Broadcaster Riyadh Khalaf on putting queerness into his work: ‘It is part of me’

Broadcaster, author, influencer, and all-round lovely human being Riyadh Khalaf has shared his coming out journey with Attitude as part of the My Pride, empowered by Bentley.

Talking to us among a backdrop of breathtaking vehicles in Bentley’s heritage garage, Riyadh also spoke about his first Pride experience.

“I was 16 years old, not out of the closet, snuck into Dublin city centre with a friend. I was terrified of being seen but I felt both empowered and uplifted at the same time,” the 2020 Celebrity MasterChef winner said.

“It was the most beautiful feeling. I was like, ‘Oh you’re like me, and I’m like you.'”

Riyadh said that earlier, as a teenager coming to terms with his sexuality, he found solace online.

“I found safety and community on YouTube when I was 15. After that, I made changes in my real life that allowed me to be at Pride in person.”

Fast-forward to today, and the 32-year-old says he always tries to “cram a bit of queerness” into his work.

“Although it’s not who I am, it is part of me and it does inform a lot of my life.”

My Pride is part of the Pride with Attitude digital festival. In the coming weeks, we’ll also see appearances from comedian Stephen K. Amos, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK‘s Cheddar Gorgeous, and Bentley’s own Lucy Rogers.

The festival aims to raise money for the Attitude Magazine Foundation (AMF) for LGBTQ+ causes. To donate £3, £5, £10 or £20 to the AMF, text PWA3, PWA5, PWA10 or PWA20 to 70580. You can also click here to donate to the AMF online.