Colin Furze is a renowned British YouTube personality, known for his daring stunts, inventive spirit, and engaging content of great variety. His channel was launched in 2006, and today showcases a myriad of unconventional contraptions and projects that range from practical inventions to outlandish, unique creations. Commanding the attention of over 13 million subscribers, his videos often feature adrenaline-pumping experiments and detailed DIY guides. The star’s background as a plumber, and his natural engineering ability have enabled him to construct items that defy conventional expectations, which turned his channel into a magnet for enthusiasts of engineering and creative projects, and thrill-seekers in general.
The magic behind the title
The core of the channel named colinfurze lies within its consistent celebration of creativity and daring innovation, whereby each video offers an exhilarating glimpse into the owner’s wonder-filled workshop. Furze’s content normally revolves around creating and demonstrating bizarre inventions that require great ingenuity, engineering skill, and a daring nature. The viewer is drawn into a world where the boundaries of possibility are continually stretched from the moment he clicks on a video, and it’s this uniqueness that has brought the channel its undeniable success.
Colin frequently embarks on extensive and intricate projects, sharing the entire journey from coming up with a concept to making it a reality. His measured approach ensures that each build is thoroughly explained, making the complex process accessible even to those with limited technical knowledge. For example, in one video, he constructs a fully functional hoverbike using paramotors – a project that melds aerospace engineering with backyard experimentation, in connection with the vehicle giant Ford providing some of the technical know-how to make this possible. The build process is broken down into manageable segments, each filled with practical advice and entertaining mishaps, keeping the viewer engaged throughout. In one of the channel’s most notable video series, Furze documents the construction of an underground bunker beneath his garden, showcasing his skills in engineering, problem-solving, and determination. The multi-part series covers everything from excavation to outfitting the bunker with the most modern of amenities, seamlessly blending educational content with suspense and humor.
My best video this year?? https://t.co/OnlX43WE1S #colinfurze #pizzabike pic.twitter.com/7lSkZg7rrO
— colin furze (@colin_furze) September 7, 2023
A crucial aspect of the channel’s recognition is not just the flamboyant nature of Colin’s projects, but also his relatable on-screen persona that makes him seem like just another layman having fun without much thought. Whether he’s working with dangerous tools or celebrating a successful build with a fireworks display, his genuine enthusiasm is highly infectious, pervading the entirety of the uploads. The channel’s distinguishable aesthetic, with its high-paced editing and upbeat music, further enhances the viewing experience, making technical content thrilling rather than monotonous and complicated. Collaborations are also a key part of the inventor’s YouTube success, as he regularly partners with brands and other creators to tackle even more ambitious projects, such as constructing a life-size Hulkbuster suit using parts sourced only from eBay, or fabricating a working Landspeeder from Star Wars for BBC Children in Need. These one-of-a-kind projects serve to massively expand the scope of the channel’s content and introduce new audiences to the innovative creations it features, owing to the prestige ingrained with the names of such gigantic companies.
All in all, Colin’s platform carries the extremely rare privilege of being called truly unique on YouTube, even among thousands upon thousands of competitor channels with somewhat similar content. This boils down to what is perhaps the most prominent reason for the inventor’s success – the fact that it’s impossible to see most of his projects replicated anywhere else on the internet.
The man, the myth, the legend
Born on 14 October 1979, in Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, Colin Furze is the sole mastermind behind the channel. His fascination with creating and engineering began at a very young age, with early projects that included building underground dens and constructing treehouses. His inventive spirit was further nurtured during his time as a plumber – a profession he took up more out of need than passion after dropping out of secondary school at the age of 16. Colin went through several jobs in his pre-YouTube career, all the while keeping at his passion throughout the time he had to himself.
While undeniably tragic, it was the loss of his father in 2007 that finally made him dream bigger, and have a go at YouTube. He’d launched the channel a year prior, but the first post was uploaded only after the tragedy, as both a coping mechanism and a way to honor the very person who instilled his signature curiosity and love for engineering. That said, it would be a long while before the channel evolved into what it is today, having started out with simple, humorous content, such as “going through car wash with no windows”.
Who is his wife?
Furze’s wife Charlotte has been a steadfast supporter throughout his journey, and his most loyal fans attribute the channel’s success to her as well. The couple has two children: a daughter named Erin and a son named Jake, born in 2012. Their family life occasionally pops up in the videos, which adds a personal touch that the fans deeply appreciate. They’re always ecstatic to see the children participate in the projects, providing their own little share of assistance around the premises, which ultimately fosters an early interest in engineering and creativity. The dynamics within Furze’s team extend beyond family as well, seeing as he frequently collaborates with friends Tom Lamb and Rick Simpson, who assist with various projects. The fun they have building things together never fails to shine through in the footage, having immaculate teamwork and shared enthusiasm significantly enhance the channel’s appeal.
His tunnels and house
Colin is also famous for being one of the few YouTubers who have their own underground premises. In his case, it’s a few tunnels created under his garden – a colossal endeavor he undertook purely out of a desire to connect his house to his workshop, which aligns with his childhood dream and propensity for unconventional engineering. The tunnel project was executed covertly over three years, with purpose-built hydraulic jackhammers and mining equipment. That said, his ambition didn’t stop with a mere passageway, as he had planned for an underground garage space with built-in lift access. This expansion allowed him to both have a much more significant workspace and feel like a veritable James Bond-franchise villain. He faced a retrospective planning permission issue throughout the project’s realization, which he eventually won, allowing him to keep the 50ft (15m) tunnel he had burrowed. He released multiple videos documenting the phases of the construction, with each segment revealing the advancements and complex nature of the daunting task.
Colin’s semi-detached home has been the focal point of many of his creative and engineering pursuits, as quite a few of his projects have served to enhance the space in one way or another. It’s within this unique abode that he carried out his most audacious projects, such as the aforementioned underground passages, as well as a secret bunker. The house is very easy to identify for anyone who even glanced at his content, with his famous garage and movable rain covers reflecting Colin’s status as the quintessential YouTube DIY celebrity. He first purchased this home in his birthplace with his girlfriend Charlotte in 2009, and immediately thereafter set out to build a veritable invention empire.
What is his net worth?
Most credible sources have estimated Furze’s net worth at more than $2 million, owing to an expanded variety of income sources, the most primary of which is his YouTube channel. Social Blade puts his annual earnings at anywhere between $13,000 and $215,000, which is from ad revenue alone. Colin also frequently features products from eBay, Amazon, and even companies such as Ford in his videos, which tends to be the result of sponsorship premiums.
In 2017 he published “This Book Isn’t Safe,” containing specific instructions for building as many as 10 unique inventions from scratch. Last but not least, he sells a variety of branded merchandise in his online shop, comprising sticker sheets, phone cases, t-shirts, hoodies, and face masks.