Terry Crews at Yas Marina for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Terry Crews at Yas Marina for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Terry Crews at Yas Marina for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Terry Crews at Yas Marina for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Terry Crews on finding space, safety and perspective in Abu Dhabi


Saeed Saeed
  • English
  • Arabic

Terry Crews may have found his favourite new hangout.

The US actor and TV host, who was in Abu Dhabi over the weekend for the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix and to compete in the Steve Harvey Celebrity Golf Classic, says the city offered him a respite he rarely experiences in Los Angeles.

“I actually feel safe here,” he says. “It’s really been wonderful. This place is just beautiful and I am really experiencing the differences in different places.

“Listen, I live in LA and one thing about that city is you’ve got to keep your head on a swivel. There is a level of tension that is everywhere. You have to be cautious because you don’t know what the intentions of people are. Here, all of that can go away. You don’t have to worry about that. It’s like a vacation the moment you get off the plane.”

With a busy three-decade career, Crews says he is learning to take it all in. His work has moved between film roles and television, including hit sitcoms Everybody Hates Chris and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, where his mix of warmth and physical comedy made him one of the series’ most recognisable figures.

Terry Crews and former footballer Ronaldinho in the paddock at Yas Marina. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Terry Crews and former footballer Ronaldinho in the paddock at Yas Marina. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Streaming has kept much of his past work in circulation, particularly Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which remains one of the most rewatched American sitcoms globally due to its presence on streaming platforms, including Netflix.

“That’s what I love about streaming,” Crews says. “With entertainment the way it is right now, people want bases they can trust because you don’t even know if you can trust people any more.”'

Crews describes his character on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Sgt – later Lt – Terry Jeffords, who he played for eight seasons, as probably the closest to his real self, with all the vulnerability, worry and neurosis. He adds that being more open about that side of himself off-screen is the only way to navigate an entertainment industry that moves too quickly to predict.

Terry Crews as police officer Lt Terry Jeffords in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Photo: Fox
Terry Crews as police officer Lt Terry Jeffords in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Photo: Fox

“With influencer culture, celebrity is gone. It’s dying in a lot of ways,” he says. “Now it’s really about what you are going to do for people. How are you going to serve people? The main influence now is not about being famous, it’s about what you’re doing for your community, for your culture, for your people. What are you doing in a good way to make the world better?”

Crews has Harvey to thank for his Abu Dhabi visit, with the celebrity golf tournament launched by Melt Middle East, the events company co-founded by the US comedian and television host.

Terry Crews takes part in the Steve Harvey Celebrity Golf Classic in Abu Dhabi. Photo: Melt Middle East
Terry Crews takes part in the Steve Harvey Celebrity Golf Classic in Abu Dhabi. Photo: Melt Middle East

He credits Harvey for pushing him towards his enduring stint hosting America’s Got Talent. “Harvey has always been my inspiration. He’s like my big brother,” Crews says. “I decided I wanted to try hosting because I saw him do it. I was acting and thought, let me try this. And now I have been hosting America’s Got Talent for eight years.”

Looking ahead, he hopes to make a bigger impression in the region and promises a return to the UAE capital. “I don’t see it ever ending,” he says. “I’m going to keep travelling, brother. That’s what I’ve always been about.

"My main thing is always serving the most amount of people because that’s my responsibility. If we don’t serve people, we are in the wrong business. That is the Crews business and I love being worldwide.”

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:

Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona

Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate

Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Fourth-round clashes for British players

- Andy Murray (1) v Benoit Paire, Centre Court (not before 4pm)

- Johanna Konta (6) v Caroline Garcia (21), Court 1 (4pm)

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models
SRI LANKA SQUAD

Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella
Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Seekuge Prasanna
Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera
Vishwa Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile

Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018

Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: Health-tech

Size: 22 employees

Funding: Seed funding 

Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors

What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.0%20twin-turbo%20inline%20six-cylinder%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeight-speed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E503hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E600Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh450%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder

Power: 220 and 280 horsepower

Torque: 350 and 360Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT 

On sale: now

Liverpool's all-time goalscorers

Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm

Transmission: eight-speed auto

Price: from Dh122,745

On sale: now

Which honey takes your fancy?

Al Ghaf Honey

The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year

Sidr Honey

The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest

Samar Honey

The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments

WHAT%20ARE%20THE%20PRODUCTS%20WITHIN%20THE%20THREE%20MAJOR%20CATEGORIES%3F
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAdvanced%20materials%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20specifically%20engineered%20to%20exhibit%20novel%20or%20enhanced%20properties%2C%20that%20confer%20superior%20performance%20relative%20to%20conventional%20materials%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAdvanced%20components%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20includes%20semiconductor%20components%2C%20such%20as%20microprocessors%20and%20other%20computer%20chips%2C%20and%20computer%20vision%20components%20such%20as%20lenses%20and%20image%20sensors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAdvanced%20products%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20includes%20personal%20electronics%2C%20smart%20home%20devices%20and%20space%20technologies%2C%20along%20with%20industry-enabling%20products%20such%20as%20robots%2C%203D%20printing%20equipment%20and%20exoskeletons%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20Strategy%26amp%3B%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Polarised public

31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views

19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views

19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all

Source: YouGov

Results

2.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Mezmar, Adam McLean (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).

3pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m; Winner: AF Ajwad, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.

3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Gold Silver, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.

4pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m; Winner: Atrash, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez.

4.30pm: Gulf Cup Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Momtaz, Saif Al Balushi, Musabah Al Muhairi.

5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Al Mushtashar, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
%3Cp%3E1.%20Singapore%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Switzerland%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Denmark%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Ireland%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Hong%20Kong%0D%3Cbr%3E6.%20Sweden%0D%3Cbr%3E7.%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E8.%20Taiwan%0D%3Cbr%3E9.%20Netherlands%0D%3Cbr%3E10.%20Norway%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Updated: December 09, 2025, 9:02 AM