Meet Alex, one of the standout stars of I Kissed A Boy Series 2. Originally from the Caribbean, Alex brought warmth, charm, and authenticity to the Masseria, quickly becoming a fan favourite. As a proud gay man, his journey is one of resilience and self-discovery-navigating life between two cultures and stepping into the UK spotlight with confidence and vulnerability As London Pride is around the corner, Alex's story resonates more than ever: a celebrtation of queer Carribbean identity, the power of chosen family, and the courage it takes to love out loud. 

Looking back on your time in the Masseria, what was the most surprising or emotional moment for you during I Kissed A Boy Series 2? 

The most emotional moment was talking about my hands. It was something I'd been anxious about the entire time during filming. Even though I've always had it, it's never been something that's a big deal to me, but it meant sharing it on that platform and having it said by me rather than by the BBC or someone else. 

As a kid, I was used to people knowing about it before I even knew them. So, people knew me as ‘that kid with a hand’ before they knew my first name. So, I was used to being perceived that way before I was even recognised, if that makes sense.

How do I do this in a way that respects myself and that I feel comfortable with? And how do I feel about opening up quite freely on the show? Because I think, up to that point in the show, it's all been quite surface-level about me. It's about who I'm interested in, who I want to date, and similar things. It doesn't get into who I am as a person. So, I knew at that moment I was like, right, I'm stepping into being a proper person. We're opening up here, so I knew I’d be nervous about that.

I'm glad I did, because the outreach I've had since then has been incredible. The people sharing their stories and experiences have been truly remarkable. They’re deeply connected to that experience and how they felt about it. There aren't many people who’ve had the same transponder surgery as I have, but people do lose fingers, limbs, or hands. As you know, I had a man message me about a friend who had sepsis and lost one of her hands before passing away a few weeks later.

He shared his experience of that, and it was nice to hear from people with different bodies and experiences. I've had similar experiences myself. So, yeah, that was a very emotional moment, even at the time, and since then, it’s remained quite an emotional moment. But I'm glad it happened. 

How did it feel to represent queer Caribbean identity, on a mainstream UK dating show. Especially knowing how underrepresented that experience often is? 

It's been incredible. I'm very grateful for my crew and experience. I'm very aware that it's not my heritage; it's not like my ancestry. I'm very thankful that I've had the experience of almost growing up, learning, and developing in a different country from my cultural heritage. And now,  to be in a position where I can not only share the experience of growing up in a very privileged way, but also echo voices that maybe don't get quite heard is just incredible. 

I've got some cool stuff coming up with some amazing activists from the Caribbean. There's an activist called Jason. He is the person who helped legalise the law in Trinidad, and I'm working with him. He's like mentoring me to help me get into activism back home, and how I can help people from back home and share those voices, because I think the experience that I had when I said it on the show, I never really  It's been incredible. I'm genuinely grateful for my crew and the experiences I've had. I recognise that it's not part of my heritage or ancestry. I'm very thankful to have grown up, learned, and developed in a different country from my cultural background. Now, being in a position where I can not only have experienced that privileged upbringing but also share that experience and amplify voices that might not often be heard is simply incredible.

I have some exciting projects coming up with remarkable activists from the Caribbean. There's an activist named Jason who played a key role in legalising a law in Trinidad, and I'm working with him. He's mentoring me on how to get involved in activism back home and how I can support and elevate voices from there. When I mentioned on the show that I never really saw myself as being in the closet as a kid, I meant I wasn't aware such a closet even existed. I genuinely thought I was the only gay person. I'd never met another gay person or seen anyone who was gay, neither on TV nor in music. I felt utterly isolated, convinced I was somehow wrong. Being able to now give that exposure to others from back home — not only through sharing my story but also representing them — is truly incredible.

At least I had a safe space. For children who don't have that, the struggle is constant. If sharing my experience or echoing those voices that might otherwise go unheard can make even a 5% difference for them, I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do so. Thought I was in the closet as a kid. After all, I wasn't aware that a closet existed. I generally thought it was only me who was gay. I'd never met another gay person,  ever seen anybody who was gay. I didn't know that in TV or music or anything when I was a kid, so I felt so completely isolated just as soon as it was me that was in the wrong, and so to like, now give that exposure to other people from back home and like not only that exposure but represent them it's just incredible.

At least I had a safe space,  whereas outside of that kids that maybe don't have that space they have that constantly so if me sharing my experience or sort of you know echoing those voices that maybe won't be heard makes things even just 5% better for them. I'm so happy to have the opportunity to do that.

You've mentioned moving from the Caribbean to the UK. What were the biggest cultural shifts you experienced as a gay man,  both personally and socially? 

Wow, the shifts moving to the UK are pretty significant. When I say the biggest difference is British humour, it's pretty distinct from Caribbean humour. For example, British people can seem quite mean. Some individuals, such as British viewers, can be harsh and critical. They don't have the same level of sarcasm that we have here in the UK. I wasn't used to it when I first arrived. I think I thought I was being bullied. But it wasn't; it was just my insecurities, possibly, where everyone hates me, like, absolutely everyone. I attended boarding school, so when I first moved here, there were many international students, and we tended to stick together because their sense of humour was quite similar, but British humour didn't make sense to us. It was only after a year or two that I had to get into British humour more, and I began to understand it and settle in better. However, the humour was a massive part of the culture. 

The second thing is the food in the UK, and I don't understand what's different about it. Why do we want to eat as if we're in a war? It's done now; we can add flavour, season, and spice. We don't need to be afraid of these things—like an accompaniment, a sauce, or a marinade—we can enjoy them. Food has always been a big deal for me, not just because of the flavours, but because the approach to food here is very different. In many places, food feels like something you have to do, whereas back home, it's a time to come together. It's a moment of joy—you sit with your family for dinner or with friends for a meal. The idea of a "meal deal" was to me—why would I grab my food and eat on the go? Where am I even going? That probably links nicely to the fast pace of life in the UK—everyone's always got somewhere to be, something to do, or somewhere to go, back home, you're on an island—trust me, island time. Everyone's two hours late, everyone's two hours early; in my opinion, everyone accepts it. No one knows why because it only seems to get anywhere, but somehow it still feels like it takes ages. I don't understand why things take so long, but that's just the way it is. Coming here, those are some of the bigger cultural shocks.  Completely crazy. In contrast, it takes 20 minutes.

Regarding a gay man moving from the Caribbean, I find it strange. Back home, it's very hush-hush, like no one talks about saying that things like PDA and public displays of affection aren't everyday; even straight couples rarely kiss or hold hands in public. It's because the country is very Christian, so things are quite restrained. Then there's a spectrum where activities like getting up or jumping around are seen as a celebration. Sexuality is acceptable in music and dance, so in the straight world, for gay people, it's less accepted in conversation, stores, or at the beach- everyone's very reserved and keeps to themselves. Moving to the UK and being openly gay was a huge change. I had never seen or even heard of certain things before, and now my friends are the most open about it. It's a significant shift. Conversations about trans people, sexuality and how open every gender identity is at all. I'm walking as if it's a dance and it's fine, but it's much more common here. There's still a lot of progress needed, but there's more dialogue, and I wish those talks happened more at home. Iations,  and sometimes they aren't enjoyable. Some shows have faced backlash in various ways, and I've been having discussions about it. I think there's a lack of conversation because of the illness; it's good that these conversations are starting. Back home, they aren't happening at all; they're kept behind closed doors. Sadly, this leads to issues like the spread of STDS and a real HIV problem. It's because it's not talked about, there's no proper education or discussion about it. People are doing things in secret, not being open about their status, its meaning, or treatment options. The lack of dialogue about protection and sexuality causes people to get into difficult situations physically and emotionally. I wish more of these conversations were happening. Yeah,    what about your experiences? Oh,  they weren't expected. Oh,  they have a brief chat,  like. Who would have asked me that? That's his name. 

London Pride is coming up. What message do you have for LGBTQ+ people, particularly young men from the Caribbean who may be struggling with acceptance or visibility? 

Can I say that, in my personal experience, anybody who's specifically Caribbean gay men? I had a hard time living in the UK, being from the Caribbean, and being gay. I had a somewhat parallel life. Whenever I would go home, I'd think, "I like to be in the Caribbean," and whenever I was in the UK, I was Alex, who was gay. I couldn't have the two that exist together. However, now that I've grown older, I've become much more proud of my sexuality and much more proud of my background, and I'm very much aware that I don't want to separate the two anymore. I want to be very proud of both of them together, and they don't have to be separate.

You might be Caribbean and gay, or perhaps from a country where being gay is openly accepted, even if it isn't in the Caribbean. You don't need to segregate or separate these aspects of your life. There's no need to view them as most different parts of your identity. Your entire life is interconnected, so I would say this is a moment to be proud of every part of yourself, not just your sexuality. You don't have to be defined solely by your sexuality; you should be proud of who you are in totality.

Do you feel like your experience on the show helped you heal or grow in ways you hadn't expected before stepping into the Masseria?

The show, like everyone, would ask me, "Did you, like, are you sad that you didn't find love?" And I was like, "No, I found a lot more love for myself." Yeah. "A lot more self-love, amazing best friends, so I'm thrilled to walk away from my career. But in terms of how it's changed me, it's made me a lot more proud to be gay. I'm a lot more openly gay as well. I've always been out of the closet for many years now, but at home, I would never really say it. People ask me, "Oh, do you know if I'm going to go?" I wouldn't tell them no, but I wouldn't say I'm gay. I wouldn't be proud about it, either. I'd be open, but wouldn't be proud. That's the difference.. There's a big difference. I'm more comfortable with being feminine and masculine. I switch between the two quite often, so the things I like and do tend to be more masculine. Sometimes the phrases I use or the music I listen to are quite feminine in nature. I swap between them, which is nice." I also met three, if that makes sense. I was an openly gay man before, whereas now I'm two and I'm very proud to do that. Before, I feel like every gay person, or at least most, would probably listen to more straight music sometimes, like they’re trying to be more straight. I wasn’t going to play well, like I’d play straight music this time. I'm just a bit more vocal about it,  a proud gay manand I think being in this environment, where I’m surrounded by people who are all so different but also openly queer, with so many interesting queer stories, and just being able to express that, and then seeing the love that people have forction, with Dani it, both on the show with produ, and everyone involved audience.

There's so much love, and it's realising that there's hate in the world, but there's also so much love, so much love for queer people in their and it's about recognising that there's hate in the world, but there's also so much love, especially for queer people in their stories and for who they love. I feel like that made me feel much more comfortable with my sexuality, my femininity, my personality, and my sense of self. I think it has made me much louder, prouder, and more confident in filming. Stories and for whom they are loved. I feel like that made me feel so much more comfortable in my sexuality, my femininity, my personality, my you know like who I was personally, and I think I feel like I'm just so much louder, prouder, more confident in filming.

In my day-to-day life, in my professional life as well,  because there's a physio that's very male-dominant, very masculine-dominant as well. I've become a lot more confident in my sexuality in that environment, I'm a family member of that environment, and yeah, you're across the board. It's been nice, it's been great, it feels like I'm almost a representative for the community now in some ways, it has been incredible, so grateful. 

What were your first impressions walking into I Kissed A Boy, and how did those change as the season went on? 

So, when I first arrived and they agreed with me, all the boys were cold towards me. No one told me because I was just a problem, a big problem for everyone. That would be the one to talk to the people who wanted to sleep with me. Everyone else disliked me, and it was apparent. It wasn't the last semester. Everyone made their friends, everyone found their rhythm, everyone knew which classes were where, who they needed to see, who they were hanging out with, who they disliked, and who they liked, causing issues in these friendship groups. Even if you're not stepping on someone's romantic toes—such as if someone is completely single—you're still seen as a friend, having introduced a new dynamic. I had two choices when I arrived: be polite and kind, keep to myself, or try to make a genuine connection for myself and figure out my place in the dating world. I was asked a lot whether I came onto the show to find love.

I  almost like you joined school, and you're coming in and said yes, but my main aim was toasting—I hadn't dated in three years before the show—so much so that I wondered, is it me? Am I doing something wrong? Am I unattractive? Am I unfriendly? Am I not nice enough? What am I doing wrong? I thought, 'This is a show where I will have 14 or 15 people pinned down to date—they have no choice but to solve the problem because they're someone, and go home the next day, or do what I was there for.' So if I can't find anyone, what am I going to do? Even if I didn't see a connection there, I felt like I got back into the dating scene and learned what I like and dislike. When I first arrived, I found the show quite cold and challenging, especially the last one, which made it a very steep climb. But once things settled down, I found it much easier. I also got to make some friends in there, so I had to like people involved in another conflict. I ended up liking the show a lot, and I had to get more after filming. Oh well, I think I've lost my connection to the show since filming ended. When I was there, it was a whirlwind—everything happened so quickly, and my time was intense; I was busy the entire time. You'll have seen those people sitting around the pool decks or on the beach. There were no shots of me just sitting around relaxing—there was never a moment short of time where I was chilling, having a nap, or relaxing. Some people took naps in there, which I couldn’t understand. How long did you have time to nap? I didn't have any time to breathe. 

However, my love for the show that came afterwards was similar to making those connections; for instance, the two Jordans and Jack are like my best friends. We talk about everyday life, and I would do anything for them. I have a lot of time for some of the boys—like Adam, Justin, Rubin, and Lars—and I love them dearly, just as I love all the cast members. I think that connection to the show developed in me afterwards—even for people like Dani, whom I've seen a few times there. Still, she has been so supportive since filming, so lovely—every time we've seen her, she messages us, replies to our stories, and comments on our stuff. She's just incredible. The production team also look after you, checking in to see if you're okay and trying to support you along the way. So, I believe that the filming experience of the show is much more than just those moments during filming. I think I fell in love with the show outside of filming, and I've loved it ever since. It has been an unforgettable journey! 

How do you stay connected to your Caribbean, Caribbean roots while also navigating queer life in the UK? 

Yeah, so when it comes to staying connected, some of my family still lives there, and certain members of my family, including my grandma, still reside back home. I visit three times a year. It's amazing. I aim to spend as much time there as I can. I won't go back on your holiday. The rest of the year, because, honestly, I don't want to go anywhere else that much. I'll do a few European holidays, but most of my time is spent back home. I miss them all: my friends, my dogs, and good food. 

I chat with my Mum all the time, so I feel like I'm always up to date on what's happening at home because she tells me things like, "Oh, we've got a new thing here and this has been built, and moved, and this is now open." My friends back home, I still text them regularly. We are still quite close, considering I live away. We're still really close. I've started to build some good friendships here, especially now that we're in London. I’ve begun to meet some friends who are also from the Caribbean. Although they're not from the same island as me, they're from other islands, such as Trinidad and Tobago. While I'm here in London, I still try to make friends with other Caribbean people, as it helps keep the connection alive. When you meet someone else from the Caribbean, there's a natural sense of unity—like a quick, shared understanding. I try to visit every Caribbean restaurant I see; I hunt it down because I need the food. I also try to stay in contact and keep up to date. My best friend, who is going today, comes back home with me once a year, along with my other best friend. My connection from home has become much stronger, especially over the years, since they made several changes back home. Up until 2023, it was legal to do so. When they changed the law in November, it made me feel more connected to home because of a new level of acceptance. 

It was punishable to seven years in prison for having gay sex, which is crazy, and I'm like I'm from here, like that's who I am, and if I did that, would I be put in prison? When you came up with the last time you acted on the law, but the fact that it was just there, leaving, like the fact that we had lesser rights than we do in the rest of the country, was just mind-blowing. So now that I've got that sort of like that sort of release of connectivity, I remember when I found out it happened. I went home in December, and they had changed a lot, and I was sitting on the beach with my best friends. I just started crying. I've never felt so, like, at peace, like, I've never felt so, like, not vindicated. I'll come into my own home all of a sudden for the first time. And nothing happened, no one cared about me and said, "Oh, no, don't you, gay, you can stay." Yeah, yeah, it was just like, it was just like, um, my best friend mentioned to me, she was like, "Oh, this is the first we've been home since the last change..." I just looked into the eyes and I went, "Yeah, I'm just fluttered with tears." It was joyful tears, very, very happy tears, but it was like a realisation of how internally repressed I'd been at home and how much I could express myself inside. I remember thinking that since then, I'm not going to live the Hannah Montana lifestyle. I'm not doing straight Alex in the Caribbean, Alex in the UK, which is what I was doing basically. Every time I go home, I pretend to be straight, every single time, I don't want to fail, I  look at the way I'm sitting or how I'm talking.

There are lots of things that I like about my accent at home, which is very different from how it is here, so it would be easy for me to change it to a lower voice as well, because it was naturally a different accent. Still, I was like because I changed my accent I changed the way I walked, talked, everything and the way I moved was completely different so now I'm like nope I'm not doing that so a little bit more myself here in the UK I don't know for lots of reasons we should have to help with that as well.

Now that the show's aired during Pride Month, what are your hopes for how your story might inspire or impact others in the LGBTQ+ community? 

I think having the show in Pride Month has been quite special because it feels like we're all on top. Like, having a gay show released during Pride Month, and I feel like we are truly at our peak; this is our full moon, so it's been lovely to have that kind of release during this celebration for all of us. I believe my story on the show is unique because it has two distinct aspects. I've experienced being gay in the Caribbean, and that's one part. I'm also gay and have a different body compared to others. I don't like to label myself as disabled because I'm not disabled in a traditional sense, but I am differently able, in comparison to most normal bodies. I think sharing experience has been quite meaningful and quite enriching.

Like a small part of the world that no one knows much about, and their experience is in the background. It's been quite remarkable, like I know how I felt watching someone from the Caribbean on Drag Race. Watching Rilsea Slaves on Drag Race UK was one of the most incredible moments for me. I'm like, 'Oh my god, here's someone from the islands who still has a thick Caribbean accent.' It was so lovely to watch and see her bring her Caribbean flair to the show as well. I was like, 'Oh, this is just incredible.' I want to create some representation; I want to do something for people who are differently able and to move the Caribbean forward. It feels incredible because I enjoy representing small groups, especially as a queer person and someone with a disability. That's also a tiny, needy group. Still, it's a group that sometimes gets treated poorly, unfortunately. You know, I've had quite a few dates where, like, people have maybe not used the nicest phrases while I'm with them. They've been nice about things like asking how it's done, which is well-intentioned, but neither of them always comes across well. People don't realise how simple phrases can be misinterpreted at times, or when you tell someone your story and they respond with, 'Fuck, what made you do that?' It's a little story, and you're kind of like, 'Well, I'm having a bit of a vulnerable moment here,' and people think it's okay for them to ask such questions. 

On our first date, I barely even knew your last name, mate. I'm not sure what you do for a living, but I'm a bit nervous about it, so we should take things slowly. It’s pretty nice to have that, and let's say, the show has been giving me lots of opportunities—like working with a notable donor who's keen to host a Caribbean Pride here in the UK and wants to be a voice for it. Working with Jason, the actress from Trinidad, who's putting in a lot of hard work, has given me the confidence and platform to share stories that might not usually be heard. It has also allowed me to utilise my experiences and connections to help spread love, joy, and support to smaller groups. 

You can watch the whole second series of I Kisses A Boy on BBC iPlayer.