Accountant Bal Tattla Expresses Pride in Mr England Success

Bal Tattla described the experience as “quite wholesome,” noting that “the love I felt from strangers was overwhelming.” Upon submitting his application for the Mr England competition, Bal Tattla recognized he was representing not only England but also South Asian communities. Unexpectedly, he secured the public vote, thereby qualifying as a contender for the Mr Global contest. Speaking to Rena Annobil of the BBC, he asserted, “I always say this: If you have something, just do it.” He added, “The upside is limitless, all these experiences are because of that application.” Bal confessed that his decision to enter Mr England was spontaneous. He explained, “It was that gut feeling and I went for it.” He further remarked, “I wasn’t expecting what came out of it. Going to that international pageant, or even being here [at the BBC], I would never have dreamt of this.” He also stated, “If you’d asked me a year ago I would have probably laughed.” Bal’s everyday routine is less extravagant; he is employed as an accountant while also being a semi-professional cricketer, playing for Didcot and having recently signed with Harefield. He commented, “Accountancy is fun – I’m going to say that because it pays for my whole life – but this was something extremely new.” He continued, “I’m a guy who likes new experiences and meeting new people and that’s what it gave me.” Bal submitted a two-minute video to the Mr England team, which garnered positive feedback on social media, despite “people at my cricket club were taking the ‘bleep’ out of me,” he fondly remembered. The video amassed over a quarter million views, leading to him receiving good luck messages from various parts of the world. An additional dimension to his participation emerged, which Bal was reminded of prior to departing for the contest. He recounted, “One of my close friends told me before the finals: ‘Bal, what you’re doing, you’re not just representing our town… you’re representing so much more. “‘All those South Asians who have immigrated to England, you’re representing them. Even those living abroad in other countries.'” Bal stated, “That really hit me. So when I was going to the finals I knew the magnitude of it. It was something that massive. “It made me know that what I was doing was something to be proud of but something I was really lucky and blessed to be doing.” Organizers of Mr England are eager to clarify that it is “not a body building contest,” although “model looks” and “having a good physique and being on the sporty side helps.” Significantly, the competition seeks “kindness from inside.” Bal elaborated, “Of course you’ve got to be somewhat attractive, but then there’s other parts… what you’ve done, what you’re doing.” He continued, “The winner of Mr England, he was a Kings Guard and all these cools things… it’s not just what’s on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside… because you’re representing a whole nation.” Bal, who does not believe he possesses perfect looks, recounted a different contest where a competitor faced online bullying because his physique did not match the “ripped Greek Gods” in the lineup. He recalled, “He used it as a strength.” Bal added, “He broke down in the competition… he spoke out about the bullying in the finals, people loved him for it.” Bal, a resident of Greenford, West London, recommended that individuals avoid comparing themselves to “someone who does it for a job, goes to the gym six times a week.” He advised, “Do something that makes you happy… as long as you do enough for yourself you don’t have to look like anyone else.” He observed, “Whenever someone looks in the mirror they spot things that they think are their flaws first.” He suggested, “But if you turn it on its head, if you think that’s your flaw, another person might think that’s your beauty.” He concluded, “There’s more to a person.” He further stated, “If you meet a person they might be your best mate, soulmate, whatever, if you get to know them. So don’t just judge a person by how they look.” Readers can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.