Quick Read
- Phil Rosenthal is moving his hit series ‘Somebody Feed Phil’ from Netflix to YouTube starting in 2027.
- The move aims to give the creator full IP control and ensure the show is free to access for a global audience.
- While new episodes will be YouTube exclusives, the first eight seasons will remain available to stream on Netflix.
In a significant departure from traditional streaming models, Phil Rosenthal, the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond and the acclaimed culinary travel series Somebody Feed Phil, has announced a strategic partnership with Banijay Americas and Banijay Rights. Beginning in 2027, the long-running food and travel show will migrate from Netflix to a dedicated YouTube channel, Phil Rosenthal World, marking a rare instance of a premium unscripted franchise leaving a major subscription streamer for an open digital platform.
A New Digital Home for Phil Rosenthal World
The transition is part of a broader effort by Rosenthal to gain greater creative control and direct access to his global audience. While the eight seasons currently housed on Netflix will remain available to subscribers indefinitely, all new episodes—starting with the highly anticipated Season 9—will premiere exclusively on the new YouTube hub. The platform will serve as the central home for both long-form episodes and a variety of short-form content designed to engage fans of the series’ blend of humor, travel, and culinary exploration.
Breaking the Netflix-to-YouTube Pipeline
Industry observers have noted that this move reverses a long-standing trend in the streaming wars. Historically, platforms like Netflix have focused on acquiring successful content from YouTube, such as the transition of Cobra Kai. Rosenthal’s decision to move his production banner, Lucky Bastards, toward a self-distributed model signifies a growing appetite among established creators to own their intellectual property and bypass traditional gatekeepers.
Strategic Partnership with Banijay
The deal, facilitated by the production powerhouse Banijay, is designed to support the expansion of the brand across the digital ecosystem, including potential reach into Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) and Advertising-Based Video on Demand (AVOD) services. Ben Samek, CEO of Banijay Americas, highlighted that this evolution allows the Somebody Feed Phil franchise to reach the widest possible audience, echoing Rosenthal’s stated goal that his work should be as accessible as his hit sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond, was during its broadcast era.
The shift underscores a pivotal moment in the digital media landscape where established content creators are increasingly prioritizing autonomy and direct audience engagement over the exclusivity of legacy subscription streaming models.