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Sunday World
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Irish gay dating show contestant reveals why he didn't mind being axed from programme
Galway's Rory Jennings didn't mind getting the boot because he got to share a bottle of bubbles with an Aussie icon Rory says his appearance on I Kissed A Boy was a full-circle moment for him An Irish contestant on a gay TV dating show reveals that the best thing about being first to being kicked off the programme was ending up spending the night with Dannii Minogue. But Galway lad Rory Jennings smiles as he stresses all they shared together was a bottle of prosecco. Rory (23), from Salthill, is a mental health graduate and part time model, who's currently working in London with Britain's NHS helping gambling addicts. Viewers of BBC1/3's I Kissed A Boy dating programme – in which 10 gay young men share an Italian villa hosted by Danni Minogue in their search for love – being dumped last Tuesday night. But handsome Rory could do little to being axed, as a lad he was smitten with, Jordan B, chose another guy to be matched with, Jordan R, resulting in him being the only one not chosen in the pairings-off. 'Sure look it happens, it was an experience anyways, so it's grand,' he pipes up. I Kissed A Boy. Credit: BBC / Two Four Broadcast Ltd / Corinne Cumming 'Being so self-critical and ashamed of my sexuality as a teenager in Ireland, going onto I Kissed a Boy was such a full-circle moment for me and my emotional development, and I got to do it alongside a bunch of hotties.' Rory likes to observe and figure people out before making a move romantically, and when it comes to drama, he says he would rather watch the drama than be part of it. He lists Michael B Jordan, Joey Essex and Troye Sivan as his dream boys. He admits he was smitten on the show with cute retail store manager Jordan B (25), who hails from England's Lake District and now lives in Manchester. 'I think it was his buzz cut. I like them, and he was a bit older,' he beams. 'There was something about him that was really kind of masculine that I liked. 'There was a bit of flirting going on, we never got to know each other that deeply though, but it wasn't that long. It didn't really work out, so I was first on my merry way.' Jordan B ended up choosing Jordan R, with Rory confirming that because both of them had a parent who died when they were quite young, they seemed to bond over that. 'That connection was a bit deeper than I had with Jordan, so I kind of know that it was going to go that way,' he admits. Rory with Jordan B on the show 'I was like 'if it happens it happens', I wasn't too put out.' But Jordan B ended up getting itchy feet again and dumped Jordan R for fellow housemate Callum 'I was saying he was getting excited with all the boys around and was putting his fingers in the pie to see what he'd like,' smirks Rory. Rory's eyes didn't stray to the rest of the housemates. 'I loved them all as friends and I would kind of be the person with friendships first and then maybe if it developed,' he stresses. 'Maybe if I had of been in there longer, I could have had a connection that way, but in terms of like anyone I would have had my eye on romantically, not really.' After Rory left another young Irish guy, Hugh from Cork, joined the fun in the villa. 'I have gone for people similar to him before,' he confirms Rory. 'Then obviously he's Irish, so we would have had that. I have met him since and we get on well, but I think it's more platonic.' Rory also had a bonus on being first to leave the house, when he got up close and personal with Dannii. 'Dannii is lovely, she's so nice. Really really warm,' he raves. 'When I got dumped, we went off afterwards me and Dannii, we had a bottle of prosecco, my claim to fame. I was buzzing with Dannii Minogue can you get any better?!.' He has been single for two years. Rory says his appearance on I Kissed A Boy was a full-circle moment for him News in 90 Seconds - May 30th 'I'm as single as ever, for the past two years on and off,' he reflects. 'I haven't found the one. I'm a bit picky. A sense of humour is really important to me, so I think I'm waiting for someone to be really funny.' He's not a fan of dating apps. 'I have used them before, I haven't recently, they are a bit boring and repetitive,' he complains. 'Anywhere I've met anyone before it's been organic and hasn't been on a dating app.' Jordan B, Jas, and Rory on the show After he finished school Rory initially tried Business Studies in Dublin's Trinity College before dropping out and taking up Psychology, which he studied for four years in Belfast. It was in Belfast he had his longest relationship, for a year. At 6' and with his chiselled looks, Rory was snapped up by a Dublin model agency. He also explains confusion over his first name. 'I was called Ruairi when I was born and I'm christened Ruairi, but when I was in school people had trouble pronouncing it and the odd teacher couldn't pronounce it, which was mad in Galway, so I changed it to Rory when I was 14 or 15 and was impressionable,' he reveals. 'So, it stuck and now I'm called Rory the whole time.'
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
I Kissed A Boy series 2 - Meet Alex, the final boy to enter the Masseria
It's episode five of I Kissed A Boy and there's a surprise birthday party being held in the Masseria. But the only thing missing is the birthday boy himself! Enter Alex, the final boy to join this year's Masseria... Alex Age: 28 From: Nevis, Caribbean Occupation: Physio "Viewers should expect to cry! Expect to laugh! And if you watched Season one or loved I Kissed a Girl… Strap in, because we're stepping it the hell up." After being single for almost three years, Alex wants to find a meaningful connection with someone who can give him butterflies. When Alex's family moved from the UK to Nevis in the Caribbean, Alex says he had no exposure to gay culture and at that time as it was still illegal to be gay on the island. It wasn't until he was 14 years of age, that Alex even considered his sexuality. Alex has a visible physical impairment on his left hand after a traumatic lawn mower accident that left him having pioneering surgery aged two. He was the first person in the UK to have a toe to hand transplant. HRH Queen Elizabeth II even sent his family a letter acknowledging his contribution to British medicine. Although Alex still has some personal insecurity about how his hand and foot look, when it comes to boys, he doesn't allow his differences to hold him back. And on meeting Dannii Minogue Alex says, 'Dannii was incredible. So gorgeous, obviously. But more than that, she genuinely cares about us. She's such a laugh and just the sweetest person.' I Kissed A Boy series 2 - Meet the boys taking part in the UK's dating show for boys who like boys Watch I Kissed A Boy on BBC iPlayer and add to your Watchlist BBC Press Office
Metro
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
‘Brave' I Kissed A Boy star praised for realistic account of living with HIV
The latest series of I Kissed A Boy has been showered with praise following incredibly open and emotional conversations about HIV. Hosted by Dannii Minogue, the LGBTQ+ reality series – which made history in 2023 as the UK's first-ever gay dating show – returned to the BBC in May after a successful first run. With Aussie pop star Dannii playing Cupid once more, she matches single boys up based on what they're looking for in a partner and, before even learning one another's names, they share a smooch. The singletons then enter a stunning Italian masseria where they're free to either deepen their existing connections or, more often than not, let their eyes (and lips) wander elsewhere… In the midst of all the lip-locking, however, this series has already aired some powerful and tearful moments between the contestants, the latest being thanks to Adam, a 27-year-old marketing and brand manager from Reading. Having grown comfortable around his fellow cast members, episode 3 saw him take the plunge and open up about his brush with death after being diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 'I've got anxiety going through my body right now,' he began, clearly flustered. With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! Assured by the other boys that he 'doesn't have to say it,' he declared: 'No, I want to say it.' 'So, like, four years ago, I was diagnosed with HIV,' Adam said. 'When I was diagnosed, it nearly killed me off. Like, my whole body basically shut down until my body kind of regenerated when I was on the pills.' It didn't take long for tears to start flowing throughout the group, as the other boys told Adam how 'proud' they are of him. 'I thought I was gonna die,' he later told cameras. 'And I was so uneducated around what it actually means. You know, there's a lot of misunderstanding around HIV, but taking one pill a day means that you can't pass HIV on and undetectable equals untransmittable.' 'I'm in a good place now,' he continued to the others. 'And what it has made me is incredibly empathetic towards people. It's just made me really aware of what people feel. 'This is another thing that someone said to me the other day. I went for a sexual health test, but they said, 'Are you clean?'' 'I hate that so much!', Aron, 27, chimed in. 'But I used to say it as well, when I'd have sex with someone, 'Are you clean?', but you shouldn't say that because, does that make me dirty because I have HIV and I'm undetectable? No, it doesn't!' 'I feel so proud of Adam,' Ruben, 24, said. 'I just wanna give him a huge hug and let him know how amazing of a person he is.' 'As gay men, we all relate to the fear of being diagnosed with HIV, because it is prominent in our community. It's just amazing to see how far the medicine has come,' said Jack, 26. 'I think it's important to show that people can be successful, live healthy lives, and have relationships as much as people with HIV.' Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) is a message used in HIV awareness campaigns to inform people that, if someone has an undetectable viral load, they cannot sexually transmit HIV to others, provided they are taking treatment. This means there is zero risk of passing on the virus to another sexual partner. An 'undetectable viral load' is when the levels are extremely low (below 200 copies/ml of blood measured). After sharing a clip of the scene on Instagram, Adam was described as 'inspiring' and 'amazing' by his followers. 'You should be proud of yourself for being brave and open. So many will be proud of you', wrote @simonemowen. 'And this is why this show is so important❤️ Proud of you x', agreed @emmaruthcox. More Trending Adam said he felt encouraged to share his story after 23-year-old Lars, the show's first-ever trans star, spoke about facing 'prejudice'. 'People don't think trans people are valid or they exist,' he said, before declaring that gender-affirming healthcare 'saved [his] life'. 'I used to feel so much shame about who I was, and I'm, like, so over that.' View More » Stream I Kissed A Boy on BBC iPlayer. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: The ban ex-Chelsea and Man Utd star Nemanja Matic faces for anti-homophobia protest MORE: Queer travellers are boycotting Florida — but there are other ways to fight back MORE: I can't be expected to 'out' myself every time I need to pee
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
LGBT: I felt like a burden as I figured out my sexuality
A reality TV star has opened up about how figuring out his sexuality made him feel "like a burden in the world"."I used to hold everything to my chest and show a fake face and a smile [while] inside I was crumbling," said Jake Devlyn-Reed, 29, from Swansea, who was a contestant on BBC Three's I Kissed a Boy in figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that LGBT people are more than twice as at risk of self-harm and suicide than heterosexual Devlyn-Reed has teamed up with not-for-profit men's mental health organisation Helpu to launch a new online support group to help gay and bisexual men across Wales. "When I was in school, I used to get bullied for being chubby and my lisp, my dyslexia, and I got bullied when my dad passed away," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast."I struggled with my own mental health as a kid, finding healthy ways to manage my insecurities with gardening, walking, hiking, stuff like that."School is a bit brutal, especially when you're hitting puberty, not knowing what's happening next and not knowing your own sexuality as well."At one point, I reached that dark path where I felt like a burden in the world, felt like I didn't belong." Mr Devlyn-Reed, who is gay, said taking part in I Kissed A Boy "changed my mindset" and made him realise the importance of having a safe space to open up."It allowed me to unshackle the chains against my neck," he said."Talking about how I felt emotionally and how I looked at myself, coming out and having a group chat, it's really beneficial for a lot of men who do struggle, especially when you feel vulnerable."It takes a lot of guts to open up and talk about how you feel, [but] this is going to help a lot of people." Ian Smith, a volunteer with Welsh not-for-profit organisation Helpu, said he tried to take his own life when he was younger, "because of being gay basically, and the violence towards me"."Sadly there's still a lot of homophobia in Wales," he said."When I worked at Cardiff University as a councillor, I was shocked. It was really scary to realise there were people coming in, still wanting to take their lives, who think there's something wrong with them."There aren't that many spaces, most of the spaces revolve around alcohol or entertainment. And having those deep, connected conversations that protect us from suicide risk, just aren't there." Mr Smith, 55, said Helpu started a face-to-face group in Cardiff about six months ago and had been surprised by the diverse range of people taking part."A lot of people who are attending it have been out for 20-odd years," he said."People begin to let down their barriers, the defensiveness of having to defend themselves against the world."I was sitting in the group the other day and was actually quite emotional. I wish I'd had this when I was younger."Helpu hopes to expand the scheme in the future, with potential new groups in Newport and Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Smith said the new online group aimed to reach people "who don't have access to those spaces", such as based in rural parts of you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, BBC Action Line features a list of organisations ready to provide support and advice
Metro
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
I Kissed A Boy's trans contestant isn't hoodwinking anyone - neither is the BBC
I Kissed A Boy is the BBC Three gay dating show that – as the title suggests – throws a pack of hungry single queer men into a Spanish villa to kiss a boy and hopefully find a connection. Among the cast this year is Lars, a 23-year-old hotel receptionist who lives in Wolverhampton who says he's a 'hopeless romantic and sick of single life'. He's also the first transgender contestant they've had across two series of I Kissed A Boy and one series of I Kissed A Girl. Lars has been matched with Jack D, the painfully adorable hospital pharmacist who is fed up of dating apps and just wants a man he can share a 'nice pastry and a pint with'. The premise of the show sees the boys kiss before they've managed to get a word in to see if sparks fly from initial attraction alone. Of all the snogs, Lars and Jack D clearly had one of the most exciting connections in there. They dashed off from their cheeky kiss to join the others and they were visibly excited that matchmakers had thus far worked their magic and appeared to get this coupling spot on. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video But Lars was yet to tell Jack D about his identity, a moment of trepidation that many trans men and women can relate to. Revealing their past to a total stranger, particularly in this climate when transphobia is thriving more than I've ever seen it before, must be absolutely terrifying. When Jack asked what his normal type is, Lars explained: 'Mine's quite interesting because I'd say I identify more as queer. I'm basically a trans man… I was born female but realised when I was about 15 something's really not right. I always knew I liked guys but I didn't feel like a straight girl, I felt like a gay guy.' Lars then acknowledged not all gay guys would be interested in a trans man, 'and I understand that', he said. Jack replied: 'Stuff like that doesn't matter to me at all… you're a man, I like men.' In a later confessional, Jack added: 'When he told me, I honestly had a bit of a lump in my throat because I was just a bit honoured that he actually shared this part of his life with me. I've always said that I'm open to dating a trans man and it absolutely doesn't change anything at all with Lars.' It is a consensual, quite beautiful, coupling, which is hopefully going to teach so many of its viewers how special a gay-trans relationship can be. That is, should they stay together (which, as it stands, looks promising). Sure enough, the usual anti-trans suspects who would otherwise show absolutely no interest in a BBC Three gay dating show, have caught wind of Lars. Cue their completely irrational and totally misguided spiel that has made the loudest noise around I Kissed A Boy, with many claiming they've filed complaints against the BBC. Essentially, they have complained about a consensual relationship between two people. I don't want to give specific tweets or online discussions about Lars and Jack the oxygen they're craving, but you can probably imagine the gist: 'How dare the BBC force a woman onto a gay man?' It's had people absolutely seething, even being compared to sexual assault. It is the epitome of how absurd transphobia has become in the United Kingdom. As far as I can see, it's often straight people telling gay men who they can and can't be attracted to. Straight people, once again, defining the parameters of being LGBTQ+. I haven't actually spent much time thinking about if I'd date a trans man. I have – to my knowledge – met so few of them it's just not even really been a possibility. But Lars seems smart, kind, and he's got a fun streak running through him – when I was single, he'd have ticked all of my boxes. Not to expose my shallowness, but he's also one of the best looking men on the show. If he was 10 years older (or ideally I was 10 years younger) I'd be pretty chuffed to match with Lars. I suppose I'll settle for my 37-year-old boyfriend who has to sleep with a cuddly hippo instead. Sadly, it didn't come as a surprise that the anti-trans mob relished in its attack on Lars with completely unfounded claims Jack had been tricked into kissing a woman, even when he made it crystal clear he was attracted to trans men. What did catch me off guard though was seeing how many gay men were making completely ridiculous claims that they were being pressured into dating trans men and that the BBC was shaming gay men who wouldn't date Lars. At no point does anyone in I Kissed A Boy suggest all gay men should be attracted to trans men. At this point in the series, Jack D is the man for Lars and vice-versa – there's no agenda to make the entire cast queue in a line for Lars, and even if they were, it would be their own choice. If any gay men do feel shamed just by watching a gay-trans relationship, that's not coming from the BBC – that's all on you. I can't believe that I even have to argue that Jack D is no less gay because he's attracted to Lars. I'm as gay as it gets and I know if I was younger and good looking enough to be Lars' league, I'd be attracted to him too. It hardly bears repeating how heartbreaking the bullying of trans people has become. More Trending Every week, there's something new for the most obsessed anti-trans people to waste their life getting upset over. And more often than not, it often boils down to trans people being just a little bit present – even if it's just appearing on a gay dating show. This hysteria has been out of control for some time. Unfortunately, by and large, trans women have arguably felt more under threat and unfairly presented as the threat to civilisation – and bathrooms. But look at what happens when a gentle trans man just innocently appears on television looking for love. View More » It's completely grotesque what this country has become, but thank god we have men like Lars and Jack D on television to show how wonderful a gay-trans relationship can be. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: BBC's 'best crime drama ever' vows to be even better in season 3 MORE: I found the new Final Destination incredibly relatable for a painful reason MORE: Traitors fans 'gutted' one rumoured celebrity won't be taking part
