I’m A Celebrity's Jill Scott: Sad male footballers don’t feel ‘safe’ enough to come out

I’m A Celebrity star Jill Scott has said it’s sad as it is “so difficult” for male footballers to come out as gay.

The 35-year-old Lioness – who is in a long-term relationship with her partner Shelly – said things are different in the women’s game.

She opened up during a chat with her fellow contestants, after comedian Seann Walsh asked: "In women’s football, coming out and homosexuality, is it more open? As obviously that is a problem in men’s football.”

“I think in the men’s game, it’s so difficult," she said.

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"If you think about how much stick they get from the chants… it’s just not a safe environment where they feel safe enough to kind of do that. And that’s so sad.

"But yeah in women’s football it’s just never an issue. Some have partners that are female, some are married to men, yeah…”

She added: “Then obviously there was no female role models for me to look up to.”

Boy George also talked about his sexuality, telling the campers: “I find it’s more other people ask about it, I’m busy being myself. They often ask, ‘When did you know you were gay?’

"It was kind of gradual I think. For me it was other kids calling me a girl… ‘You’re a girl’.”

“I knew if I announced it I’d be immediately unpopular in the playground, but inside of me, I absolutely thought it was totally normal and this is what’s meant to be,” he said.

The singer revealed late star David Bowie was his idol growing up.

"I think, for me, Bowie was the beginning of me going, ‘Oh my god, I’m not alone'," he said.

"It didn’t matter whether he was gay, straight or bisexual, he was a massive role model."

He went on: “When I was 16/17 I was outrageous… This one time I went out as a nun. When we got on the tube there were real nuns on the tube.

"I was sitting eating a packet of cheese and onion crisps, dressed as a nun with the most amazing make-up.

"They knew I wasn’t a nun!”

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I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! continues tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9pm on ITV1 and ITV Hub.

Watch: A legend calls it a day - Jill Scott in numbers