ASMR: Former farmer, 84, is accidental YouTube star

People around the world have thanked an 84-year-old YouTuber for helping them cope with anxieties about the coronavirus pandemic.

John Butler has attracted millions of views and more than 120,000 subscribers with his philosophical videos about life and meditation.

The softly spoken ex-farmer became an unlikely YouTube star when an interview he gave in 2016 became popular with the online Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) community.

ASMR is a tingly feeling some people get when they hear quiet, whispery noises.

"I think John's videos bring with them so much freedom in a time where we feel so physically restricted," UK viewer Jasmine Butcher said.

Mr Butler, from Bakewell, Derbyshire, said: "I'd never heard of YouTube. Hardly knew what internet was."

Video journalist: Alex Thorp

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13 June 2021