EXCLUSIVE: the Only Way Is Essex star Joe Blackman has given a rare insight into his close bond with his son Daice, seven, and how he feels about his dad’s recent engagement.
The Only Way Is Essex star Joe Blackman has candidly revealed his son Daice’s reaction as the star revealed to his son that he was engaged to his boyfriend of two years, Junaid Ahmed.
Joe, 27, and Junaid, 31, made reality TV history this year as they became the first interracial gay couple to get engaged on The Only Way Is Essex. The pair had been dating for two years before taking the plunge.
In the build-up to their big day, the couple have taken another huge step in their lives together by launching a joint podcast titled Polished Chaos – the first episode of which is due for release this Thursday on all podcast platforms and YouTube.
Speaking in an exclusive teaser clip of the first episode of their podcast, which was shared exclusively with the Mirror, Joe and Junaid got candid about their relationship with Joe’s son and how Daice reacted when Joe broke the news of his engagement.
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“He was so adorable,” Joe beamed. “[It was] really casual actually, I really didn’t want to make it such a big thing because I think you don’t really ever know how kids are going to take things like that.
“I’m very mindful of the fact of… obviously me and Daice’s mum are not together and I don’t want him to ever feel like he’s being pushed out of any situation that he’s in. And Daice knows – obviously I tell him every single time I see him – that he’s my number one boy and that’s my main priority.”
Joe continued: “So yeah, it was really casual.” He added to Junaid: “I wanted to do it away from you as well because I didn’t want him to feel like he had to have pressure – it was just a dad and son conversation.”
Joe recalled how he broke the news to his beloved son while he was taking Daice to football club and they had stopped by KFC. “I said to him, I was like, ‘Dad’s got a new ring!’,” the reality star explained. “And his favourite colour’s gold, obviously, and I was like, ‘it’s gold’ and he was like, ‘let me see, let me see’ you know what he’s like!
“He saw the diamond, he was like, ‘wow that must be really expensive’, you know what he’s like!,” Joe joked as Junaid giggled. “And I was like, ‘Dad’s getting married’ and he was like, ‘to who’. And I was like, ‘What do you mean to who – Junaid of course!’ and he got so happy.”
Joe then revealed his son had a touching request: “He was like, ‘Dad can I walk you down the aisle’. But I think that’s fresh in his head because, obviously, mum got married really recently. And he walked down the aisle, it’s really sweet and the fact he wanted to do that, I was like ‘100 per cent’, how can I say no? If he changes his mind he doesn’t have to. But he’s so excited.”
Junaid gushed: “I love that, he comes here, he’s so excited for it, he knows what’s going on…” Joe then replied: “And I love so much that you have such an amazing relationship with Daice. Could you imagine if you and him never got on.”
Junaid joked that Daice is a “carbon copy” of his fiancé and gushed that Daice “does not lift a finger” but “he deserves it”. Meanwhile, Joe said it was “lovely” to see how the bond Daice and Junaid has developed: “I love you both so much, it’s so lovely for me to be able to be like, ‘this is my little family and it works and we’re happy’.”
The dad confessed it would be ‘really difficult’ to be in a relationship with his TOWIE fiancé if his son ‘wasn’t feeling it’. Joe then drew on his own experience as a teen being introduced to his mum’s new boyfriend, as Joe remembered: “At first I was like, ‘who the hell is that’ but I was in year seven,” he explained.
Junaid replied: “I think because I’ve been in Daice’s life since he was about three or four, naturally he’s kind of always seen me there – and now he’s seven.”
Joe responded: “Of course, all I ever wanted you to do for Daice was to just be that one person – I never wanted there to be any pressure of like, ‘I’m your stepdad’, because it’s never gonna work like that,” as Junaid agreed with his beau.
Joe continued: “I’ve always said, ‘Junaid I just want you to be that one person that Daice can come to and trust and love and feel safe with’ and it’s happened naturally – we’ve had our testing moments, like we all have, but it’s amazing.”
The TOWIE star dad then gushed: “I love that when we get married you’re officially gonna be Daice’s stepdad.” The pair beamed from ear to ear as Junaid added: “Oh my God I know!” Before Joe sweetly told Junaid he is ‘perfect for the job’ and is irreplaceable.
The loved-up couple then discussed if they felt it was hard for Daice having a father who is gay. Juniad asked if the seven year old understands what it means to have a dad who is gay and what it would be like for him growing up. Joe then explained his son ‘doesn’t know any different’ because Joe and Daice’s mum split when he was just one years of age.
Joe then added: “I do think that growing up there will be times where boys say things, like, it’s like those comments when you’re at school like, ‘Oh you gay boy’ or whatever and I remember growing up being like, ‘Why do people use gay boy as an insult’ it really used to infuriate me because I don’t even get what the insult is.” Junaid added: “I mean we’ve all had it.”
The dad then admitted he would feel devastated if Daice was ‘judged for having a gay dad’. “But also it’s bl***y normal,” he added. “I’m not the only gay dad in the world.”
Joe then explained that he would “never force anything on to Daice” as he explained: “If you love girls, great. If you love boys, great.” Although Joe said the seven-year-old has “started to question little things” and has asked why Joe is “not with a girl” and asked if Joe is “going to kiss” his best pal Ella Rae Wise.
Joe then recalled explaining to his son: “‘Daddy has been with Mummy before, but Daddy wasn’t happy so…’ you can’t always… I don’t know, it’s hard, you’ve just gotta say like, ‘I’m happy and it’s normal and it’s who I love’…” Junaid then interjected: “I think the thing for you is it’s such a unique situation.”
The couple got engaged earlier this year – in scenes that aired on TOWIE in August. The romantic proposal was organised by a loved-up Junaid during a cast trip to Albania for the ITV series. Junaid had been planning the special moment for months, with help from friends and used a ‘double bluff’ as Joe was lead to believe their cast mates, Jodie and Diags, were were taking the plunge.
As Junaid popped the question, he made a touching speech as he said: “I just want to ask you one thing. Two years ago when I met you and I come to your mum’s garden and I said to you then, ‘You are the missing piece of the puzzle in my life’… And I have something to give you.”
Junaid then picked up a giant puzzle piece and handed it to Joe as he said: “This is the missing piece of the puzzle that I want to give to you.” As Joe turned the puzzle piece around, it had the words: “Will you marry me” emblazoned on the front. Joe broke down and said in shock: “Are you joking?” as Junaid got down on one knee and unveiled a large red box with a ring inside. Junaid then tearfully said: “Joe will you marry me?”
“Are you serious? Oh my God,” a surprised Joe replied before adding: “Yes, oh my God I love you.” The couple’s delighted friends, Diags, Jodie and Lauren Goodger, cheered as the couple sealed their engagement with a kiss.
Polished Chaos is produced by Bombay TV, an independent television and digital production company founded by Vinny Basra. New episodes drop every Thursday from 29th October for ten weeks https://www.youtube.com/@PolishedChaosPod
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