This research utilises an interpretive phenomenological methodology to explore the lived experience of non-professional live streamers of smaller channels and the impact of live streaming on their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which time there existed an increase of 5.49 million active live streamers on the platform Twitch. Therefore, the overarching research question of this thesis is:1. To explore the lived experience of live streamers with smaller audiences who began streaming during the COVID 19 pandemic.Phase one of the research involved semi-structured interviews with 18 participants focusing on their experience of live streaming and its impact on their lives both online and offline. These responses were analysed using Template Analysis (King, 2004) to generate a set of themes to encapsulate these experiences. This template then informed the direction of phase two of this research which aimed to expand on the findings of stage one. A focus group was employed as the method of data collection for phase two, the findings of which were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith & Osborn, 2003). Key findings included female participants referencing the importance of the visual cues they gave whilst streaming, with clothes and make-up being key factors. They reported to find themselves in a ‘no-win’ situation regarding their clothing and make-up choices, with female participants perceiving their appearance to be a crucial aspect in their validity as a live streamer. Another key finding was the importance of control within live streaming afforded participants in their online lives in comparison to their offline ones. This comprised control over their online space, interactions with others and relationships they formed with viewers. In addition, an association was identified between the streamers self-image and their perceived success of their channel, with a lack of success resulting in an increased negative self-image. The reverse also proved to be true, with increased self-confidence related to increased viewership and viewer interaction with the participant. The implications of this research include a greater understanding of the motivations and experiences of live streamers of smaller channels. Female streamers negative experiences in relation to their gender impacted their enjoyment of live streaming and their feelings of safety highlighting more interventions need to be implemented to improve the experience of female live streamers to be more comparable to the experiences of male streamers. In addition, the potential detrimental impacts on live streamers self-esteem is an important consideration for live streaming platforms in how they can protect their streamers. In an increasingly online world, our interactions and relationships online warrant increasing attention and research.