Tansel Adacan is making waves and building a following

Tansel Adacan is a world famous bodybuilder & entrepreneur. Through appearances on popular shows like Dinner Date and Naked Attraction, Adacan has built a media following that hangs on his every hot take. He also works at a sports and entertainment management company alongside Grammy-nominated producer James Worthy and famed celebrity agent Steve Sharpe.

We caught Tansel Adacan in between jobs and trips to the gym. We asked him about athleticism, bodybuilding, and the future of his company.

Have you always been an athletic person?

I played in the Crystal Palace football league when I was at school, I was a goalkeeper. But I had bouts of obesity during school – mostly because Mr Raja at the sweet shop on my way to school supplied me with about five chocolate bars a day. I was even selling them to friends until it got stopped!

But for the past fifteen years I’ve been bodybuilding, and I’ve really mastered the science behind muscle building nutrition over that time.

What first sparked your interest in bodybuilding?

Well it certainly wasn’t the current ‘gym bro’ lifestyle. Nothing excites me about muscular guys carrying packets of chicken with them everywhere or talking endlessly about supplements, albeit I do get asked almost daily.

I just always noticed that the great men in the movies, like Gerard Butler in 300, Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator, or Sylvester Stallone in Rocky, all had great physiques. So I role modelled that, and always wanted to look like a moviestar!

What songs are on your work workout mix?

Well my best mate Steve has got me into Pop Smoke, which is pretty serious hip hop music. Although that’s not to say I don’t throw on some classics like The Vengabus Is Coming! in between.

Tell us about your most memorable competition.

Once at the Miami Pro fancy dress round, I came out with a gun firing it like Rambo, and the gun accidentally broke apart and nearly knocked out another competitor! So that was awkward.

Who are some of the people who’ve inspired you the most?

Lord Sugar is a business idol of mine, I was really inspired when I read his autobiography. I still draw on examples from it in my business today. I have met some of his business partners but never the man himself, I hope to do business with him in future.

Also a lot of warriors in movies, think Russell Crowe in Gladiator – anyone like that!

Have you ever worked with any mentors in the field?

I have trained in bodybuilding with the likes of Mr Universe and Williams Falade, legends in the UK bodybuilding circuits. When I was really going for it with the competitions, there weren’t so many bodybuilders so many of us knew each other. Since it became a path to a decent Instagram account, everybody wants to get involved!

You’ve been on a number of television shows. Did you always picture yourself going into showbiz?

That was always my dream really. When I was a kid I really loved the classic game show hosts, like Bruce Forsyth, Michael Barrymore, Bob Monkhouse, Roy Walker, Des O’Connor. They were all so witty and I get a lot of my inspiration and personality quirks from these guys. They were such masters of entertainment. To have been in the same studios and sorts of environments my childhood inspirations were in gives me a lot of joy.

Do you plan on joining any other shows in the future?

I’m sure I will, I do know a lot of casting producers and there’s often invites for shows in my inbox. Not sure if I can top getting naked on primetime but I’ll try.

How have people responded to your TV appearances?

I have had 1,000+ messages in my DMs from fans since the appearance. You can only imagine the sorts of things I recieve. I think I became a few people’s sexual fantasy that day.

What’s the weirdest interaction you’ve ever had with a fan?

I was offered £10,000 to sleep with somebody’s wife at the Corinthia hotel. What’s worse, is my business partner Steve has access to my Instagram and started negotiating with them – he got it up to £15,000!

What was it like having your Naked Attraction appearance get worldwide attention?

When the Turkish press started writing about my comments on pubic hair, I knew things were getting out of hand. I can only imagine the old Turkish ladies over in Cyprus reading it and choking on their lahmacun!

I still get many people coming up to me, particularly when I’m out in the nightclubs, who tell me they’ve seen my package.

When did you first start your agency 3 Kingdoms Group?

Well it’s really a centralisation of a work in progress for about five years. The pandemic was a terrible tragedy but came with a silver lining for us, giving us a chance to pause, plan and drive the business forward.

How did you decide to go into business for yourself?

I believe in controlling all aspects of life, I trust my own judgment, I never enjoyed even the concept of employment. Albeit, I appreciate the skills and experiences that got me to this point!

What’s your mission as a company?

Sexy business. That’s the core of it.

You’ve already accomplished so much in your career. What’s still on your bucket list?

So much. I want to meet all of my icons, and ideally have businesses with them. Watch out Arnie, I’m coming for you.

How do you stay motivated to keep working each day?

I’m very military in my personality type. Discipline isn’t something I find particularly difficult – I find it harder to slow down and take a break!

Do you have a five year plan?

I have a fifty year plan, and by the end of this life I will have taken over the world. And at my funeral I want a conga line!