Who are Riyadh Khalaf’s parents?
RIYADH Khalaf has been crowned champion of Celebrity MasterChef 2020, dedicating one of his winning menus to his father.
The YouTuber has spoken a lot about his experience growing up and his relationship with his parents.
Who are Riyadh Khalaf's parents?
Riyadh grew up in the coastal town of Bray in County Wicklow, Ireland, where his parents still live.
His mother Lorraine is Irish and was a Catholic and his father Sam a Muslim from Iraq.
Sam and Lorraine married in 1989 and had Riyadh in 1991.
The couple also have another younger son.
“My parents were right at the bottom of the pile for who to come out to,” he told the BBC.
“It was self-preservation. I didn’t know if I was going to be kicked out and made homeless, or if my dad would try to honour-kill me.
"It sounds silly but you go to the worst-case scenario. My mum was great – confused but great – but my dad took it very hard.”
After Riyadh's father's extended family suggested sending Riyadh to Syria for conversion therapy, he cut ties with them and chose to rebuild his relationship with his son.
The pair are now closer than ever and attend Pride marches together.
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Riyadh is the author of the 2019 book Yay! You’re Gay! Now What?: A Gay Boy's Guide to Life.
His parents wrote a section in the book which guides friends and family of gay loved ones on how to support them properly.