THE Only Way Is Essex star Junaid Ahmed has revealed his secret family tragedy.
The 27-year-old previously told how he was disowned by his parents after coming out as a gay as a teenager.
Now, Junaid has bravely opened up his brother's death a year after being chucked out his family home.
His claims his parents kept his sibling's passing secret from him - and he was banished from attending the funeral to pay his respects.
Junaid broke down as he spoke for the first time about his ordeal in on .
"After moving to Essex and having no communication with my family, I was getting my life back on track," Junaid told his co-star Chloe Brockett.
"I had been sofa surfing because I had no money and got a message from a girl I went to school with.
"She said 'I don't know how to tell you this, but your brother's passed away'."
Junaid started to cry as memories of the family tragedy washed over him.
"I thought 'I don't know where I'm going wrong with everything'", said Junaid.
"I've come out as gay, I've lost my family, I've moved to a new place and now my brother's passed away.
"It's like, how can someone actually handle all of this?"
He said his past experience of rejection and abandonment has had a huge impact on him.
"People don't get it," he adds.
"They say 'we don't understand why you are the way you are'.
"Please just live a day in my life and what I've been through because it's not been easy."
Junaid went back home for his brother's funeral - but was told he wasn't welcome.
It was the first time he had returned to his hometown of Peterborough since being told to leave the family home when he told his parents he was gay.
His dad cruelly told him: "I won't have a gay son".
Junaid has since become a massive success in the industry despite being abandoned by his family.
He says he is the only gay, Muslim, Pakistani reality star and wants to be a role model to others.
Junaid continued: "You either sink or you swim.
"You either fight and make them proud and show them what they're missing out on or you crumble.
"My story will be heard one day and I'll help millions of people. I've worked so hard to where I've got to today."
Junaid was speaking on Chloe Brockett's new podcast On The Record With Chloe B, which launched last week.
Her first guest was on/off lover Jack Fincham, who confessed he's now snubbed by ITV despite winning Love Island in 2018.
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