‘Dancing On Ice’ star Colin Grafton comes out: “It’s been a long journey but now I am proud of myself”
Pink News, the athlete shares he’s been out to friends and family for the better part of the past decade, but previously didn’t feel the need to announce his sexuality to the rest of the world.“I told my closest friends, I told the people around me and I eventually told my parents.
I was maybe 24 when all that happened,” Grafton reflects. “I know there’s a lot of curiosity about my sexual orientation and my love life, but I never actually came out to the public.”Subscribe to our daily newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.“I guess this is me announcing it to you guys,” he adds, making it official.And there you have it!
Congrats on this big step, Colin—we’re thrilled to have you skating for our team!A post shared by Colin Grafton (@colin_grafton)According to Grafton, the decision to come out now was spurred on by a simple desire to “show that there is representation” for the LGBTQ+ community in any way that he could.Undoubtedly there are plenty of eyes on the positive role model these days.
Recently, he competed on the 16th season of British network ITV’s Dancing On Ice—effectively Dancing With The Stars, but make it ice skating— alongside actress and singer Claire Sweeney.And he first popped up on our radar with the previous season of Dancing On Ice, skating with Drag Race UK royalty The Vivienne, the series’ first drag competitor, making them one of its first same-sex pairs.Despite becoming a staple of the British TV program, Grafton is actually American, and was born in New England, where he began training as a figure skater at a young age—which wasn’t always easy.“I remember feeling so nervous at various points in my childhood,” he tells Pink News. “You know, I’d be skating and the hockey players would come and bang on the side of the rink and shout words.
