Junaid Ahmed, known for his role on ITV2's The Only Way Is Essex, has spoken candidly about being disowned by his family after coming out as gay at 18. The 30-year-old reality star, who is now engaged to boyfriend Joe Blackman, revealed he has had no contact with his parents or three younger siblings since leaving his family home in Peterborough.
Ahmed described his mother as his former 'best friend' and expressed a desire to reconcile with her. 'I've been thinking about my mum a lot recently. I miss her a lot... I'd love a reconciliation with my mum,' he said. He added that he does not blame his parents, acknowledging the pressure from their tight-knit Asian Muslim community.
After coming out, Ahmed lost his older brother in a drowning accident and faced homelessness. He said he prepared for the worst, knowing he would lose family support. 'I knew I was never going to be financially stable at 18... I knew I’d hit rock bottom,' he explained.
Despite the challenges, Ahmed maintains his faith, visiting the mosque regularly. 'You don’t need to lose your faith just because you’re gay,' he said, adding that his fiancé Joe respects his religious practices. Ahmed also receives thousands of messages from gay Muslim fans inspired by his story, saying, 'I want to make a difference.'
