Kamal Ibrahim: The sky is my happy place and there's nothing like flying

National Lottery presenter Kamal Ibrahim chats about fatherhood, Mr World, and rediscovering his love of flying in lockdown

Kamal Ibrahim

Kamal Ibrahim’s CV is impressive. Along with TV presenting, he has a Mr World title, a skydiving license, and scuba diving qualifications. It also turns out that his happy place isn’t in front of a camera, but in the sky.

“I wanted to join the Royal Air Force and be a fighter pilot,” says the Limerick native. ”But because of the war at the time, they changed the requirements and you had to be British. I was really gutted, because by that stage I had already served nine years in the Irish Defense Forces.”

Ibrahim decided to drop out of college to pursue his dream of flying, securing his pilot’s license at just 18-years-old.

Eventually, he ended up working recruitment and started modelling on the side to earn some extra money. By age 24, he found himself in South Korea competing in the Mr World competition.

“I ended up buying a house and getting engaged when I was 20. I was living in Shannon and had a job and a car and thought ‘this is a nice life,’ but then the recession kicked in,” says Ibrahim.

“In 2009 I got asked to do Mr Ireland. I wasn’t really interested but a friend convinced me to enter with him. He came third and I won.”

Fast forward to age 35 and Ibrahim has trained as an actor, dancer, and producer. He’s hosted the National Lottery since 2013, presented Mr World, Miss World, an RTÉ series, and created countless projects with his production company, Giant Studios.

All of this doesn’t leave much time for rest for the father of one. However, lockdown has brought him back to his true love, flying, and his goal for this year is to buy his own plane so he can bring his seven-year-old son Nico into the air with him soon. “There’s just nothing like it.” he says. 

Kamal Ibrahim

What shape are you in?

Thankfully, I never lost my shape over the years and, whenever I need to tighten up, I just need a few weeks in the gym. That said, I do live a relatively healthy lifestyle - I don't drink very much or smoke, it all helps.

What are your healthiest eating habits?

I don’t eat a lot of junk food but my problem is that I forget to eat. So I buy healthy pre-packed meals to heat up which are great, no wash-up.

What are your guiltiest pleasures?

A chocolate fudge brownie with ice cream.

What would keep you awake at night?

If something would keep me up it would be worrying about my family or my son or work.

How do you relax?

Flying or playing with Nico I suppose, but I don’t relax very often.

Who are your sporting heroes?

The first people that come to mind are Peter Stringer, Ronan O’ Gara, and Paul O’ Connell. Anyone from the glory days of Munster Rugby back in the 2000s.

What’s your favourite smell?

Lavender.

When is the last time you cried?

I’m a softie. Any time someone close to me gets upset I’ll cry too. 

What traits do you least like in others?

When people waste other people’s time.

What traits do you least like about yourself?

When I get cranky, I go very quiet. I try to snap out of it when I feel myself doing it but it’s just natural.

Do you pray?

I don’t. I don’t pray to a God or believe in a higher power but I do talk to the universe when I need to.

What would cheer up your day?

When I complete a task or reach a new milestone in something. One thing I do look forward to is snuggling up in front of the fire with a special someone. That always cheers me up.

What quote inspires you most?

'Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth.' That quote is another way of reminding us to be confident, fearless, and ambitious, and I'm all for that.

Where is your favourite place in the world?

I’ve travelled a bit but I don’t think I’ve found my favourite place yet. When I do, I’ll probably be flying over it. If I had to pick somewhere I have been to though it would be Sydney.