Dan Howell and Phil Lester confirm they are in a relationship

British YouTubers Daniel Howell and Phil Lester on October 13 confirmed in a nearly 46 minute video that they have been in a romantic relationship since shortly after they met online in 2009. The pair, who have collaborated on videos, tours and radio projects for more than a decade, said they kept the relationship private for years while continuing to work together professionally.

In the video posted to their joint channel, Howell asked directly, "Are Dan and Phil in a relationship?" Lester replied, "Yes." The two then described a relationship that began quickly after they first connected online and that evolved into cohabitation and a long-standing personal and creative partnership. "It was so fast that we never labeled it," Howell said, adding that they "just ended up living together and here we are."

Howell and Lester explained several reasons for keeping their relationship private. Howell said his upbringing and internalized homophobia made coming out difficult and that he feared how people would react. He also said the pair worried that defining their personal lives publicly could overshadow their work. "Dan and Phil the comedy duo, and Dan and Phil the boyfriends. It hits...