dancing, and he was partnered with professional dancer Dianne Buswell.[19][20] The pair reached the final and finished as runners-up.[21] Shortly after the final, the BBC announced Sugg as co-presenter of New Year Live, alongside Stacey Dooley.[22] On 22 February 2019, Sugg co-hosted The One Show on BBC One, with Alex Jones, and he was one of the hosts for the Red Nose Day telethon on the BBC on 15 March 2019.[23][24]

Sugg voiced Gus in the UK version of the film Wonder Park (2019).[25] In May 2019, he guest starred on the Cartoon Network show, The Amazing World of Gumball, as the voice of Azreal.[26] In July 2019, Sugg announced that he would have a cameo voiceover role in the 2019 Aardman film A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon.[27]

In March 2020, Sugg appeared as a contestant on The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off, in which he fainted due to a flesh wound, but recovered to take the title of Star Baker.[28]

It was announced in August 2020 that Sugg would make his television acting debut in the fourth season of the BBC One drama The Syndicate.[29] In May 2021, it was confirmed that Sugg had joined the cast of the animated adaptation of The Amazing Maurice, which was released in December 2022.[30]

Sugg was a member of the YouTube Boyband, which raised money for Comic Relief and became a viral hit.[31][32] He also featured on the 2014 single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" as part of the Band Aid 30 charity supergroup, raising money for the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa.[33] In January 2020, Sugg released his debut single, "Say It Now".[34] In August 2021, he released his second single, "Wild Things".[35]

In August 2019, Sugg was cast as Ogie Anhorn in the musical Waitress in London's West End. He debuted in the role on 9 September 2019, and gave his final performance on 30 November 2019.[36][37]

Sugg is the author of the graphic novel Username: Evie, published in 2015 by Hodder & Stoughton.[38] The writing is by Matt Whyman, with illustrations by Amrit Birdi.[39] The story is about bullied teenage schoolgirl Evie, who dreams of a place she can be herself. Her terminally ill father creates a virtual reality for her, but dies before it is completed. After he leaves her an app that allows entry, Evie is transported into a world where everything is influenced by her personality.[40] Username: Evie became the fastest-selling graphic novel in the UK since records began, selling 13,745 copies in its debut week.[41] A sequel, Username: Regenerated, was published in 2016, and the third and final graphic novel in the series, Username: Uprising, was released in 2017.[42][43]

In March 2022, Sugg announced that he had written a book called Grow, a part memoir, part practical guide about reconnecting with nature in the digital age, which was published in September 2022.[44]

Sugg, along with his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell, appeared in the Strictly Come Dancing Live! tour during January and February 2019.[45] The pair made Strictly Live Tour history by winning 25 shows in a row against six other couples, later becoming the overall tour winners having won 28 of the 29 shows.[46][47][48]

In August 2019, it was announced that Sugg would be taking over as co-host of the show's official podcast.[49]

On 5 November 2019, it was announced that Sugg would be participating in the 2019 Christmas special episode.[50] A week later it was revealed that he would be dancing with Dianne Buswell, as he did in series 16 of the show.[51]