Actor Riz Ahmed says British intelligence attempted to recruit him multiple times

Oscar-winning actor Riz Ahmed has revealed that British intelligence agencies allegedly attempted to recruit him on three separate occasions, describing the encounters as bizarre and almost comical.

Speaking during an interview with Mehdi Hasan on Zeteo, Ahmed recounted what he said was his first interaction with security officials after returning from promoting his breakthrough film The Road to Guantánamo.

According to the actor, authorities stopped him at Luton Airport and escorted him into a separate room for questioning. Ahmed claimed officers restrained him physically, confiscated his phone and interrogated him about his motivations for becoming an actor. He recalled being asked whether his career was linked to supporting “the Muslim struggle.”

Ahmed said the tense questioning unexpectedly shifted into what he described as an attempt at recruitment. After he responded to their questions, he alleged the officials suggested he could assist them by reporting suspicious activity. He said he declined the offer.

The actor, known for acclaimed projects such as Four Lions and the television series The Night Of, said the second approach allegedly came through a family acquaintance.

Ahmed further claimed that a third attempt involved a senior figure connected to BBC, though he did not disclose the individual’s identity. He only noted that the person had recently departed from the organisation.

During the interview, Hasan questioned how audiences could be certain Ahmed had never accepted any such offer. In response, the actor joked that it would make for an entertaining biographical film if he had secretly been working as an informant all along.

Ahmed won an Academy Award for his short film The Long Goodbye and has frequently explored themes of identity, surveillance and discrimination through his work.