Yung Filly: Who Is the British YouTuber and Rapper at the Center of Australia’s Retrial?
Yung Filly became famous long before his name appeared in Australian court headlines. The British-Colombian entertainer built an audience through YouTube comedy, collaborations and music before moving into mainstream television. Now, he is back in the spotlight after prosecutors in Western Australia decided to retry him on three rape charges.
The 30-year-old entertainer’s real name is Andrés Felipe Valencia Barrientos. He was born in Colombia and raised in the United Kingdom, where he developed his career as a digital creator before expanding into music and television.
The latest legal development follows an eight-day trial in Perth. A jury found Barrientos guilty on two charges of assault occasioning bodily harm and not guilty of a choking charge and four rape charges. The jury did not reach the required majority verdicts on three other rape charges, which prosecutors now intend to retry.
For people discovering his name through the latest headlines, however, the immediate question is often simpler: who is Yung Filly, and how did he become famous?
Who Is Yung Filly?
Yung Filly is a YouTuber, rapper and television presenter who emerged from Britain’s rapidly growing online entertainment scene.
He began his YouTube career in 2013, using comedy, challenges, Q&As, and collaborations to build an audience. His content was closely tied to the culture of British online creators, where personality and collaboration often became as important as the videos themselves.
His partnership with fellow creator Chunkz became an important part of his rise. The pair appeared together across a number of digital projects, helping Filly reach audiences beyond his own channel.
That online success eventually became a pathway into television and music.
How Did Yung Filly Become Famous?
Filly’s rise was not built around one viral song or one television appearance. His career developed gradually through the British YouTube ecosystem.
His early comedy content gave him an audience, while collaborations with other creators expanded his reach. Work connected to platforms such as The Wall of Comedy and projects with Chunkz helped establish him as a recognizable personality among younger British viewers.
That distinction matters because Yung Filly’s public profile was built first as an internet personality, rather than through traditional television or the music industry.
As his audience grew, opportunities outside YouTube followed.
From YouTube to BBC Television
One of the biggest steps in Filly’s career was his move into mainstream broadcasting.
He became associated with BBC Three, including presenting the dating program Hot Property. The move demonstrated how online creators were increasingly crossing into traditional television, with Filly bringing an established digital audience with him.
His television work continued beyond the BBC.
He appeared as a contestant on Channel 4’s The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer in 2022. He also participated in Soccer Aid, appearing for the England team in the charity football event.
These appearances helped turn Filly from a primarily online personality into a more widely recognized British entertainer.
Yung Filly’s Music Career
Music became another major part of Filly’s career.
He began releasing music professionally in 2017, adding a rap career to his work as a content creator and presenter.
His music includes tracks such as “Grey,” featuring Aitch, and “Tempted.”
Rather than replacing his online career, music became another part of the same public identity. His existing social-media audience gave his releases an established audience, while his music helped him build a profile beyond YouTube.
What Made Yung Filly’s Career Different?
Filly’s career reflects a broader change in British entertainment.
He did not follow the traditional path of becoming famous through television first and then moving into other areas. His audience was built online, where comedy videos and collaborations established his identity.
From there, he moved into music, television and live entertainment.
That cross-platform career is a major reason his name is now familiar to audiences who may never have watched his original YouTube content.
Why Is Yung Filly in the News Now?
The latest attention is connected to legal proceedings in Western Australia.
Prosecutors announced that Barrientos will face a retrial on three rape charges linked to an alleged incident involving a woman following a music performance in Perth in September 2024.
The woman, who was 20 at the time, cannot be publicly identified.
The charges were part of the earlier trial, but the jury did not reach the required majority verdict on those three allegations. Prosecutors have now chosen to pursue a second trial.
The alleged victim has indicated that she is willing to testify again.
What Happened in the First Trial?
The first trial produced different outcomes across the charges.
Barrientos was found guilty of two charges of assault occasioning bodily harm. He was found not guilty of a charge alleging choking and not guilty of four rape charges.
The three remaining rape charges did not result in a majority verdict.
That means the current retrial should not be confused with a new finding of guilt. The three allegations remain to be determined through the Australian court process.
What Happens Next?
The next stage will be a retrial concerning the three unresolved rape charges.
The prosecution has indicated that the alleged victim is prepared to give evidence again. The court will consider the outstanding allegations through the retrial process.
The outcome remains undecided.
For now, the latest development has brought renewed attention to an entertainer whose career had already crossed several parts of Britain’s media industry.
Yung Filly’s Career in Context
Yung Filly’s story is larger than the latest headline.
He started as a young online creator, built an audience through comedy and collaborations, and then used that platform to move into music and mainstream television.
His career illustrates how Britain’s creator economy can turn YouTube personalities into recognizable entertainment figures across multiple industries.
That background is also why the current Australian proceedings have attracted substantial public attention: the person at the center of the case was already a well-known entertainer before the legal story became international news.
The Bottom Line
Yung Filly, whose real name is Andrés Felipe Valencia Barrientos, rose from British YouTube comedy to become a rapper and television personality with appearances across BBC, Channel 4, and major entertainment events.
He is now back in the headlines because prosecutors in Western Australia are pursuing a retrial on three rape charges after a jury in his first trial failed to reach the required majority verdicts on those allegations.
His earlier trial also resulted in two assault convictions and acquittals on a choking charge and four rape charges.
The three charges being retried remain unresolved, making the upcoming proceedings the latest chapter in a story that has now moved far beyond the online entertainment career that first made Yung Filly famous.
