Humaira Bham, 26, based in West Yorkshire and trained in Optometry, is carving out space in a media industry she says does not yet fully reflect a range of social and cultural backgrounds.
After winning the BBC New Voices award in 2024 for underrepresented broadcasters, Bham has become increasingly visible on social media over the past year, a rise that brings both opportunity and intense pressure for Muslim women in the public eye.
Bham’s path into media was far from straightforward.
Before broadcasting, she trained in optometry, never imagining herself speaking directly to the camera.
Her breakthrough came through an audition for the BBC where she performed a poem dedicated to her grandmother, reflecting on immigration and belonging.
Having started posting on social media just over a year ago, Bham says she has only felt truly authentic in the past month. Anxiety remains part of her relationship with social media, leading her to set strict boundaries e.g. avoid checking her phone first thing in the morning and limiting her
usage for several hours in the evening.
“Your number one hobby can’t be social media,” she says.
When asked what advice she would give to Muslim girls who feel scared to take up space online, Bham is direct.
“Time’s going to go by anyway,” she says. “The sooner you start, the better you feel”.
She believes success in media requires visibility and staying authentic.
“Once you have a niche, that’s a monopoly”, she explains. “Be true to yourself.”
As a Muslim woman increasingly seen as an inspiration, Humaira acknowledges the responsibility
that comes with visibility but insists it is necessary,
“When people see a Muslim female on screen, change happens,” she says. “It’s our responsibility to make those changes.”
Bham says representation is an important issue for her, particularly given the limited number of people with similar backgrounds visible on screen.
She points to figures such as hijabi comedian Fatiha El Gori as inspiration, saying it matters to see Muslim women occupying space in the media.
Still, the responsibility can feel overwhelming.
When asked whether she feels she represents the entire community online, Bham says the idea is “scary”. “You can’t represent everyone’s opinions”, she explains.
Despite the pressure that comes with visibility, Bham continues to show up – not as a spokesperson for an entire community but as herself, making space in an industry where voices like hers remain rare and speaking openly about topics often left unspoken, from cultural shifts to PMS.
For the Muslim girls watching from behind their screens, Humaira’s journey is a reminder that taking the first step matters more than waiting to feel ready.
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