We're proud to announce that Bradley Riches has become an ambassador for Autistica.

Bradley is best known for his role as James McEwan in Heartstopper. He was also on Celebrity Big Brother 2024.

We're delighted about how enthusiastic Bradley is about supporting happy, healthy and long lives for autistic people, having already helped us promote our tool for employers - the Neurodiversity Employers Index (NDEI®) to his large following on Instagram. We can't wait to work together on more projects to raise awareness of the transformative power of autism-affirming research.

We caught up with Bradley to talk about all things autism. Here's what he said:

When did you first realise that you might think and see the world differently, and when were you diagnosed as autistic?

I was first diagnosed with autism when I was nine years old. I didn’t use my voice as a form of communication. I was confused as to why I reacted and did certain things in different ways from everybody I knew. I felt like an alien. I didn't see the world differently, I felt like the world saw me differently. When I started performing and joined my local performing arts group, I slowly began to build confidence and understand that I was autistic.

What strengths and challenges do you associate with being autistic?
I like to think my creativity and imagination come with being autistic, as well as my care for others. I feel like my challenges, especially within the creative industry, have a lot to do with all the different routines and schedules, potentially the studio lights and always having to meet new people. I have my coping mechanisms and my own support system, which really helps me get through these challenges when they arise.

Which of the Autistica Goals resonate with you the most and why?
I find that they all resonate with me. They are all amazing! But the one that stands out to me is making public spaces more accessible. I think a lot of the time neurodivergent people need to seek and find more accessible spaces - when in reality, they should always be there.

How do you hope that through research and campaigning, we can change the future for autistic people?
Through research and campaigning, we can create a future with better understanding and support for autistic individuals. This could be increasing awareness, promoting inclusion in education and work, and ensuring access to resources and accessible spaces. The most important one for me is for people within workplaces to listen and educate themselves and let all jobs actually be accessible and comfortable for neurodivergent people. Also for them to have that level of understanding themselves and not just say they do to tick boxes.

Thanks for joining us as an Ambassador, Bradley! Follow him on Instagram.