Ryan-Mark Parsons X DARKUS

EVISULCXE

FEBRUARY 2022

"If someone tells you 'no' then you're talking to the wrong person"

Ryan-Mark Parsons

Ryan-Mark Parsons Ferociously Courageous Article | Thushara S. Chandrasiri 01

Since first featuring journalist and media personality Ryan-Mark Parsons in 2020, I have been impressed how he has continued to thrive when it comes to following his ambition and working towards his goals. Having first appeared on our screens in 2019 as a contestant of The Apprentice, it did not take long for the public to see how the then 19 year old had a very determined attitude which is something which is not to be taken for granted. Now in 2022, this year really sees Ryan-Mark excelling having become a resident columnist at the Daily Star, a number of appearances on shows such as Good Morning Britain as well as his continued support for the children’s charity, Go Beyond.

With many more exciting opportunities in the pipeline, I took the opportunity to reunite with this brilliant tycoon of ambition for an exclusive interview as we reflected and discussed some of the key milestones and positive mentalities which make Ryan-Mark the ferociously courageous man he is today.

Such a pleasure to welcome you back to Darkus, Ryan-Mark. It has been a few months since we last spoke, how has life been treating you, especially as we are now in a new year?

Thank you for having me back, I am looking forward to chat! This year has been going very well, it has been non-stop. That’s exactly what I want because I am a workaholic and I have been enjoying every moment, which is key.

From one workaholic to another, how do you find time for yourself?

I think it is important that you plan, so what I tend to do every day or even the night before, is plan my working week, social media posts, and pretty much anything that can be scheduled. It is vital to ensure you are allocating time for when you are working, but also giving time for self-care. One thing I enjoy doing at the moment is going on walks, especially in Holland Park. I also looking forward to playing tennis now the courts are open again.

As always there is such an array of things we can discuss, so let us first start with your latest appearance on the BBC show, Celebrity Eating with My Ex. What was that like to come face to face with Oskars?

It was a very apprehensive experience and a very unique in terms of speaking to an ex or whatever you want to call it, especially on camera where you are in front of a production team and other diners. Naturally, it is a very private conversation, so to do it in such a public way was quite daunting, but I enjoyed it. Nothing intimidates me and I thoroughly embraced the opportunity. It was extremely cathartic to go through issues as well as some of the mysteries that had been left unanswered. Ultimately, it was a positive experience in that regard.

When it comes to matters of the heart and personal life, for most of us, when we are in that situation, we try to keep things like that private, but when the cameras are on, was there anything you needed to remind yourself internally to ensure you had control of your emotions?

I had to tell myself before going into filming that I should be genuine, open, honest, and authentic as I always am. Before going to meet him, I wanted to make sure it was the best interaction we ever had and I believe in some ways it was, and in other ways it wasn’t, but that is reality.

Myself and many others out there, of course will know you from The Apprentice, and I know we touched briefly on this last time, but from stepping into that world what did it teach you about the power of taking initiative and having confidence in your ideas?

When going on a show like The Apprentice, you need to have really strong

convictions and wholeheartedly believe in the business you’re proposing to Lord Sugar, after all that’s the reason for taking part in the show. You need to be absolutely concrete in your business plans.

Also, you must be willing to endure the tasks which are incredibly testing.

No one knows what they are going to be confronted with. For example, Episode 1, when we were told we were going to South Africa, if you remember I was totally shocked because I was completely taken by surprise — we had no idea whatsoever. You just have to take the tasks and the hurdles as they come because The Apprentice is full of problems, dilemmas, pressure, and scrutiny. It is probably one of the toughest reality shows out there.

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Going through a process like that I can imagine is not for the fainthearted, so when you look back in reflection, what are the main takeaways from the whole experience and the key tips as well for standing your ground in sometimes confrontational situations?

The premise of The Apprentice is confrontation. They want us to argue because it makes for great TV, doesn’t it?

You know what, I always stand my ground and if I have a problem, I will always raise my concerns. I have no qualms in telling people how I feel because I am extraordinarily blunt and I am very transparent. That is great in many ways, but sometimes people see it as a ‘bad’ trait because maybe they think I’m too vocal or harsh, however I don’t care because I am authentically Ryan-Mark. You are forced into confrontation on the show, it means you have to be totally honest, and that is exactly what I did. It is important to remember that each person has a human side to themselves too.

If I were to ask you to summarise some of the other pleasures in life which bring you the greatest joy, what would they include?

Well, I love shopping whether that be buying or window shopping, because it is not just the process of spending money, it is also about chatting to the experts that work in the stores. Tennis, as I briefly mentioned earlier, is another pleasure of mine, it always relaxes me. It is competitive too and I always love to win. The best combination. There are various things I like to do outside of work, and whilst I don’t have time to enjoy them every week, I gain pleasure when the time permits. For example, sailing is one of them, or there are occasions when I will go swimming, or do public speeches. The list is endless.

The people we choose to surround ourselves with are so important, so with having new management as you enter into this new chapter, how important was it that they really grasped and understood your vision for the things which you want to achieve?

It is hugely important to have the right people around you in terms of understanding who I am as a persona, a character, and a human. Working with people who intrinsically understand that is vital. I am working with a great team now and have an amazing manager called David, as well as an amazing publicist called Lauren, who together, with their teams, are all fantastic and always guide me in the right direction. I am ferociously determined regardless, but you also need people like David and Lauren to facilitate those meetings, calls, and opportunities through their vast showbiz contacts — it is crucial.

I know you love to call yourself ferocious, so for you what does that entail?

Being ferocious has so much to do with passion. I would say the two are synonymous, because to call yourself ferocious means you are someone who is energised by life; who is fuelled by challenges; passion comes into that as well. Others may think being ferocious has negative connotations, but I would disagree and would say it is a bit like fire: once you get it going, it can expand, and yes some may see it as destructive, but it can also be a way to survive.

Celebrity Eating with My Ex was only one slice of what is to come, but for the Ryan-Mark fans out there, both new and old, everyone will be excited to learn that you have some truly exciting projects coming-up soon. If I smile nicely, are you able to give us a bit of a taste of what those plans will involve?

Haha! I wish I could tell you everything but my contract says other05

wise. There are several things in the pipeline. Even last year, despite the pandemic, I was still able to speak to different producers to film a documentary, but that has been postponed. I had a lot of exciting offers and opportunities that were either cancelled or delayed. Regarding the ones that have been postponed, I am looking forward to those picking-up those again very soon. . It is not just about those previous opportunities, there are also new opportunities appearing all the time, be that new celebrity episodes and series, pilots, or even social media campaigns — it is all so expansive.

You continue your work as a columnist for the Daily Star, and what I love about reading some of your work is that you speak your mind and saying it how it is. I think we should not forget the strength that comes from speaking up. What are your thoughts on that?

I would also say it is integral to voice your opinions and speak from the heart. You should always be unapologetic and not worry about what other people think. Perhaps you may think it is an abstract point of view to begin with, yet as soon as you put it in the public domain, you will find hundreds if not thousands of others will agree with you. It is the case when I make appearances on Good Morning Britain, and the debates are always controversial, much like the columns I publish. Yes, I attract endless hate, threats, and even abuse on the streets, and I can understand why. I’m polarising. At the same time, I also gain a lot of support. People are not so vocal to support you, especially when the topic is controversial because not everyone can deal with the heat that would come your way. Thankfully, my skin is as thick as a rhino’s.

Last time we spoke in depth another important aspect in your life, being granted a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts, where for you it was about having the ability to represent the voices of young people.

When you look at this past 24 months and everything many young people across a variety of backgrounds have had to endure, what words of encouragement would you share with them to remind them to not give up hope?

I would say to young people, you must always remember to have courage and hope because as soon as you give either of those up, you are left with nothing. Only a couple years ago, I was still a teenager, I know as a young person you need to hold onto those beliefs at all times. I have seen some of my friends get swayed onto other paths because they might not have the courage, hope, or optimism in order to achieve their aspirations. Never lose track of what you want and never become complacent. I don’t stop and I’m never satisfied and that’s exactly what fuels me: always wanting to improve.

When it comes to confrontation, you just have to make a decision whether to engage or ignore, and to be honest, it depends on how I feel. With some of these brats, I choose to engage and decide to challenge them based on whether I think it’s worth my time. However, it’s essential to close down rumours if they’re spreading malicious gossip and I always find time to quash nonsense if they’re fabricating stories for attention. The same has to be said about any troll, they’re usually low-lifes at home in a basement with a sticky keyboard — why should I care about what someone like that thinks? The answer to that is, I don’t.

When you believe in anything, you will achieve it. I know that sounds cliché, but often I find people give up too early, and all it takes to prevent that is to be able to just push yourself that extra bit you will accomplish what you have always wanted. I will always go back to this: if someone tells you ‘no’, you’re simply talking to the wrong person.

Moving forward, what are your main priorities to make 2022 the year of Ryan-Mark Parsons?

How are you enjoying your continued work with Go Beyond children’s charity?

I have officially joined Go Beyond as a patron, and have worked closely with the charity since 2019. It is an amazing charity that supports young people all over the UK who are struggling and gives them a chance to have breaks away from their homes. For instance, it could be a child who is a young carer or someone who is facing difficulty in other areas such as their finances. Go Beyond will offer them respite, where they are able to enjoy a holiday which they might not otherwise be possible. The charity have centres across England and they are amazing at what they do. I have raised money for them in 2020 when I turned on the Christmas lights for the London Borough of Bromley, and I always strive to raise as much money and awareness for this amazing cause and the services that Go Beyond tirelessly provides.

Without sounding too much like Gayle King, fans will of no doubt have noticed the ongoing tensions between yourself and other Apprentice co-stars and the attempts to spar with you, especially on social media, or even poor behaviour by other media outlets to comment of aspects of your personal life. I guess my question would be, how do you stand strong so you do not allow it to take threaten your spirit?

It is all about setting goals. They don’t always have to be realistic, because I think a lot of people get trapped in this idea that you have to be pragmatic, but that’s incredibly cringeworthy and pessimistic. Almost like people are encouraging you to lower your expectations and standards. No! I simply say, I want to achieve a certain amount of objectives this year which spans into journalism, television, and into my business. That’s how I work. The objectives are tough, but I work tremendously hard. My mind is working at 100mph and I am always up late until 3am sending emails and beyond, before I am up again by 9am the next day to repeat the same process. Whilst it sounds relentless, that is the way I like it.

What would you like to say to all the people that have continued to show their admiration and support?

I would like to say thank you, because I never really seek admiration or support, I am just doing what I am doing. When I get recognised for the work through people’s words, and even the awards like the one you gave me back in December 2020, I am forever grateful. Regardless of who you are, you just need to do what makes you happy and if success makes you happy, as it does for me, then you need to work towards that. So when people say they support me or they aspire to be like me, I appreciate all of those sentiments.

Sending Ryan-Mark Parsons our thanks. We look forward to celebrating many more great accomplishments to come.

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