Donal meets YouTube superstars

Having started out as a food blogger, Donal Skehan found fame bringing tasty food to the masses on television and, more recently, as one of Jamie Oliver’s FoodTube family.

In Donal’s YouTube Superstars, he meets a generation of people who are finding fame by bypassing traditional media and creating their own opportunities on YouTube.

In the fast changing world of online media, a new wave of superstars are emerging and building audiences of millions. With book deals, makeup ranges, high end cars, this savvy group of twentysomethings are living the celebrity life from a career started from their bedroom. Eight of the top ten most popular celebrities among teenagers in 2015 are YouTubers.

But is this online life all it’s cracked up to be? Does filming your everyday routine, your inner most thoughts, your hair and make up routine and even your children have its pitfalls? What sort of sacrifices does it take to gather millions of adoring YouTube subscribers who are obsessed with everything from how you hold your baby to the specific breed of your dog?

Donal meets some of the most successful YouTube superstars including Kurt Hugo Schneider, Louis Cole (Fun for Louis) and The SacconeJolys (Irish vloggers living in London) as well as some of our home grown stars.

He chats to his mentor Jamie Oliver about where this is all headed as well as diving into the business growing around YouTube, looking at the best use of the platform for education and social engagement.

Donal's YouTube Superstars is produced by Nomos Productions for RTÉ.

DONAL’S YOUTUBE SUPERSTARS, RTÉ2, DECEMBER 3RD AT 10PM.