Soap Star Richardson: "I'm Gay"

Kieron Richardson, who stars on the U.K. soap Hollyoaks and recently placed third on Dancing on Ice,announced on the U.K. talk showThis Morning that he's gay and his soap character will be coming out on the show.

The 24-year-old soap star says his family and friends have known for a long time, but while he was appearing on Dancing on Ice, tabloids began to approach him and urge him to come out publicly.

"When I was on Dancing on Ice, newspapers speculated and tried to say we kind of know and if you want to say you can do your story with us and get it out there," he said. "At that point, my personal life took a back step and it was more about the competition and trying to get through the next week rather than get a few column inches in the newspaper and maybe raise my profile at the time. But it wasn't about that. But now I feel that it's relevant and the story line's relevant to some situations in my life, then if maybe I can help people that are going through the same thing, then it's a bonus."

Watch the interview here.