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PewDiePie has announced he's quitting YouTube after becoming the video-sharing platform's biggest star.

The vlogger - real name Felix Kjellberg - was launched to fame through his videos playing Minecraft and other games, amassing millions of subscribers and followers across his various social media profiles.

"I am taking a break from YouTube next year," he told heartbroken fans in his latest PewNews video.

"I wanted to say it in advance because I made up my mind.

(Image: Getty Images)

"I'm tired. I'm feeling very tired. I don't know if you can tell. Just so you know, early next year I'll be a way for a little while. I'll explain that later but I wanted to give a heads up," he added.

The controversial star had hinted in August that he was planning to take a break from YouTube, saying: "I do think it would be good for me to take a break at some point. It would be nice to not have YouTube in my brain for the first time in 10 years."

(Image: PA)

Felix, who has 102million subscribers on YouTube alone, has amassed more than 24billion views on his channel since he launched it in 2010.

He has been embroiled in controversy over the years, facing accusations of anti-Semitism after including sickening views and Nazi imagery in a 2017 video.

Felix was on the verge of a total career meltdown as subscribers deserted him and he was dropped from a number of lucrative endorsement deals.

It came after public outrage over one of his videos, in which he had paid two people in India to hold up a sign that read "death to all Jews."

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(Image: Twitter)

Google responded by removing advertising from the clip; he was later dropped from a massive deal with Disney and YouTube bosses scrapped a planned series with him.

Reports at the time suggested he'd also uploaded others videos containing anti-semitic jokes and remarks.

In a public apology, he defended the video, saying: "A lot of people loved the video and a lot of people didn't. It's almost like two generations of people arguing whether this is ok or not.

"But regardless of that I just wanted to reiterate that my intention was to show just how stupid the website is and how far you can push it by paying $5.

(Image: PewDiePie / YouTube)

"I'm sorry for the words that I used as I know they offended people and I admit that the joke itself went too far.

"I do strongly believe that you can joke about anything but I also believe that there's a right way and not the best way to joke about things."

The controversy continued as later that year, he used a racial slur in an online broadcast, calling a fellow gamer a "n****r" during a live stream whilst playing a shoot-'em-up video game.

(Image: YouTube)

In the stream, which was shared by another YouTube user, the Internet sensation was heard using the slur in frustration before seemingly issuing a half-hearted apology.

"What a f***ing n****r," he barked, before adding: "Jeez, oh my God! What the f**k? Sorry, but what the f**k? What a f**king a**hole. I don't mean that in a bad way."

But despite his disgusting language, views of his channel continued to soar.

(Image: Kristin Callahan/REX/Shutterstock)

Felix was also named the highest paid YouTube star of 2016 and 2017 by Forbes magazine, while Time named him one of The World's 100 Most Influential people in 2016.

He's now believed to be worth £22million thanks to sales of his merchandise, lucrative sponsorship deals and his monetised videos.

PewDiePie married his long-term girlfriend Marzia Bisognin in August, tying the knot in a lavish ceremony in London's Kew Gardens in front of their family and friends.