Following ‘Heartstopper’ & ‘Saltburn’ success, Bradley Riches announces another exciting career pivot
Celebrity Big Brother made its return to British airwaves for the first time in six years, and it’s got a house full of guests who know a thing or two about making good TV.The eclectic cast includes media matriarch Sharon Osborne, Love Island and The Traitors competitor Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu (to liberally paraphrase Phaedra Parks, “oh lord sweet baby Jesus, yes Ekin Su!), The X Factor judge Louis Walsh, and gay reality TV mainstay David Potts (and his famous short-shorts).But, for our purposes, the guest we’re most excited to see—and the one we’ll be rooting for to win it all—is gay actor Bradley Riches, best known as one of the stars of Heartstopper.Subscribe to our daily newsletter for your front-row seat to all things entertainment with a sprinkle of everything else queer.Riches was a small part of the beloved Netflix coming-of-age series in its first season, but his character, James McEwan, was highlighted in season two, becoming a potential love interest for Truham Grammar School classmate Isaac (Tobie Donovan) before he realized he was asexual.The actor was diagnosed as autistic when he was 9 and, as he’s carved out a career in entertainment, he’s been a strong voice for neurodivergence inclusivity and representation within the LGBTQ+ community.
In fact, that’s a big part of the message he hopes to bring to the Celebrity Big Brother household.A post shared by Celebrity Big Brother UK (@bbuk)“Growing up I felt like an alien, I didn’t know where I placed in the world,” Riches says in a promotional video for the reality competition. “I think being different is very cool—I think it’s taken me a long time to realize that—and I just want to inspire people and give people that positive representation.”At 22, Riches is also the youngest of this season’s houseguests (Osborne and Walsh, both 71, are the oldest), so he’s sure to bring a lot of energy to the season.
