Thomas James Ridgewell (born 27 June 1990), known online as TomSka, is a British YouTuber, filmmaker, vlogger, video essayist, and actor. He is known for writing, directing, producing, and starring in his live-actionsketch comedyYouTube videos, video essays, and animated web series such as Asdfmovie (/ˈæsdəfmuːvi/AS-dəf-moo-vee), Crash Zoom,[2] and Eddsworld where he both provided the voice and inspired the character of Tom and served as showrunner from 2012 to 2016. As of March2025[update], his YouTube channel has over 7.39 million subscribers, and his videos have garnered over 2.1 billion views.[3]
Thomas James Ridgewell was born on 27 June 1990 in Suffolk, England.[4][5] His twin sister Amelia died prenatally after Ridgewell's mother was injured in a car accident.[6] He was raised as a Jehovah's Witness, in Essex until age 4 and later Cambridge. As a child, Ridgewell made short films using his parents' video camera.[7] Shortly after YouTube was established, Ridgewell created CakeBomb,[8] a website where he posted his projects, including his animated web series Asdfmovie and his late friend Edd Gould's Eddsworld. Ridgewell graduated from the University of Lincoln,[9] where he studied Media Production having previously studied at Long Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge,[10] and whilst studying created a series of unofficial advertisements for the university, which received millions of views and were also featured on the BBC.[11]
Career
As a professional YouTuber, Ridgewell earns money from revenue from his videos on the website.[12][13] Ridgewell engages in social commentary through his YouTube channel, covering topics such as mental health and personal relationships.[14] From April 2016 to February 2018, he uploaded weekly vlogs to his second channel, DarkSquidge, now known as TomSka & Friends, in a series named Last Week.[15]
In 2012, Ridgewell founded the media production company TurboPunch Ltd., located in London. He currently works there alongside YouTuber and writer Eddie Bowley.[16] Ridgewell also became the producer of Eddsworld after the show's creator, Edd Gould, died of leukaemia.[17] He left the series in 2016, relinquishing the show to animator Matt Hargreaves.[17]
Ridgewell being interviewed in 2013
In February 2013, Ridgewell was featured on the cover of Wired UK as part of a feature titled "How YouTube Reinvented the Entertainment Business".[18] In May 2013, he was featured in YouTube's first and only Comedy Week[19] as a guest host for its Geek Week series in August.[20]
Ridgewell (left) and regular collaborator Sammy Paul in 2016
In 2016, Ridgewell filmed several sketches with the BBC for a potential sketch show on BBC Three.[21]
A book titled Sam Kills Christmas, written by Ridgewell and Eddie Bowley with illustrations by Dorina Herdewijn, was released on 8 November 2018.[22][23]
Asdfmovie
In 2008, Ridgewell released the first episode of Asdfmovie, an animated sketch comedy series featuring short clips of minimalist characters in surreal and occasionally darkly humorous situations.[24]
In October 2015, Ridgewell released his book based on the Asdfmovie series, Art is Dead: the asdf book, illustrated by Matt Ley and published by Little Brown 5.[24]
In 2017, the song "Beep Beep I'm a Sheep" by Canadian musician LilDeuceDeuce, with vocals by Ridgewell and Gabriel Brown,[25] was featured in the dance rhythm gameJust Dance 2018.[26]
In May 2018, Ridgewell uploaded "The Muffin Song", a spin-off song of his Asdfmovie series, in collaboration with Schmoyoho. As of July2025[update], the video has garnered over 272 million views.[27]
In 2019, Ridgewell developed a card game based on Asdfmovie in collaboration with Big Potato Games called Muffin Time: The Random Card Game.[28] He raised over £1,000,000 for the game on Kickstarter.[29] A second game, Don't Press That Mine Turtle, raised over £300,000 on Kickstarter.[30]
Personal life
He was raised a Jehovah's Witness but no longer practices this faith.[31] Despite this, he has expressed belief in a higher power.[32]
Ridgewell has been open about his struggles with grief, following the death of Edd Gould in 2012, and was diagnosed with depression in 2013.[33]
On 26 December 2023, Charlie Belle, his long-term partner, announced via Instagram that they had become engaged.[38][39] Ridgewell later revealed he had proposed on Christmas.[39]
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