Background and career
Daniel Robert Middleton (born 8 November 1991), better known as DanTDM (formerly TheDiamondMinecart), is an English YouTuber, video game commentator and author. He is primarily known for his Let's Play gaming videos, but has also ventured into vlogging. 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.
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. Before his career as a YouTuber and author, he worked at Tesco, telling the BBC in 2017: "When I earned enough money off YouTube to match it [my wage at Tesco] my wife persuaded me to do it".
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.
How DanTDM makes money
In 2017, Middleton topped the Forbes list of Highest-Paid YouTube Stars, earning £12.2 million (about $16.5 million) in one year. In 2019, Middleton was ranked 41st in the UK's Top 100 Influencer List by The Sunday Times, which also estimated Middleton's net worth to be £25 million.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth, in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
