Dr Ranj Singh has been honoured with the TV Award at the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards 2019, powered by Jaguar.
As a staple of ITV’s This Morning, Dr Ranj has become a firm fixture on the box, winning over audiences with his sunny disposition and expert medical advice.
With a razzle-dazzle run on Strictly Come Dancing and a Bafta-winning children’s show, Get Well Soon, already under his belt, Ranj’s success as the gay son of first-generation Indian immigrant parents has proved that audiences are crying out for authenticity in their TV personalities – something this TV doc has in spadeloads.
Appearing in the Attitude Award issue – available to downoad and order globally now – Ranj says he believes audiences are still ahead of the industry when it comes to accepting onscreen diversity.
“I remember this guy tweeted a picture of me, Gok [Wan] and Rylan [Clark-Neal] sitting at the This Morning table discussing a phone-in,” he says.
“It was the fact it was three diverse men from the LGBTQ community on daytime TV and it wasn’t even a ‘thing’.
“People from ethnic minorities, people of colour, or LGBTQ people are still at a slight disadvantage [in the media].
“That will last for a while but it’s going in the right direction.”
Ranj, who still works part-time as a pediatirician, is also an outspoken adcovate on LGBTQ health and education issues, also passionately believes in LGBTQ-inclusive education for children; something he ways will improve the mental health of young people coming to terms with the sexuality.
“Some people think it’s about converting children into other genders and sexualities but I learnt about dinosaurs at school and I’m not a fucking stegosaurus, am I?” he says.
Dr Ranj Singh, shot exclusively for Attitude’s Award issue by Darren Black
“It will reduce levels of bullying and mental health issues, 50 per cent of which start by the age of 14, and by which the LGBTQ community is disproportionately affected.
“It’s about saving those children and making their lives easier.”
Read the full interview with Dr Ranj and all the winners from the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards 2019, powered by Jaguar in the Attitude Awards issue, out now.
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