EXCLUSIVE DJ Fat Tony discusses growing up gay on a 'rough' council estate with 'skinhead brothers' and reflects on 'never coming out' to his loved ones ahead of Pride event

Daily Mail​

3 hours ago

DJ Fat Tony has discussed what it was like growing up gay on a council estate in a candid new interview with MailOnline.
The legendary music star, 58, real name Tony Marnach, rose to fame on London's club scene in the 1980s and became best friends with Boy George and Kate Moss.
He is now the go-to DJ on the celebrity scene and a favourite at the Beckhams' big family events, such as Brooklyn's 2022 wedding to Nicola Peltz.
But it wasn't always such a glamorous lifestyle for Tony, who battled addiction for many years and grew up on a council estate in Battersea alongside his 'skinhead brothers', mother and father.
Ahead of his return to Ministry of Pride on Saturday, Tony opened up on coming to terms with his sexuality and how his family reacted. He said: 'I didn't have to come out. My parents always knew I was.
'I grew up on a council estate in Battersea, where at that point in time it was pretty rough. My brothers were all skinheads, and it was a lot. It was a tough time growing up, but I never had to come out of the closet and say, "Okay, hey, I'm gay", my mum and Dad always knew from a really young age.'
He continued: 'For me, I was very, very lucky in that sense.
'But at the same time, as you go through your teenage years, and you discover who you really are, it's always a big thing, because we give it so much power, and society gives it so much power, especially back then.'
Tony seemed happier than ever during our chat, after recently tying the knot with his partner Stavros Agapiou, 32, in a lavish ceremony in London.
Going on to discuss friends accepting his sexuality, he said: 'The thing about it is if anyone has got a problem with it, they're not really your friend, because friendship isn't about who you sleep with in bed. It's about who you are as a person, you know.
'My friendship circle is not based on who we have sex with, therefore, why should it be any different? If you come out to a friend, and you trust that person, nothing should change except for the fact that you've been honest, and they should respect it.'
Tony and Stavros were surrounded by celeb pals including Davina McCall, Boy George, Kelly Osbourne and Gemma Collins at their wedding, held at the Welsh Chapel in Charing Cross in May.
Tony had carefully picked the 19th-century church where he began his career when he was just 18.
The pair have been engaged since October 2023 after Tony popped the question during a romantic trip to New York.
Following the nuptials, Tony is preparing for an epic DJ set at Ministry of Pride, a full-venue takeover on Friday July 5, with tickets available online from £16.95.
The all-LGBTQ+ lineup also includes Catz 'N Dogz, FAFF, Josh Harrison, Princess Julia, Reenie, Tete Bang, and NOT BAD FOR A GIRL.
The multi-room event will span house, disco, underground beats, drag performance, and more, embodying the spirit of queer celebration and unapologetic freedom at one of South London's most iconic venues.
Speaking ahead of the event, Tony said: 'You don't have to be LGBT to attend, you can be an ally. You can be anything you want to be.
'It's about the music and bringing everyone together. You're going to have fun, you can be who you want to be, regardless of how you identify. The whole thing is about love.'
On the importance of Pride, he added: 'It's not about the partying and all of that stuff, that comes much later. It's about visibility. It's about saying, we're here, this is who we are. It's about how you do it and how you celebrate Pride that's important.
'We have pride month for many reasons, so that people don't think that they're alone, and don't end up wanting to kill themselves because they can't cope with their sexuality, or who they are, or society tells them that they're wrong.
'Pride is about letting people know that they're not alone, that they can exist.'
Tony celebrated 18 years of sobriety in January, and often opens up about transforming his life to remind people to never give up.
Tony discovered drugs when he was 18 and would convince himself that he couldn't DJ unless he was high, sometimes going four or five nights straight without sleeping.
At one point, he was homeless and had no teeth due to his habit.
Tony had an epiphany and he soon quit drugs cold turkey, spending six months in rehab to beat the addiction.
He explained: 'After 28 years of putting people through hell every day of the week, you know the support and love that I got from the right people was welcomed.
'The wrong ones always are like rats off a sinking ship they go, and you know, the good thing about recovery is, the trash takes itself out.'
On working in an industry where he is surrounded by alcohol and drugs, Tony added: 'We live in a society where there's a pub every 200 yards, and it's more acceptable to drink than it is not to drink. That's the society we live in.
'So for someone like me that made a conscious decision not to drink or to take drugs, I don't find it a problem because I am the problem. The other people enjoying themselves, that is up to them. I'm not one of these people that think, "Oh, my God! I can't be around that," I probably have more fun than all of them put together being sober.
'People can go out and party and and go home and go to work. The world isn't full of addicts. I on the other hand, know that I can't do that stuff. I know I don't want to do that stuff. That's the difference, and that's why I don't miss it.
'So going to work and being in that environment, it never crosses my mind. What does cross my mind is how blessed I am not to be the last one standing every night of the week.'