Finest identified for his breakout function on Geordie Shore, Nathan Henry has lengthy been a fixture on British tv, celebrated for his daring persona and outspoken presence.
Now, with Geordie Tales: Nathan and Dad, he steps right into a extra reflective house, chronicling his father’s Stage 4 most cancers prognosis whereas navigating their shared historical past and reconnection.
The documentary marks a poignant shift in Nathan’s profession, shedding gentle on masculinity, id, and the unstated dynamics between Black fathers and their queer sons.
We sat down with Henry to discover what it meant to inform this story on his personal time periods …
Please introduce your self …
I’m Nathan Henry, I’m 34 years previous. I might say I’m a actuality icon … no I wouldn’t, I might say I’m a TV persona. I’m a Pisces, I’m of twin heritage, as a result of my Dad’s from Jamaica and my Mum’s from England, and I’m from Darlington, a bit of city within the North East of England, a advertising city really, we invented some form of practice, we’re well-known for that.
Why are we right here right this moment?
We’re right here to speak about my docuseries, Nathan and Dad, which is popping out on the third July on the MTV Shores Youtube Channel.
Geordie Tales: Nathan and Dad provides us a deeply private facet of you that we’ve by no means seen earlier than. How would you describe your journey?
I feel I’d describe it as probably the most terrifyingly sincere expertise I’ve ever had in my entire complete life. There was no room for not being susceptible, for hiding away or shying away, I needed to be probably the most susceptible I’ve ever been, and I feel that’s the most sincere description of my expertise. But it surely’s additionally been a studying curve and it’s one thing I don’t remorse doing.
What have been you most nervous about going into this challenge, and what have been you most sure about?
Most sure was that I needed to create one thing for individuals to really feel seen, and to really feel heard. Once I instructed my Dad’s story on Geordie Shore, the quantity of messages I received from individuals saying that it resonated, that their father or mother had most cancers, or they knew somebody with most cancers, I knew right away that the underlying [feeling] was that no matter we do now was going to have to assist tens of millions of individuals. I’ve received to make use of this platform for good. I went into it considering, ‘f***, am I going to have the ability to try this?’ I’ve at all times been perceived as being bubbly, completely satisfied and jolly. The realisation that I needed to be susceptible was the toughest factor. Am I able to being susceptible and showcasing these feelings? However, I feel we received there in the long run.
Within the collection, you and your dad go to Most cancers Black Care, an area particularly supporting black and minority ethnic communities affected by most cancers. What did it imply to have that type of illustration and culturally-specific help throughout such a susceptible time?
If I’m going to be utterly sincere right here, the primary ever most cancers help group we went to, though that is the place my dad did get misdiagnosed; nobody in that room regarded like my dad. That is no disrespect as properly, however everybody in that room was additionally a lot older than my dad, so I used to be like, in the event you’re in a room of people who aren’t such as you and also you’ve received nobody to even have some form of reference to, particularly in a help group, that’s a susceptible place. Should you can’t resonate with anybody in that room, you’re not going to speak. So I used to be like, it’s vital that my dad goes to a bunch the place he can really feel he can speak.
I did take him, previous to that, to a most cancers occasion the place the vast majority of individuals there have been girls, and he did speak, and he did share a narrative. However once more, he didn’t open up that a lot, so I feel being on the Most cancers Black Care help group was so vital as a result of one, close to sufficient everybody there was from the Caribbean I feel, and it doesn’t matter about their heritage however there was a girl my dad was speaking to, and she or he had [grown] up on the identical road as my dad in Jamaica. Keep in mind this was previous to me telling my dad that we have been going to Jamaica and he had no concept. The truth that somebody on this room who possibly went to the identical college as my dad, is sat on this room speaking about her most cancers, I knew there after which, my dad was going to open up. It’s so vital to see and have that illustration and simply that secure house. And from that, we received a ravishing second between me and my dad, and never solely that, different Black individuals who have most cancers may very well be inspired to go to those help teams and search assist, it’s crucial.
You had a robust second with Ashley Cain, who tragically misplaced his daughter to most cancers. What was it like having that dialog, and the way did listening to his perspective form the best way you consider grief, resilience and the way we present up for the individuals we love?
Ashley Cain might be the bravest and most sincere individual I’ve ever come throughout. The way in which he talks about his emotions and what’s occurred in his story, it was very charming and it impressed me to be higher and to do extra. I’m so glad that he took the time to speak to us. I’ll eternally be grateful. Thanks very a lot Ashley. Simply listening to him speak, he’s preserving her reminiscence alive. And that’s one thing I’ve discovered from this; from me speaking extra about most cancers, and the most cancers my dad has, and the expertise we’re going by, it’s a coping mechanism to take care of what I’m going by.
There’s a lot love, humour and even bickering between you and your dad. How has this journey shifted your relationship?
Rising up, me and my dad by no means had an emotional dialog. The one emotional dialog I’d had with my dad previous to this documentary was once I got here out to him. It’s utterly shifted the dynamic now as a result of we are able to have critical conversations, we are able to have open conversations, we are able to cry collectively, we may be our genuine selves round one another. Don’t get me flawed, the bickering is continuous, we’re like a duo. He’s began doing this actually annoying factor the place, once I’m speaking, he tries to complete my sentence. Nobody has ever completed that, however then my dad doesn’t simply do it to me, he does it to different individuals. I bear in mind after we have been filming, who was he speaking to, and I used to be sat there considering ‘Dad shut the f* up since you are ending that individual’s sentence after we’re interviewing them or asking them a query, you’ll be able to’t end or put concepts into different individuals’s heads it is advisable to allow them to communicate’. It was anxious. I nonetheless can’t deal with it, it drives me insane.
How did being in Jamaica, your dad’s birthplace, deepen your understanding of one another?
I feel being there and seeing the place my dad got here from and the place he grew up, it was simply so mad to suppose that he lived in a room that was actually no greater than from that wall to right here [gestures around room] with 4 different siblings, my grandma and my grandad. They lived in that. For 13 years. So listening to the story of the place and the way he grew up, after which placing a spot to what I had imagined, it was simply surreal, as a result of when he was telling the tales, I didn’t think about that’s what it regarded like. It’s simply loopy. And never even that, if my dad by no means got here to England and met my mum, I might’ve additionally grown up in that residence. It was simply bizarre, a bizarre however superb factor that we’ve completed and I’m so glad that we’ve completed it.
You opened up about navigating LGBTQ+ id with Caribbean tradition. Did something shock you about these conversations, both along with your dad or different individuals?
With different individuals, completely sure. We had a dialog about some people who have been from Kingston in Jamaica who, that is after 2010, had been killed for being themselves. If I used to be sat right here now having this dialog with somebody in England, you’d simply suppose that its barbaric, and it’s, that folks may be killed only for being themselves. A trans woman went to a celebration together with her pal, her pal escaped fortunately together with her life, however the different pal wasn’t so fortunate and was mobbed to loss of life. So I feel it was vital to have [those] conversations, as a result of I’ve been to Jamaica and have skilled homophobia, to not that extent, but it surely’s simply wild. And it’s nonetheless to this present day, I simply can’t wrap my head round it.
Greatest lesson that you simply hope resonates with the viewers?
Black males who’ve queer kids, you’ll be able to love your little one it doesn’t matter what and be happy with who they’re, and allow them to embrace their roots. I feel that’s one thing me and pop have undoubtedly managed to showcase throughout this. I feel it’s such a powerful message that my dad is sending on the market, that he’s so accepting of all of who I’m and what I deliver to the desk. And in addition queer individuals, queer Black individuals, in the event you do really feel secure and have that surroundings, to confide in your mother and father, don’t deny them the privilege of understanding who you might be, and being your genuine self. As a result of I hid who I used to be from my dad for 3 or 4 years, and it’s annoying now as a result of he’s received stage 4 most cancers my dad misplaced out on 4 years of understanding who I used to be, and I’ll by no means get that point again. So now we’re making up for that.
What do you suppose your dad wished to go away behind for you and for anybody watching?
I feel my dad, for him, his entire ethos, was that he wished to study and see what it’s prefer to be recognized, to see what his daily life is like, to see the way it’s not all doom and gloom and that there nonetheless is life after prognosis. Additionally we like the concept of my dad having a legacy, and the truth that we’ve completed it is a reminiscence that’s at all times going to be there. If by the point I’ve kids my dad’s not there to satisfy them, I’m at all times going to have this love letter that I can present my children, and be like ‘that’s your grandad, that is the connection me and your grandad had’, and it’s simply one thing for them cherish eternally.
What do you suppose your youthful self would say if they may see you now?
They’d by no means imagine in one million years that this was going to occur. 1, your dad’s not going to just accept you being homosexual, and a pair of, your dad won’t ever be on TV with you. I simply by no means would’ve believed that this may’ve occurred.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU …
Should you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing? In all probability barbering
What made you unhappy and glad this week? Glad, the interview I did this morning with, no offence to anybody else I’ve completed interviews with, however Hits Radio Pleasure which I hear to each morning within the automotive, so I received to do a shoutout to myself, that made me glad. Unhappy, how sizzling it’s in London. Truly no, I watched a video on the practice that made me cry, of somebody proposing to somebody.
What’s the final stay music occasion you attended? Oh my god I used to be in Dublin on the weekend, it wasn’t actually a music occasion however we have been in a bar and so they have been enjoying stay music – f**g beloved it. However the final stay music occasion I went to was Beyonce two weeks in the past in London.
What tune are you listening to on repeat? Serving C**t on the minute. I really like that tune from Eurovision, I really like strolling down the road listening to it. It makes me really feel sassy. And if anybody will get in my manner like they do in London, I f**g push them out of the best way.
What’s in your bucket record? To go to the Amazon Rainforest, marriage, kids, and to journey the entire world. And one other 3 documentaries.
Have fun another person who’s doing nice work proper now. Who’s doing nice work proper now? Anybody who’s getting up and getting on the market, and dwelling day by day because it comes. Who’s been recognized with most cancers, you’re the ones doing nice work. I’m not going to provide that to another person who’s doing one thing mediocre, that’s nice work.
Have fun your self, what are you happy with? What am I happy with, the truth that I’ve simply made this documentary. And I’ve managed to get my dad up, and get him on the market, as a result of it was actually exhausting.
The place can individuals discover you? Me? You will discover me on any type of social media, in all probability any actuality present within the UK, you’ll be able to in all probability discover me on TikTok stay! I’m all over the place! And now, I’m going to be on everybody’s Youtube.
The place can we watch Geordie Tales: Nathan and Dad? On Geordie Shore’s ‘MTV Shores’ YouTube channel, after which, we’ll be on MTV at a later date. The extra people who watch it, the higher the message will get on the market.