YouTube star MoistCr1tikal is taking a step back from his activities on social media following backlash against his co-host, Kaya, and a viral spat with fellow influencer Sneako.
As told in an announcement sent to The Official Podcast’s Patreon subscribers late on July 30, prominent YouTuber Charles ‘Moistcr1tikal’ White is taking a step back from his podcast, including the Red Thread.
“He wants to go on an indefinite hiatus to scale back his time spent on the internet,” the statement reads. “We obviously wish him the best, for everyone to respect his decision, and for all to know that the show will always be open for him to drop by and talk shop should he wish to return.”
Although the remaining hosts will continue on with the show as normal for the time being, they are considering bringing on a replacement “depending on how things go” in the future.
This latest news has left MoistCr1tikal’s fanbase equal parts shocked and unsurprised, with some pointing out that the YouTuber had been “quiet” on both shows for some time.
His sudden hiatus follows a few controversial moments for the influencer, who got into a heated feud with controversial personality Sneako over transgender rights earlier in July.
On Reddit, Moist also faced backlash due to a few statements made by his Official Podcast co-host, Kaya, who made a comment about a woman’s polyamorous relationship that users considered “sexist.”
In a following episode, Kaya made a joke regarding underaged girls that left viewers concerned, calling him “creepy.”
Viewers across Reddit called on MoistCr1tikal to respond — but following these incidents and his argument with Sneako, some worry he’s getting burnt out.
“I hope Charlie is alright,” one wrote. “He seemed super stressed ever since he gave his take on trans kids with Sneako and how annoyed he feels with his own chat.”
“I know Kaya’s been under a microscope recently, and it would suck if that had anything to do with it,” another said. “Hard not to feel bummed about such a monumental change to a podcast that you’ve watched every episode of. Hopefully it’s not the beginning of the end.”
Thus far, Moist has yet to publish an official statement on the subject via his own social media channels, leaving fans wondering if this will have a greater impact on his own YouTube content.