The Only Way is Essex star Junaid Ahmed claims he was kicked out of his home after coming out as gay.
The 27-year-old joined the cast of ITV’s TOWIE just this summer after appearing on Lovestruck High, an Amazon Prime reality dating show. Despite the TV personality claiming he couldn’t imagine life now without the reality series, it hasn’t always been plaining sailing for him, as reported by the Daily Star. Fans got to see a different side to the TOWIE newcomer as he appeared on the Secure the Insecure podcast where he reflected on his teenage years, spoke about his childhood romances and fondly remembered his first love.
Speaking to podcast host Johnny Seifert, Junaid said: “I did start seeing someone when I was 16. Secretly, he was one of my best friends at the time. And it was all a little secret. I just loved it. I absolutely loved it. I was in love. That was my first love." The former model continued: "We're both in the same boat. Like he was in the closet. I was essentially in the closet. And we just yeah, we've known each other all our life anyway. So it was just the most comfortable thing…and I know (it could) never be something serious because he would never come out".
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Junaid's interview with the talkRADIO presenter took a more emotional turn as the two-time reality star revealed how his family reacted when he told them the truth about his sexuality. He said: "I absolutely do love my religion, I've been brought up a Muslim and that will stay with me for the rest of my life ... Homosexuality is not accepted in Islam. And that is in black and white."
Junaid added: "I told them. And it was something that they couldn't accept due to the community and the culture. And I was then kicked out and I moved. Six bin bags later I was in Essex."
Despite understanding the differences in beliefs between him and his parents, Junaid still wishes he could have a relationship with them - and now more so than ever, whilst he is living his dream of pursuing reality TV alongside his good friends and co-stars Dani Imbret, Yaz Oukhellou and Ella Rae Wise.
He said: "I think they still love me, but just can't accept what I do for a living and why and who I am. So the love's not there. You know, when you've had a heart just in general life, like when you just want that hug from your mom, I want that every day, but I can't have it." He added: "You don't think I want to be able to go home and just sit down and sit with my mom and have a conversation teller? My dreams have come true recently. There's so much I've wanted to do in my life that I'm now doing."
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