TommyInnit: How Getting Banned From Minecraft Changed My Life! I Was 16 Years Old With £1 Million

Aug 12, 2025

01:38:58

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In this episode of We Need To Talk, YouTube phenomenon TommyInnit (Tommy Simons) opens up about the truth behind going from playing Minecraft streams in his bedroom to global fame, the lessons and warnings from Mr Beast and Logan Paul, and why 15 million subscribers couldn’t fix the things that mattered most.

Tommy shares the reality of becoming a millionaire at 16, the toll that fame, loss, and constant online attention took on his mental health, and how grief, anxiety, and the pressure to keep performing nearly broke him. For the first time, he speaks openly about the worst panic attack of his life, the heartbreak of his parents’ sudden split, and how losing his friend Technoblade (Alexander) changed his world forever.

From 24/7 security on tour to wearing disguises in public, Tommy reflects on the extremes of internet stardom, the jealousy and self-doubt it sparked, and why learning to disconnect from the numbers may be the hardest lesson of all.

Now, through stand-up comedy, music, and building real connections away from the screen, Tommy is finding his voice again, not just as a creator, but as a person learning it’s okay not to be okay.

Tommy shares:

◽ The story behind his million-pound success at 16

◽ The lessons (and warnings) from MrBeast and Logan Paul

◽ Why Technoblade’s last message means so much to him

◽ How he’s learning to separate self-worth from views

◽ The truth about the friendships he lost along the way

◽ Why love and connection matter more than any subscriber count

TommyInnit, We Need To Talk.

Follow me here:

https://www.instagram.com/needtotalk

https://www.tiktok.com/@weneedtotalkpod

Follow TommyInnit here:https://www.youtube.com/@shutuplmtalking

https://www.youtube.com/@TommyInnit

(00:00) Intro

(02:04) Differences Between the UK and the USA

(04:59) The 'Curse' of Being an Only Child

(07:42) Tommy's Experience of School

(10:32) Tommy's First Forays into YouTube as 'Channel Nutpig'

(15:23) Adopting the Name TommyInnit

(33:24) Treatwell Ad

(34:46) Tinder Ad

(36:00) Setting Up 'The Dream SMP'

(41:06) How Much Money Tommy Made at the Start of His Streaming Career

(51:22) Love Better Tour Ad

(52:26) How Tommy Dealt with His Numbers Going Down

(59:46) Tommy's Experience Losing His Friend Technoblade to Cancer

(1:02:38) Tommy's Take on the Allegations Surfacing About YouTubers and DreamSMP Members

(1:03:45) The Series of Events That Led to Tommy's Recent Depression

(1:08:09) Tommy's Diagnosis for Depression

(1:18:31) A Message from Tommy's Mum

(1:20:52) Tommy's Struggles with Anxiety

(1:30:09) Most Memorable Conversation

(1:35:17) Paul's Takeaways