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Riz Ahmed says UK spies tried to recruit him on three occasions
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Riz Ahmed says UK spies tried to recruit him on three occasions

The Guardian · May 24, 2026, 5:54 PM

Key takeaways

  • Photograph: Abaca Press/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News.View image in fullscreen Riz Ahmed in Cannes in 2025.
  • Prefer the Guardian on Google Riz Ahmed, the Oscar-winning actor, has claimed that Britain’s intelligence services tried three times to recruit him, including one occasion involving a senior BBC executive.
  • Ahmed, 43, said: “Well, it’s happened three different times and they’re all slightly ridiculous, and this is what I mean by it, it’s just like inherently comedic.

Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.

Riz Ahmed in Cannes in 2025. Photograph: Abaca Press/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News.View image in fullscreen Riz Ahmed in Cannes in 2025. Photograph: Abaca Press/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News.Riz Ahmed Riz Ahmed says UK spies tried to recruit him on three occasions Actor recounts three alleged approaches by intelligence services, including through senior BBC executive

Prefer the Guardian on Google Riz Ahmed, the Oscar-winning actor, has claimed that Britain’s intelligence services tried three times to recruit him, including one occasion involving a senior BBC executive.

Ahmed, 43, said: “Well, it’s happened three different times and they’re all slightly ridiculous, and this is what I mean by it, it’s just like inherently comedic.

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