Duncan James says trolls target his daughter because he's gay
Duncan James has told how his daughter is being trolled online because he is gay.
The Blue star said Tianie, 16, enjoys using platforms such as TikTok but that she gets unpleasant messages from people about his sexuality.
Some people tell her it’s “disgusting” that her dad is homosexual and the teenager also gets asked whether she is “ashamed” of him.
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James, 42, told The Sun: “People can be quite nasty about me being gay and say quite horrible things about the fact that I’m a gay dad.
“People have written to her, saying, ‘Isn’t it disgusting your dad’s gay? How do you feel? You must be ashamed of him’, and stuff like that, and you’re just like, ‘Why are you writing to a kid saying stuff like that? Are you really crazy?’"
"People are just awful," added the star.
James came out as gay in 2012 after previously identifying as bisexual.
He welcomed Tianie, his only child, with his former girlfriend Claire Grainger in 2005.
I posted this pic on my Insta yesterday & couldn’t get over the amazing response, comments and love from people. I didn’t identify as a gay man for many years because of my own issues with coming out, but finally im happy in my skin & this guy next 2 me makes me proud 2 be gay.❤️ pic.twitter.com/pXOQjBknFe
— Duncan james (@MrDuncanJames) July 21, 2019
The singer and presenter, who is now in a relationship with Brazilian boyfriend Rodrigo Reis, said he has also been targeted by trolls because of his sexuality.
Read more: Duncan James reveals his biggest fear about coming out
“I’ve had quite a lot of people from other countries writing to me in disbelief that I’m gay, saying I’m going to burn in hell, it’s a sin and I’m going to be punished by God,” he told The Sun.
James found fame in boyband Blue, which formed in 2000, and later starred as Ryan Knight in the soap Hollyoaks.
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