BBC pundit and former Olympic hurdler Colin Jackson comes out as gay during Swedish TV interview

Hatty Collier28 August 2017

Former British Olympian and star hurdler Colin Jackson has come out as gay.

Colin, 50, revealed his sexual orientation for the first time during an interview on Swedish television.

He came out publicly in the TV interview with SVT reporters Kajsa Bergqvist and Peter Häggström, having previously denied rumours about his sexuality.

He said he previously chose not to come out because he was worried that the press might 'sensationalise' his personal life.

Colin, who appeared on series 3 of Strictly Come Dancing in 2005, revealed the news on the Swedish series Rainbow Heroes because of their careful and in-depth choice of questions.

Hurdler Colin Jackson in action
Stu Forster/Allsport/Getty Images

He told Kajsa: "The way you asked me, it was a whole storytelling kind of thing and you were just interested in the way it affected me sports-wise, emotionally-wise and my preparation."

He also spoke about how his family reacted to the news.

He said he came out to them in 2006 after an ex sold a story about him to the media.

He said: "I was waiting for them in the kitchen. They walked in and they sat down. My mother could see my face and I was quite distraught.

"It didn’t phase them at all."

"My mum went: ‘First of all, is the story true?’

"And I said it’s true, so it’s not like I can deny it. And then she went: ‘Well, why are people so disgraceful?’

"I just realised, I’ve got the best parents."

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