Being forced out of the closet ‘nearly destroyed’ Stephen Gately, says Shane Lynch
'He was distraught'
Boyzone’s Shane Lynch has revealed how being forced to come out “nearly destroyed” his bandmate Stephen Gately.
Lynch made the comments during Celebrity Big Brother on Friday (January 12) when he was asked questions about his late friend, who tragically died from a congenital heart defect in 2009.
Shortly before her eviction, India Willoughby asked Lynch whether Gately had always been openly gay while in the band.
The singer replied: “Obviously me and the boys always knew Stephen was gay.”
“That was never a question, because his boyfriends used to come on the road with us and I think in the early ’90s when we came over to the UK, being in a boy band and being gay – nobody had come out.
“It was not the done thing to do,” he added.
When asked if their management had told them to keep quiet, he explained: “It would have been management, all swept under the carpet.
“There’s an understanding amongst celebrities, whatever you call it, but he was meant to be dating Baby Spice and all that stuff. It’s just red herrings.”
Lynch then revealed how Gately was sadly forced to come out when he received an ultimatum from the press.
“We were in Germany on tour and we got a phone call to say the press were going to run with a story on him,” Lynch explained. “He was distraught.”
“They said to him, look you can tell your story or we’re going to print our story. It nearly destroyed him. Then he did, he came out and he couldn’t believe it himself, the weight off his shoulder, the lie has now gone.”
He continued: “The support he got from our fans, they were the best. From that point on, he flourished. He grew into this beaming man of joy. He was a joy of life. I have a strong place in my heart for him.”