YouTube severs PewDiePie ties

PewDiePie has now been dropped by both Disney and YouTube

YouTube is following Disney’s lead by cutting ties with PewDiePie, following accusations that the video platform’s highest-paid star spread anti-Semitic messages in his content.

The Google-owned site has cancelled the second season of PewDiePie’s reality show, Scare PewDiePie, and removed his channel from its premium advertising programme. It has also cut all advertising from the Swedish comedian’s videos.

The move comes hot on the heels of Disney dropping PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, after several videos he released were deemed to contain Nazi references or anti-Semitic imagery. In one video, which has now been deleted from his channel, Kjellberg paid two Indians to hold up a sign that read ‘Death to all Jews.’

He has since defended the video as a joke that went too far.

PewDiePie had been associated with Disney-owned YouTube network Maker Studios and draws several billion views to his channel every month.

This week, YouTube announced plans to launch its first slate of exclusive scripted series for children and families on its subscription service YouTube Red.