Behzinga Explained

Behzinga
Birth Name:Ethan Leigh Payne
Birth Date:1995 6, df=y[1] [2]
Birth Place:London, England
Education:South Essex College
Channel Name:Behzinga
Years Active:2012–present
Children:1
Subscribers: million (combined)[3]
Views: million (combined)
Associated Acts:Sidemen
Silver Button:yes
Silver Year:2014
Gold Button:yes
Gold Year:2015
Module:
Subbox:yes
Channel Name:Behzinga
Years Active:2012–present
Followers:433 thousands[4]
Stats Update:24 April 2024

Ethan Leigh Payne (born 20 June 1995), better known as Behzinga, is an English YouTuber, streamer, and Internet personality. He produces videos on gaming, football, comedy, and fitness and is a co-founder and member of the British YouTube group Sidemen. In 2019, Payne was listed as the 31st most influential online creator in the United Kingdom by The Sunday Times.[5], his main YouTube channel had over 4 million subscribers and 500 million video views. He is the co-owner of XIX Vodka, Sidemen Clothing, restaurant chain Sides, and cereal brand Best Breakfasts.

Early life and education

Payne was born on 20 June 1995 in London and was raised almost entirely by his mother Ruth, who had cancer during his childhood. His biological father left before he was born and his stepfather, whom he had met when he was six months old and believed was his actual father, left when he was thirteen, due to drug addiction and debt.[6] Payne attended Marshalls Park School,[7] and then studied video games development at South Essex College.

Career

Payne registered the "Behzinga" YouTube channel on 24 February 2012 while he was still in school.[8] He explained that the name comes from one of his favourite television series, The Big Bang Theory, in which Sheldon Cooper often uses the catchphrase "Bazinga!"; Payne altered the spelling. His early content primarily featured video game commentaries on the Call of Duty and FIFA video game series. Over time, his style of content diversified to include football, comedy, and fitness videos.[9] [10] On 19 October 2013, Payne and four other British YouTubers formed the entertainment collective Ultimate Sidemen, later shortened to simply Sidemen. Since 2014, the group has consisted of seven British YouTubers: Vikram Barn (Vikkstar123), Joshua Bradley (Zerkaa), Tobi Brown (TBJZL), Harry Lewis (W2S), Simon Minter (Miniminter), JJ Olatunji (KSI), and Payne.[11] The group produces online videos, most often consisting of challenges, sketches, and video-game commentary, as well as selling exclusive Sidemen merchandise.[12] [13]

In September 2019, Payne was listed as the 31st most influential online creator in the United Kingdom by The Sunday Times. That November, he provided commentary for KSI vs. Logan Paul II for Sky Sports Box Office.[14]

Other ventures

Payne is sponsored by Gymshark, a British fitness apparel company, as part of the company's brand ambassadors and also the "Gymshark athletes".[15]

Growing Paynes podcast

Payne and his girlfriend, Faith Louisa Kelly, created and hosted a podcast together called Growing Paynes in July 2023.[16] [17] They posted their first episode on 13 July 2023.[18] The podcast is available on YouTube and Spotify.[19] The podcast went viral in September 2023, after a clip of the podcast gained attention in which Payne and Kelly were debating about women taking their partner's surnames after marriage.[20]

Personal life

Payne and his girlfriend, Faith Louisa Kelly, have a child together, born in September 2022.[21] On 3 April 2024, the couple announced via Instagram that they are engaged.[22] They currently lives together in Essex.[23] [24]

Payne is a supporter of West Ham United F.C. and has appeared on the club's YouTube videos and podcast.[25]

Health

Payne has become an advocate for mental health and has talked about the importance of sharing feelings and breaking down the stigma surrounding mental illness in men.[26] [27]

In October 2020, he starred in the three-episode YouTube Originals documentary series How to Be Behzinga about his struggle with depression and his path towards running the London Marathon to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.[28] [29] He revealed that he had previously been suffering from alcoholism and wanted to take his own life, but with support from his fellow Sidemen members, he was able to overcome his challenges. Also, during a stretch of time between 2018 and 2019, he had lost 36kg (79lb).[30] [31]

Payne is asthmatic. On 24 April 2024, he tweeted that he had suffered from a life-threatening asthma attack during a Sidemen YouTube video recording and was hospitalised on 22 April 2024.[32] [33] [34]

Philanthropy

Payne became an ambassador for the Teenage Cancer Trust in September 2022.[35] A year later, he became the charity's first content icon.

Football charity matches

In August 2015, Payne and the Sidemen participated in the 2015 Wembley Cup football charity match, facing Spencer FC, playing as part of the Sidemen United team. The match ended with Spencer FC beating Sidemen United by five goals to two.[36]

In December 2021, Payne participated in a five-a-side football tournament hosted by YouTuber and sports commentator, True Geordie and Twitch, raising money for the Alan Shearer Foundation.[37] The event managed to raise more than £100,000.[38]

Between 2016 and 2023, Payne and the rest of the Sidemen hosted and participated in five charity football events, raising more than £3 million for various charities, including the Saint's Foundation, Childline, Young Minds, Charlton Athletic Community Trust, CALM, Teenage Cancer Trust, Rays of Sunshine, and M7 Education.[39] [40]

Filmography

Year! scope="col"
TitleRoleNotes
2018KSI: Can't LoseHimselfDocumentary[41]
2024The Sidemen Story[42]
Web roles
YearTitleRoleNetworkNotes
2014The Sidemen ExperienceHimselfComedy Central UKMain role; 5 episodes[43]
2017YouTube RewindYouTubeEpisode: "The Shape of 2017"[44]
2018The Sidemen ShowYouTube PremiumMain role; 7 episodes[45]
2020MOTDxBBC ThreeEpisode: "05/11/2020"[46]
How to Be BehzingaYouTubeLead role; 3 episodes[47]
Hello 2021: UKGuest[48]
2021What Should I Watch?Guest presenter[49]
2024The Chase: Sidemen EditionSpecial Spin-Off Episode [50]
InsideHostReality Show created by the Sidemen[51]
Music videos
YearTitleArtist(s)Role
2015"Lamborghini"KSI feat. P MoneyHimself[54]
"Test Me"Jme[55]
"Keep Up"KSI feat. Jme[56]
2022"Don't Lie"A1 x J1 feat. Nemzzz[57]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryRecipient(s)Result
2017British Book AwardsNon-Fiction: Lifestyle Book of the Year"Sidemen: The Book" (shared with the Sidemen)[58]
2019Shorty AwardsBest YouTube EnsembleHimself (shared with the Sidemen)[59]

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Sidemen . Sidemen: The Book . 18 October 2016 . . 978-1473648166 . 15–19 . 7 April 2021 . 27 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327035218/https://books.google.com/books?id=IiVeDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA15 . live .
  2. 585449045113626625 . Behzinga . People that think my birthday is June 19th... Don't listen to a silly famous birthdays website. My Birthday is June 20th & I will be 20. . 7 April 2015 . 5 April 2021 . https://archive.today/20210405192505/https://twitter.com/Behzinga/status/585449045113626625 . 5 April 2021.
  3. See:
    • Web site: Behzinga's YouTube Stats . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210928205938/https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/behzinga . 28 September 2021 . 28 September 2021 . Social Blade.
    • Web site: Beh2inga's YouTube Stats . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210928205903/https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/beh2inga . 28 September 2021 . 28 September 2021.
    • Web site: Behzinga Shorts YouTube Stats . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230703153634/https://socialblade.com/youtube/c/behzingashorts . 3 July 2023 . 3 July 2023.
  4. Web site: Behzinga's Twitch Stats . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240424010548/https://socialblade.com/twitch/user/behzinga . 24 April 2024 . 24 April 2024 . Social Blade.
  5. News: 8 September 2019 . The Sunday Times Influencer List 2019: meet the UK's top 100 . . live . subscription . 28 December 2020 . https://archive.today/20200224162716/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-sunday-times-influencer-list-2019-meet-the-uks-top-100-hsmhv8dlp . 24 February 2020.
  6. Behzinga Takes On The London Marathon . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211023193005/ClEHz1aVFrEX. 2021-10-23. How To Be Behzinga . . 19 October 2020 . 1 . 1.
  7. News: Sessions . George . 25 November 2016 . West Ham star Michail Antonio delights Marshalls Park pupils during visit . . dead . 6 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406045449/https://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/west-ham-star-michail-antonio-delights-marshalls-park-pupils-during-3092486 . 6 April 2021.
  8. Web site: 28 September 2016 . YouTuber to millions . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406033954/https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2016/september/28-september/youtuber-millions . 6 April 2021 . 6 April 2021 . West Ham United F.C..
  9. Web site: Ellis . Philip . 19 February 2020 . Watch an Average Guy Get Wrecked by the Navy SEALs Physical Fitness Test . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406043240/https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a30995267/average-guy-navy-seals-physical-fitness-test-youtube/ . 6 April 2021 . 6 April 2021 . Men's Health.
  10. Web site: Hicks . Jesse . 27 February 2020 . Watch What Happened When This Guy Trained Like the One-Punch Man for a Week . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406043256/https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a31134740/one-punch-man-workout-week-video/ . 6 April 2021 . 6 April 2021 . Men's Health.
  11. Web site: Fogarty . Paul . 17 September 2019 . YouTube: Get to know all seven Sidemen members . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191029183835/https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/09/17/youtube-sidemen-members-ethan-tobi-harry-ksi-miniminter-vik/ . 29 October 2019 . 29 October 2019 . HITC.
  12. News: Andrews . Farah . Insomnia Dubai: YouTube stars Sidemen coming to gaming convention . . live . 27 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191027153116/https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/insomnia-dubai-youtube-stars-sidemen-coming-to-gaming-convention-1.909130 . 27 October 2019.
  13. News: 10 September 2019 . YouTube stars The Sidemen at Insomnia Dubai Gaming Festival . . live . 27 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191027153117/https://gulfnews.com/going-out/events/youtube-stars-the-sidemen-at-insomnia-dubai-gaming-festival-1.66332042 . 27 October 2019.
  14. Web site: Gilbert . Peter . 10 November 2019 . KSI v Logan Paul 2: British YouTube star KSI rules out third fight . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406023629/https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/11858644/ksi-v-logan-paul-2-british-youtube-star-ksi-rules-out-third-fight . 6 April 2021 . 6 April 2021 . Sky Sports.
  15. Web site: 2024-02-14 . Sidemen YouTuber opens up about suicide attempt in new Netflix documentary . 2024-06-21 . LADbible . en.
  16. Web site: Martin . Gina . 2023-09-28 . Why are women still being pressured to take their partner's surnames after marriage? . 2024-06-20 . Glamour UK . en-GB.
  17. Web site: Shuttleworth . Catherine . 24 December 2023 . Sidemen star sparks controversy saying he’ll finish FIFA before helping his partner with their baby . 2024-06-20 . . en.
  18. Ethan & Faith On How She Got Pregnant, Cheating On Hen Do & Ethan Being Jealous... FULL PODCAST EP.1 . 2023-07-13 . Growing Paynes . 2024-06-20 . YouTube.
  19. Web site: Growing Paynes . 2024-06-20 . YouTube . en.
  20. Web site: Daniel . Alex . 26 September 2023 . YouTube star condemned for insisting his girlfriend take his surname indy100 . 2024-06-20 . . en.
  21. 1574104983238213632 . Behzinga . What a weekend, Welcome to the world Olive Ottilie Payne My heart couldn't be more full, I am beyond proud of @Faithlouisak for everything. Women are super heroes. Forever loving my little family instagram.com/p/Ci8JtabrI55/… . 25 September 2022 . https://archive.today/20220925192652/https://twitter.com/Behzinga/status/1574104983238213632 . 25 September 2022 . Payne . Ethan.
  22. faithlouisak . C5T3cuMoMQP . Easiest, Yes, ever. ✨ . April 3, 2024.
  23. Web site: Lee . Matt . 2024-02-19 . The Sidemen's Ethan Payne's off-screen life from Essex childhood to Netflix film . 2024-06-20 . Essex Live . en.
  24. INSIDE BEHZINGA’S NEW DREAM HOUSE . 2022-01-30 . Boomin Property . 2024-06-20 . YouTube.
  25. Web site: West Ham TV . 20 February 2024 . Iron Cast Behzinga on his love for West Ham, remarkable YouTube rise and scoring at London Stadium West Ham United F.C. . 2024-06-20 . WHUFC . en.
  26. Ethan Payne: The Reality of YouTube . The Reality Tea . . Chimonides . Joanna . 18 August 2020 . 7 April 2021 . Nalwimba . Pilar . 26 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210426210030/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08nyztz . live.
  27. Web site: Dingley . Tom . 22 February 2021 . Poet is joined by The Sidemen's own Behzinga on a brand new episode of 'The One Po Show' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210407030742/https://www.thelinkup.com/content/3655/poet-is-joined-by-the-sidemen-s-own-behzinga-on-a-brand-new-episode-of . 7 April 2021 . 7 April 2021 . Link Up TV.
  28. Anne-Marie, GRM Daily and Sidemen's Behzinga to Be Focus of YouTube Originals' Autumn Documentaries . 19 August 2020 . . 7 April 2021 . live . https://archive.today/20200820193901/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2020/08/19/anne-marie-grm-daily-and-sidemens-behzinga-to-be-focus-of-youtube-originals-autumn-documentaries-996004/20200819youtube01/ . 20 August 2020 . The Futon Critic.
  29. News: Jouavel . Levi . 22 October 2020 . Behzinga: How I overcame drinking and depression . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406195239/https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-54576448 . 6 April 2021 . 6 April 2021 . BBC News.
  30. Web site: Roberts . Alex . 27 October 2020 . YouTube star Behzinga says 36 kilogram weight loss transformation saved his life . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406195917/https://www.joe.co.uk/fitness-health/behzinga-weight-loss-transformation-254153 . 6 April 2021 . 6 April 2021 . Joe.
  31. Web site: Griffin . Louise . 19 October 2020 . YouTuber Behzinga's Sidemen 'family' helped him through mental health struggles and epic fitness transformation . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201230032936/https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/19/youtuber-behzingas-sidemen-family-helped-him-through-mental-health-struggles-and-epic-fitness-transformation-13438114/ . 30 December 2020 . 30 December 2020 . Metro.
  32. 1783138174312616340 . Behzinga . quick update for you lot ❤️‍ . Ethan . Payne . 24 April 2024.
  33. Web site: JOE . 2024-04-24 . Sidemen star Ethan Payne suffers life-threatening asthma attack . 2024-04-24 . JOE.co.uk . en-US.
  34. SIDEMEN $500,000 vs $500 MOBILE HOME ROAD TRIP . 5 May 2024 . YouTube video . en-gb . 1:20:34 . 15 May 2024 . Sidemen.
  35. Web site: Ethan Payne (Behzinga) Teenage Cancer Trust Icon . 2024-06-20 . . en.
  36. Web site: Association . The Football . It's Spencer FC v Sidemen United in EE's Wembley Cup . 2024-06-19 . TheFA . en.
  37. Web site: Brown . Andy . 2021-12-07 . Twitch Rivals hosts charity football stream with some famous faces . 2024-06-20 . NME . en-GB.
  38. Web site: thekickofftg . 9 December 2021 . WOW! An incredible £100,000 raised today for the @AlanShearerFndnThank you so much to everybody who watched + donated today, it's fantastic to raise such a big amount for such a great cause ... . 30 April 2024 . Twitter.
  39. Web site: 2022-09-25 . Watford YouTuber KSI 'so proud' as star-studded charity match thriller raises £1m . 2024-06-19 . Watford Observer . en.
  40. Web site: Gutelle . Sam . 2023-09-11 . Sidemen raise £2.4 million, break YouTube viewership records with 2023 charity match . 2024-06-19 . Tubefilter . en-US.
  41. News: KSI Releases Documentary 'Can't Lose' Ahead Of Logan Paul Boxing Match Up . Hale . James . 10 August 2018 . . 21 April 2019 . 22 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190422044251/https://www.tubefilter.com/2018/08/10/ksi-documentary-cant-lose/ . live .
  42. Web site: Shah . Furvah . Sidemen's Netflix documentary: Release date, trailer, cast and more . Cosmopolitan . 2 February 2024 . 6 February 2024.
  43. Web site: October 2014 . Who Are The Sidemen? – The Sidemen Experience . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190119023349/https://www.comedycentral.co.uk/the-sidemen-experience/videos/who-are-the-sidemen . 19 January 2019 . 18 November 2019 . ComedyCentral.co.uk.
  44. Web site: YouTube Rewind: The Shape of 2017. 4 April 2024 . YouTube.
  45. Web site: White . Peter . 2 June 2018 . 'The Sidemen Show': YouTube Debuts First Trailer & Dates Premium Reality Challenge Format . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191120042324/https://deadline.com/2018/06/the-sidemen-show-youtube-debuts-first-trailer-dates-premium-reality-challenge-format-1202401935/ . 20 November 2019 . 20 November 2019 . Deadline Hollywood.
  46. Web site: 5 November 2020 . MOTDx – 05/11/2020 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406041528/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000p3nw . 6 April 2021 . 6 April 2021 . BBC Online.
  47. Web site: Kanter . Jake . 19 August 2020 . YouTube Lines Up Originals On GRM Daily, Ethan Payne & Anne-Marie . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406023634/https://deadline.com/2020/08/youtube-originals-grm-daily-ethan-payne-anne-marie-1203016403/ . 6 April 2021 . 6 April 2021 . Deadline Hollywood.
  48. News: Duffield . Charlie . 31 December 2020 . YouTube Hello 2021 line-up: What time UK New Year's Eve event starts tonight, how to watch and cast in full . . live . 6 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406060956/https://inews.co.uk/news/youtube-hello-2021-line-up-uk-time-start-new-years-eve-event-watch-live-stream-cast-812120 . 6 April 2021.
  49. Web site: . 7 April 2021 . Behzinga Doesn't Know His Own Strength, Breaks The Set... ft. Katherine Ryan . live . https://archive.today/20210411012527/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA7LAAKyMU8 . 11 April 2021 . 11 April 2021 . YouTube.
  50. Web site: ITV's The Chase to face major format shake-up for epic special episode. 10 February 2024. EXPRESS.co.uk. 10 February 2024 . en.
  51. Web site: Copson . Josie . YouTube gameshow with staggering £1,000,000 prize fund rivals traditional TV . Metro . 3 June 2024.
  52. Web site: 4 April 2020 . Fighting Fit: Launch of new health and fitness series produced by Matchroom Boxing and Sky Sports . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406024222/https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/11968471/fighting-fit-launch-of-new-health-and-fitness-series-produced-by-matchroom-boxing-and-sky-sports . 6 April 2021 . 6 April 2021 . Sky Sports.
  53. Web site: April 2020 . Fighting Fit 2: Behzinga . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210406024214/https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/12260515/fighting-fit-2-behzinga . 6 April 2021 . 6 April 2021 . Sky Sports.
  54. Web site: KSI - Lamborghini (Explicit) ft. P Money. 14 March 2024 . YouTube.
  55. Web site: Jme - Test Me. 14 March 2024 . YouTube.
  56. Web site: KSI Ft JME – KEEP UP (Official Video). 14 March 2024 . YouTube.
  57. Web site: A1 x J1 - Don't Lie (Official Video) ft. Nemzzz. 17 March 2024 . YouTube.
  58. Web site: 15 March 2017 . Hachette and Penguin Random House lead British Book Awards Books of the Year shortlists . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200114045021/https://www.thebookseller.com/news/hachette-and-penguin-random-house-lead-british-book-awards-books-year-511061 . 14 January 2020 . 14 January 2020 . The Bookseller.
  59. Web site: 28 January 2019 . 11th Annual Influencer Nominees . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190131142058/https://shortyawards.com/11th/influencer/nominees . 31 January 2019 . 28 January 2019 . Shorty Awards.