Dancing on Ice star H from Steps has revealed BBC bosses refused his request to be partnered with a man on a gymnastics show.
The singer, real name Ian Watkins , said he is “flying a massive LGBTQ flag” by skating alongside Matt Evers in the ITV ice dancing show, adding it is “about bloody time”.
Viewers saw the two men team up in the season preview on Sunday, when Ian, 43, said he “cried tears of joy” at skating with a man.
He said he made a similar request to the Beeb five years ago for gymnastics competition Tumble but was paired with female pro gymnast Holly Johnstone.
He added: “I asked the BBC if I could have a same sex partner and they said, ‘No, you can’t, this is not for us’.
“It shows you how far we’ve come as people in the world, and it’s about bloody time too.”
The singer said his sons Macsen and Cybi, who were born via a surrogate in 2016 to Ian and his ex Craig Ryder, were excited to see their dad paired with another man.
He added: “My kids know daddy is looking for a prince so they call Matt the Stinky Prince – everything is stinky when you’re a three-year-old.” And he revealed he would have a relationship on the show “in a heartbeat”. Matt, 43, has said of their pairing: “It’s going to mean a lot to a lot of people.” The full Dancing on Ice series starts on January 5.
Strictly judge Craig Revel-Horwood has urged the Beeb to “be brave enough” to partner people of the same gender.
Two male professional dancers, Johannes Radebe and Graziano Di Prima, performed a routine on Strictly last month.
And a same-sex couple won this year’s Danish version of the competition.
The BBC has said it would not rule out featuring same-sex couples in the future.
