How streaming has helped make this gamer a rising star

Josh Ellum is a rare talent and gem to the TV host, radio DJ and podcast world. He possesses a quick wit, ready laugh and genuinely has an inclusive attitude towards his followers; as a result of this he is now one of the most popular streamers around. Tagging along as he explores the madness of games such as Among Us on Twitch is a genuinely compelling experience.

For Ellum, as he’s known online, tech needs to be powerful but simple. “To be very honest, I’m not tech savvy at all,” he laughs. “I’m interested, but I’m not the best. My girlfriend Cara is a complete tech nerd, she likes putting together PCs. But I have a lot of help making videos – a cameraman, an editor, people who source TikToks and videos for me to react to. I’m very grateful for the friends I have.”

Providing another key helping hand – and platform – is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. “It’s a complete saviour,” says Ellum. He highlights the multi-window feature as “a massive help”, as they allow him to edit videos while sorting through apps quickly and easily.

“Even I can do it, but my editor could do everything on it,” he says. “And the S Pen is amazing. It vastly improves the detail you can put into your work. My girlfriend loves drawing, too, and it’s amazing for that.”

Ellum, from Surrey, was interested in gaming from an early age, through playing games with his father. He also created YouTube videos which were inclusive of Fortnite updates. While working from home during the lockdown in 2020, he decided to give streaming games a go.

“I made a Twitch channel and have been doing it ever since. Covid’s silver lining for me was getting that going. I grabbed it by the horns.”

He soon amassed a loyal following, but can’t easily explain his success. “There isn’t a secret recipe, otherwise everyone would do it,” he says. “There is only a small percentage of people who make this into something they can do for a living. I’m aware of how fortunate I am. My biggest bit of advice to anyone would be to go into it as a hobby and have fun. Don’t focus on the numbers, because if you do, you’ll get discouraged.

“Make sure it’s something you enjoy. Make sure it is content that is authentic to you, let people love you for you. I’d also say to get on to as many platforms as possible, to make people aware of your stream.”

Ellum’s star ascended when he swapped playing shoot ‘em ups to mucking about on Among Us. “I switched from being a try-hard on a game to being me, showing my personality. I pride myself on being talkative and always interacting with my community. I like that closeness. I want everyone to feel welcome.”

Ellum admits he’s living his dream and he has the most fun doing what he loves. “I have the best friends in the world thanks to streaming,” he says. “I met my girlfriend through streaming. Everything I hold close to my heart is thanks to streaming.”

His mum and dad are fully on board, too – especially as he has now moved out of the house. “They really supported me,” he says, “even when I’d be playing games at 3am, shouting at my PC, and they couldn’t sleep. They knew it was my lockdown outlet.”

Now he even gets recognised in the street – and if you do see him, don’t be shy: the likeable persona is real, in real life, too. “I love it when people say hi. It’s always nice to have a conversation.”

Discover more about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra at Samsung.com