We're a really data-driven newsroom... and we love to add our own spin on stories that everyone else is covering." Twitter Q&A with Entertainment Editor, Tufayel Ahmed
To help our readers get to know the people that power our newsroom, we host live Twitter conversations called #TheInsideStory on our @InsiderInc account with reporters and editors from our Business, Life, and News sections.
We recently caught up with Tufayel Ahmed, Entertainment Editor, who covers everything entertainment, from TV shows, to movies, to sports events, and much more. During our conversation, Tufayel spoke about his career path, role at Insider, provided insight into what he and his team have been covering, and his passion for everything that falls within the umbrella of entertainment. Be sure to follow Tufayel on Twitter @tufayel and check out his page on Insider.
Thanks so much for joining us today @tufayel. We have a lot of great topics to discuss, but could you tell us more about your role at @thisisinsider to start?
Thanks so much for having me! I joined @thisisinsider as entertainment editor in the UK in May. I work with our amazing team of ents editors/reporters on all things film, music, TV, celebrity etc. I'll assign/edit stories, manage the UK ents team, and of course, lots of meetings!
Thrilled to have you! Could you also share more about your background prior to joining Insider?
I've had a pretty varied career! I started in entertainment as a reporter over a decade ago, and I've also been a news editor for an LGBTQ+ publication, senior editor covering all aspects of news, and now back to entertainment! I've also dabbled in teaching journalism at @LSBU.
Great to hear more about your path so far and how it brought you here! Can you share any top highlights from your career including any recent/current work from you and your team here at Insider?
SO many! I've been lucky to interview/meet some huge names—Ariana Grande, Pink, Morgan Freeman, Al Gore etc. Particular highlights are being a finalist for journalist of the year at @asianmediaaward in 2017 + winning specialist news site of the year for the LGBTQ+ site I edited.
And here at @thisisinsider, I've loved working with @asadekaiyero on my team on his big scoops, including this with Bryce Dallas Howard!
This is so cool, thanks for sharing! It appears that each day brings new and exciting topics to cover, but can you also describe what a “normal” day looks like for you in your current role?
Generally, each day begins with a big mug of coffee and scrolling through Twitter + some favoured news sites to see what's going on in the entertainment world. In the morning, my team will usually pick up any buzzy stories from overnight, and then work on original reporting.
I'll be editing stories throughout the day, as well as hopping into meetings throughout the day. Because I'm in London I also have the luxury of being in the entertainment capital of the UK, so 1-2 times a week, there might be a press event or screening to attend!
We can relate to starting the day off that way, too. There is certainly no shortage of trending topics in the entertainment space, so how do you and your team choose those "buzzy stories" to focus on and which angles to take?
We're a really data-driven newsroom, more so than anywhere else I've ever worked, so we drill down each month & quarter on the topics that our readers are loving and try to prioritise those people/shows/movies. For example, our audience loves #HouseOfTheDragon and Stranger Things, so if we spot a short news hit we'll jump on it, rather than maybe a story we aren't so sure works for our audience.
We also love to add our own spin on stories everyone else is covering. Everyone is obsessed with #DontWorryDarling and the behind-the-scenes drama around it this week, so our team smartly put together a play-by-play of the film's buzzy Venice premiere.
In addition to covering hot topics amongst our audience (like these great shows and movies), what are your personal favorite topics?
I think my interests really align with our audience. I, too, love #HouseoftheDragon and find myself Googling every little theory out there after each episode, and Insider is great at digging into the details of every episode — so it's fun to be at work! Check out recent coverage here.
I also have a deep love of Real Housewives, particularly #RHOBH, so it was super fun to interview @KyleRichards recently. I'm also a fan of pro wrestling — it crosses nicely between sports and entertainment — and we have some cool stuff lined up with WWE.
I'm really excited for the WWE stuff we have coming up and to really begin building that as a beat here at Insider. I'm really lucky that we're encouraged to pursue our passions in our reporting!
One of the best parts of a show is reading up on the aftermath - thanks for giving us insight! Switching it back to you, you've recently added "author" to your list of titles. Can you tell us about the significance of your book, This Way Out?
THIS WAY OUT is deeply personal to me because it's a coming-out story about a gay South Asian Muslim man, and stories like that are so rarely told. There's still resistance in publishing, in my opinion, to stories that aren't white, publishers fear they won't sell.
We faced quite a bit of rejection before @AmazonPub took on the book, and the reader response so far has been mindblowing. Diverse stories can sell and can be relatable to all readers! If you're looking for a new read, here you go!
The story was delivered beautifully. We're glad, but not surprised, to hear about the response! You also had a recent exciting announcement that you will be leading the conversation at this year's @UniofReading Wolfenden Lecture. Can you tell us more?
The Wolfenden Lecture has previously been delivered by some super prominent LGBTQ+ people in the UK, so it was a huge honour to be asked by @UniRdg_Diverse & @DrALaville. It's named after the Wolfenden Report, which, in 1957, made the groundbreaking recommendation that "homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private should no longer be a criminal offence". At the time, that would have been quite progressive in society & the annual lecture honours the continued advancement of LGBTQ+ progress in the UK. It really is a huge honour!
We are so happy for you and can't wait to hear more about such a significant event. Can you give a teaser into what you will be discussing? Is there anything our readers should stay updated on?
One of the key themes for me is intersectionality in LGBTQ+ communities, which I think ties in nicely with the themes of the book. There's still a long way to go in terms of acceptance and inclusion for people from ethnic minority or Muslim backgrounds, for example.
It's great to be able to be at the forefront of this moment as not only a journalist and author but a working-class, LGBTQ+ ethnic minority, too. I know I keep saying it, but I'm so honoured! Readers can find more info here.