Concern for the welfare of YouTuber James Somerton has risen after an apparent suicide note appeared on his Twitter/X account.
James Somerton faced scrutiny online since a video from Hbomberguy addressed his plagiarism of other LGBT writers and content creators to make his own content. In the months after its release, he stopped making content entirely, and deleted or privated most of his social media accounts.
Somerton previously highlighted the impact of this on his mental health in the two separate apology videos he made addressing the situation.
On March 5, a post on his private X account sparked immediate concern for his wellbeing.
James Somerton posts apparent suicide note after deleting apology video
Kat Lo, a producer for Hbomberguy’s channel and one of the moderators on his subreddit, confirmed on Twitter that the team: “was working on it”, and that “hopefully things will be okay.”
She said: “We’re trying to call in a wellness check on James, but we aren’t currently sure where he lives. This post did come from his account, so it appears to not be fake.
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“While it’s valid to discuss this event and your own experiences relating to it, please be respectful and compassionate for him.”
Somerton returned to making content after uploading a second apology video that outlined plans for the future of his channel, including a rebrand to “James of Talos”, the film company that critics claimed was a scam. The second apology video has since been deleted, and content similar to Somerton’s traditional style has been uploaded since then.
In his apologies, James maintained that the new videos do not include any plagiarized material.
If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, information and support is available from the Suicide Prevention Helpline 1-800-273-8255 (USA) or the Samaritans 116-123 (UK).
