Stuart Clive Ashen (born 16 December 1976), better known online as Ashens (/ˈæʃənz/ASH-ənz), is a British comedian, filmmaker, critic and YouTuber best known for reviewing counterfeit consumer goods. Since 2006, his YouTube videos have centered around examinations and reviews of various, often low-quality, products including toys, video games and food. His main channel has over 1.6 million subscribers.
Ashen has been reviewing food and various products in a distinctive style on YouTube since 2006. The items he reviews are often low quality and procured from various variety stores (notably UK's Poundland), or are poor knockoffs of well-received or well-known products, which he refers to as "tat". Featured products are typically personally sourced by Ashen in the UK or during holidays abroad or submitted by viewers.
He frequently collaborated with his friend and fellow YouTube vlogger Barry Lewis, and in the mid-2010s, had a podcast and YouTube channel with him, both called Barshens.[citation needed]
As of 8 August 2023[update], Ashen has produced 920 videos on his primary YouTube channel, which has 1.6 million subscribers and over 545 million video views.[7][9] His secondary channel, used mainly for DVD extra-style clips, along with an annual look with Daniel Hardcastle at a series of Advent calendars throughout December, has over 318,000 subscribers and over 59 million video views.[10] In addition to his own channels he has also produced videos for other YouTube channels, which included "The Multiverse", a geek-themed channel controlled by ChannelFlip.[11]
Ashen made his first television appearance on a 2008 episode of Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe, where he played a cameo role as Mr. Noseybonk, a character from the 80s BBC children's show Jigsaw.[14]
Ashen guest starred on The Armstrong & Miller Show for their "The Node" segment in October 2009.[15] In early 2009, Ashen also released a very limited edition DVD anthology dubbed Ashenthology, containing a selection of his early videos as well as some unseen videos and animations, some of these videos were later released on his second YouTube Account; extraashens.[16]
In 2010, Ashen created the series Ashen's Tech Dump for BBC Online Comedy.[17] In 2011, Ashen co-starred alongside Karen Hayley in another BBC Online Comedy series Back Space.[18] The next year, he starred as himself in The Proxy, a sci-fi webseries produced by ChannelFlip in partnership with Dell Alienware.[6][19] The series took eight days to film, consists of 10 episodes and won a Marketing Week "Engage Award" in the "Gaming and Entertainment" section.[20]
Film
Ashens and the Quest for the GameChild
Ashen on the set of Ashens and the Quest for the Game Child (2013)
Ashen wrote and starred in Ashens and the Quest for the GameChild, a feature film released in August 2013, for YouTube's "Geek Week".[11][21] The film also stars Warwick Davis and Robert Llewellyn, and was produced by the multi-channel networkChannelFlip,[7][11] in association with The Multiverse. The film was partially paid for through crowdfunding website Indiegogo with contributions totalling US$73,690 at the end of the month, which comprised 41% of the US$180,000 budget.[11][22][23][24] As of June 2016[update] it has been viewed over a million times on YouTube. A remastered and slightly extended edition of the movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 14 July 2014. On 2 July 2018, the full film was released on his YouTube channel.
Ashens and the Polybius Heist
In 2016, Ashen confirmed a sequel to Ashens and the Quest for the GameChild at a fan screening.[25] In July 2018 Ashen created another Indiegogo campaign for the sequel titled, Ashens and the Polybius Heist. By the time funding was closed, the project earned over US$195,000 from over 4,000 backers[citation needed]. On 9 May 2019, Ashen announced the principal photography was wrapped.[26] On 5 May 2020 it was announced on the official Twitter account for the film, that The Gaming Muso; a fellow YouTuber, and musician would be performing the opening theme tune for the film.[27] On 9 October 2020 Ashen announced on Twitter that the film is available for preorder, and was released on 19 November 2020 on iTunes, YouTube Movies, Amazon and Vimeo.[28] The reveal trailer/teaser was uploaded on his YouTube channel on 14 October 2020.[29]
Turn Back
In October 2023, Ashen announced that a currently ongoing Kickstarter campaign had been launched for a new Horror film about the demonic hound, Black Shuck, who features in English folklore.[30]
Published works
In November 2015, Ashen released the book Terrible Old Games You've Probably Never Heard Of, a collection of textual reviews of poor retro games, released through the Unboundcrowdfunding platform.[31][32] The book reached its funding target in 12 hours.
On 24 February 2017 Ashen announced a sequel to Terrible Old Games You've Probably Never Heard Of, titled Attack of the Flickering Skeletons: More Terrible Old Games You've Probably Never Heard Of, again through Unbound, was released on 2 November 2017.[33]
Ashen released the book Fifty-Thousand Shades of Grey on 23 September 2012; it parodies the popular erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey.[34] The title is literal, as the book simply consists of the phrase "Shades of Grey" repeated 50,000 times.
Personal life
As of 2013[update], Ashen lives in his hometown of Norwich.[6][7] He has a doctorate in psychology,[2] but claims to have never professionally worked in the field.[35]
