Amelia Dimoldenberg to Conclude 'Chicken Shop Date' After 12-Year Run

Key points

• Dimoldenberg confirmed on Thursday that the next season of Chicken Shop Date will be the last, marking the end of a 12-year run.
• The series, which features deadpan interviews with celebrities in a chicken shop setting, has reached 97% of countries worldwide and generated 34 million hours of viewing time.
• Dimoldenberg is moving on to develop a romantic comedy film with Amazon MGM Studios' Orion Pictures and a young adult drama series for the BBC, described as her version of Skins.
• The show has hosted high-profile guests including Billie Eilish, Andrew Garfield, Paul McCartney, and Louis Theroux, with the Andrew Garfield episode alone generating 13 million views.
• Dimoldenberg's YouTube channel has grown from 830,000 to 4.4 million subscribers since 2022, and she has served as the Oscars' official social media ambassador for two consecutive years.

Background

Chicken Shop Date began as a column when Dimoldenberg was 17 and evolved into a filmed YouTube series in 2014. The show became one of the internet's most distinctive interview formats, known for its awkward, flirty tone and the quintessential English setting of a local chicken shop. Over its 12-year run, it attracted a wide range of guests from music, film, television, and sport, helping to legitimize YouTube as a platform for high-profile celebrity content. The series has been produced under Dimoldenberg's media company, Dimz Inc., and has maintained its independent status throughout its run.

How outlets are covering it

The Hollywood Reporter emphasizes the show's massive reach and Dimoldenberg's gratitude for the journey, noting that the series has driven total views from 490 million in 2022 to one billion in its tenth year. The Guardian highlights how Chicken Shop Date helped legitimize YouTube as a platform that has challenged traditional television, while also noting that the show has recently become more integrated into promotional cycles, with some recent episodes featuring guests who appeared to be pushed by publicists. Deadline focuses on the show's 12-year run and Dimoldenberg's transition to new projects, including the BBC drama and the Orion Pictures romcom. The Cut notes the show's independent ownership and speculates on potential final guests, while also acknowledging the competitive landscape for chicken-based YouTube interview shows. All sources agree that the series has been a significant cultural phenomenon, but they differ in their emphasis on its impact on the broader media landscape versus its personal significance to Dimoldenberg.

Why it matters

The end of Chicken Shop Date marks the conclusion of a 12-year run for one of the most distinctive and widely viewed celebrity interview series on YouTube. The show's success helped to legitimize YouTube as a platform for high-profile content and demonstrated the potential for independent creators to build large, engaged audiences. Dimoldenberg's transition to new projects, including a romantic comedy film and a BBC drama, signals a shift in her career focus, while the show's independent status under Dimz Inc. highlights the growing power of creator-owned media. The series' conclusion also reflects the evolving landscape of digital media, where even highly successful shows can reach a natural endpoint as creators move on to new ventures.

What to watch

Dimoldenberg is expected to release a final season of Chicken Shop Date, featuring a lineup of eclectic guests, before concluding the series. She is also developing a romantic comedy film with Amazon MGM Studios' Orion Pictures and a young adult drama series for the BBC, described as her version of Skins. The show's conclusion will mark the end of a 12-year run, but Dimoldenberg's career is expected to continue with these new projects, as well as her ongoing work as the Oscars' official social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent.