Devout Christian and ex-DUP councillor Alan Graham says he was “haunted” Rihanna’s ‘We Found Love’ as he recalls shoot 10 years on

Alan Graham (a devout Christian and a DUP councillor at the time of the videoshoot in 2011) made the comments to the BBC today, for a piece marking 10 years since the incident took place.

Rihanna famously filmed the video for the song ‘We Found Love” in Northern Ireland, in two key places – the extremely urbanised north Belfast, and Mr Graham’s field to the west of Bangor.

Among the prominent features on Mr Graham’s farm were the words of John 3:16, emblazoned in giant lettering on a barn: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

During the shooting, a vehicle belonging to the video production team had become stuck, and Mr Graham brought along a tractor to help pull it out.

When he reached the field he realised Rihanna was topless, and so he intervened, asking her to put her clothes back on.

The rest is history; his interaction with the superstar made headlines around the world.

But as he was keen to stress today, it was not a confrontation, and they parted on perfectly polite terms.

He told Radio Ulster: “It wasn’t a case of being scantily clad - it was a case of part of the clothing being missing altogether, let’s put it that way.

“I spoke first of all to the filming crew and explained to them that this was over.

“And at that stage Rihanna wrapped herself up very nicely and came over and we had a very short conversation but a courteous conversation.”

He added that he was “haunted for a wee while” by the song, and whenever “I heard this music starting up it reminded me of the whole situation”.

You can hear the full interview at this link, roughly 1 hour and 24 minutes in.

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