Ian Thorpe reveals what prompted him to come out as gay during interview with Sir Michael Parkinson – Daily Mail

Ian Thorpe has opened up about the moment he came out as gay during an interview with respected English television presenter Sir Michael Parkinson in July 2014.

The Olympic swimmer revealed during Sunday night’s episode of This Is Your Life, he decided to speak out about his sexuality because he was ‘comfortable’.

‘I was always doing this interview with Sir Michael Parkinson. I had just come out to my family and to my very very closest friends,’ Ian, 39, told host Melissa Doyle.

‘I had spent some time with [Sir Michael Parkinson] before the interview and told him, “you should ask me if I’m gay because I’m going to tell you I am”.’

Ian continued: ‘I needed to say it. It was the first time I felt I was comfortable enough to put my self out there. It was important for me to be my authentic self.’

In 2014, Ian told Sir Michael Parkinson about his sexuality in a revealing interview.

At the time, the athlete declared: ‘I’ve thought about this for a long time. I’m not straight. And this is only something that very recently – in the past two weeks – I’ve been comfortable telling the closest people around me exactly that.’

He was first asked about his sexuality at 16 years old and said he didn’t know at that stage but ‘was still gay at the end of the day.’

He added: ‘Yes, I lied about it. I’m comfortable saying I’m a gay man.’

He also said he didn’t want to reveal he was gay because he feared letting down his family and friends and the country.

‘Part of me didn’t know if Australia wanted its champion to be gay. But I’m telling the world that I am,’ he said.

He said he wished he’d come out earlier as his family and friends were supportive of him.

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