Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Abigail Thorn

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 12, 2026

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Abigail Thorn made an impact.

Abigail Thorn is a British actress, writer, and prominent YouTube creator, best known for her channel Philosophy Tube. Since launching the channel in 2013, she has gained widespread acclaim for producing high-quality, theatrical video essays that explore complex philosophical, political, and social issues. In 2021, Thorn publicly came out as a transgender woman, a transition she documented through her work, which significantly amplified her platform and impact as an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Beyond her online presence, she has established a career in traditional acting, appearing in stage productions such as 'The Prince' and television series like 'Django.' Thorn is recognized for her ability to bridge the gap between academic philosophy and accessible digital entertainment, using her platform to challenge systemic inequality and promote progressive social discourse. Her multifaceted career highlights her influence as both a creative storyteller and a dedicated voice for trans advocacy within the modern cultural landscape.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

2012: UK University Tuition Fee Increase

In 2012, university tuition fees in the United Kingdom tripled, an event that directly motivated Abigail Thorn to create her educational channel to offer free philosophical education.

May 2013: Launch of Philosophy Tube and First Video

In May 2013, Abigail Thorn launched her YouTube channel, Philosophy Tube, and uploaded her inaugural video titled "I think therefore I am," which focused on the work of René Descartes.

Loading Video...

2013: Creation of Philosophy Tube

In 2013, Abigail Thorn launched the YouTube channel Philosophy Tube to offer free educational philosophy content following tuition fee hikes.

Loading Video...

2016: Participation in YouTube NextUp

In 2016, Abigail Thorn participated in YouTube NextUp, which was an intensive week-long training program designed specifically for content creators who had fewer than 100,000 subscribers at the time.

2017: Completion of Acting Training

During 2017, Thorn completed her training at the East 15 Acting School, earning a Master of Arts degree awarded by the University of Essex.

2018: Evolution of Philosophy Tube aesthetic

During 2018, the content on Philosophy Tube underwent a significant transformation, incorporating theatrical elements like professional studio sets, intricate lighting, costumes, and makeup.

Loading Video...

2018: Release of Suic!de and Ment@l He@lth

In 2018, Abigail Thorn released the video titled Suic!de and Ment@l He@lth, which provided an examination of societal perspectives on mental health and shared her own experiences with self-harm and suicide attempts.

2018: Shift in Content Creation Strategy

In 2018, Abigail Thorn underwent a significant transformation in her creative process, transitioning to filming in a professional studio environment while incorporating costumes, makeup, props like snakes and horses, characters, and music. This shift in 2018 was fueled by her experiences at the 2018 VidCon conference, the influence of the ContraPoints channel, and her departure from an abusive relationship.

Loading Video...

January 2019: Inspiration for charity stream

In January 2019, content creator hbomberguy conducted a video game stream that successfully raised £278,000 for the British transgender charity Mermaids, an event which later served as the inspiration for Abigail Thorn's own fundraising efforts.

July 2019: Release of Men. Abuse. Trauma.

In late July 2019, Abigail Thorn released the YouTube video titled Men. Abuse. Trauma., at the conclusion of which she announced her plans to read the Complete Works of Shakespeare to raise funds for the Samaritans charity.

Loading Video...

2019: Impact Assessment of Mental Health Content

By mid-2019, Abigail Thorn reported receiving daily correspondence from viewers stating that her 2018 video had successfully saved their lives.

2019: Twitch Livestream for Samaritans

In 2019, Abigail Thorn hosted a five-day livestream event on Twitch where she performed readings of plays from the Complete Works of Shakespeare to raise funds for the mental health charity Samaritans, ultimately collecting over £100,000.

January 2020: Academic Analysis of Philosophy Tube and BreadTube

In January 2020, researchers Dmitry Kuznetsov and Milan Ismangil published a report in tripleC identifying Abigail Thorn's channel, Philosophy Tube, as a prominent figure within the 'BreadTube' community. The study highlighted the channel's high production values, leftist themes, and use of academic citations. During this same period, Thorn released a video titled 'Climate Grief,' which analyzed climate change through various personas and referenced scholarly works including Timothy Morton's theories and Terry Eagleton's literature.

2020: Audiobook Narration of Axiom's End

In 2020, Abigail Thorn provided narration for the audiobook version of Lindsay Ellis's novel Axiom's End, working alongside Stephanie Willis. This performance earned her a joint nomination for an Audie Award in the Science Fiction category.

January 2021: Abigail Thorn comes out as a trans woman

On 30 January 2021, Abigail Thorn publicly announced her transition as a trans woman through a social media statement and an accompanying video titled Coming Out As Trans – A Little Public Statement. This event served as a feminist and anticapitalist appeal advocating for the legal rights, physical autonomy, and liberation of trans individuals in the United Kingdom, while also highlighting systemic issues such as healthcare barriers, media fearmongering, and the lack of transgender political representation.

Loading Video...

February 2021: Launch of the Kill James Bond! podcast

In February 2021, Abigail Thorn joined hosts November Kelly and Devon to launch the film review podcast 'Kill James Bond!'. The podcast provides a socialist and feminist critique of the James Bond film franchise and eventually expanded to cover other spy series, becoming the number one film review podcast on Chartable in the UK.

May 2021: Casting announcement for Django

In May 2021, it was announced that Abigail Thorn would join the cast of the 10-episode television series Django, which serves as a remake of a classic Western film.

Loading Video...

2021: BBC Interview Regarding Gender Transition

In 2021, Abigail Thorn participated in an interview with Ben Hunte for the BBC where she openly discussed the anxiety surrounding the public announcement of her transition. She expressed the feeling that keeping her transition private was no longer sustainable and reflected on the internal conflict she experienced while presenting as a man prior to transitioning.

2021: One Million Subscribers and Strategic Shift

In 2021, Abigail Thorn reached a milestone of one million subscribers on her Philosophy Tube channel. During an interview with Insider in 2021, she discussed the future of the channel, noting that its continuation depended on her acting career and that she had already conceptualized the final episode. She reflected on her success, citing her subscriber count, her status as a featured creator at the 2021 VidCon event, and her influence on other YouTube creators.

Loading Video...

September 2022: Previews and Premiere of The Prince

In September 2022, Abigail Thorn's play 'The Prince' began preview performances on the 15th, followed by the official start of the performance run on 19 September 2022 at the Southwark Playhouse.

Loading Video...

October 2022: Off West End run of The Prince

During September and October 2022, the play 'The Prince', written by and starring Thorn, completed its run Off West End. The production was a transgender-themed work that reimagined characters from Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1.

Loading Video...

October 2022: Conclusion of The Prince performance run

The performance run of the Off West End play 'The Prince', which centered on characters escaping Shakespeare's works, concluded on 8 October 2022.

Loading Video...

2022: Performance in Ladhood series three

During 2022, Abigail Thorn appeared in the third series of the show Ladhood, released on BBC iPlayer, portraying the character Iona.

Loading Video...

February 2023: Release of The Prince on Nebula

In February 2023, a filmed performance of the Off West End play 'The Prince', written by and starring Abigail Thorn, was released on the streaming platform Nebula.

Loading Video...

November 2023: Announcement of Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend

In November 2023, it was announced that Abigail Thorn had written a short film titled Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend, which depicts a dinner conversation between two of the vampire's former romantic partners.

Loading Video...

2023: Release of Django series

The 10-episode television remake of the Western film Django, featuring Abigail Thorn, was officially released to audiences in 2023.

Loading Video...

February 2024: Production of Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend

The production phase for the short film Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend, featuring Abigail Thorn, Morgana Ignis, and Brandon Rogers, officially commenced in February 2024.

Loading Video...