Alan Carr, Oti Mabuse and Iwan Thomas were among the famous faces who shared their support for Dame Kelly Holmes after she publicly came out as gay.
The Olympic runner, 52, has first spoken out about her sexuality as she explained she “finally feels free” after years of living a “secret” life.
And her celebrity friends were quick to flock to her support and shared her praise, with many gushed that they were “so happy” for the athlete.
Speaking of which, Dame Kelly Holmes (pictured this year) has publicly come out as gay, and stars were quick to share their support
Kelly had discussed her coming out in an Instagram post, in which she wrote: “This journey has been the most difficult part of life. Living with any kind of fear is debilitating. You and live here every day, but not every day fully.
“I’ve lived in fear for 34 years and I’m exhausted and don’t want anymore. I hope those who read my story will help me through this next scary phase, but also be there for others.”
And in response to her candid comments, Dancing On Ice’s Oti Mabuse shared her support, captioning Kelly’s Instagram post: “Really happy for you.”
Alan Carr also sent his well wishes when he commented on a series of clapping hands emojis under Kelly’s post.
‘Free at last’! The Olympic runner, 52, has first spoken out about her sexuality when she explained she “finally feels free” after years of living a “secret” life (pictured in 2004).
Olympic sprinter Iwan Thomas gushed: “Yes Kelly, so much love.”
Former heptathlon athlete Denise Lewis, who won the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, wrote, “Yes Kelly.”
This Morning’s Josie Gibson also said she was “very proud” of Kelly, while DJ Naughty Boy also commented on a series of love heart emojis.
Singer Lucy Spraggan added: “Love this and you. Warm welcome.’
Proud: The TV personality is currently working on a documentary called Being Me (pictured)
Pal: Dancing On Ice’s Oti Mabuse was quick to share her well wishes just hours after Kelly’s announcement, saying: ‘Really happy for you’
While drag queen Baga Chipz said, “We love you, Dame Kelly.”
Former track cyclist Shanaze Reade also wrote a series of love heart emojis in the comments section of Kelly’s post.
Elsewhere in the sports world, weightlifter Emily Muskett, boxer Cathy Brown and netball player Jade Clarke sent messages of support to their fellow athletes.
The wave of support came just hours after Kelly publicly came out as gay after living a “secret life” for decades.
Love: Her celebrity friends were quick to flock to her support and shared her praise, with many gushed they were “so happy” for the athlete
Sport: Olympic sprinter Iwan Thomas and former heptathlete Denise Lewis, who won the gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, both commented: “Yes Kelly”
The athletics star admitted she was “fully aware” of the rumors surrounding her sexual orientation, but said she was happy to come out “on her own terms”.
She told The Mirror: “There were a lot of dark times when I wished I could shout out that I’m gay – but I couldn’t.
“I had to do this for myself now. It was my choice. I’m nervous to say it. I feel like I’m about to explode with excitement. Sometimes I cry with relief. The moment this comes out, I essentially get rid of that fear.
Dame Kelly confirmed she has a partner but declined to give further details, admitting it’s the first time she hasn’t introduced someone as “boyfriend or PA”.
‘I’ve lived in fear’: Kelly also spoke about her coming out in an Instagram post, in which she said the journey had been ‘the most difficult part of life’ and that living with fear had been ‘debilitating’.
Smiling again: The athletics star admitted she was “fully aware” of the rumors about her sexual orientation but is now happy to come out “on her own terms”.
She explained how her family and close friends had known she was gay for years, but she worried about getting in trouble for breaking retroactive rules in the armed forces.
Back then, the armed forces had a ban on LGBT soldiers that wasn’t lifted until 2000. Kelly had relationships with other women during her 10-year tenure.
Kelly, who decided to come out during Pride month, shared how she first realized she was gay when she was 17 when she kissed another female soldier.
After the kiss, Kelly recalled writing to her stepfather, with whom she has a close relationship, to explain what had happened.
She was “confused and scared,” but Kelly revealed her stepfather accepted her immediately before coming out to the rest of her family in 1997.
Being me! The TV personality admitted she kept her true identity hidden for years and experienced episodes of self-harm that she struggled with (pictured in 2020).
Touching on her past relationships with women, she said: “No disrespect to them, but the relationships were just a small part of my life.
“You haven’t been in this fearful world with me in 34 years.”
Kelly, who was made a Dame in 2005, said she dated a woman between the ages of 27 and 32 but called it quits in 2002 so she could focus on the Athens Olympics.
And even her tremendous success in winning gold in the 800 and 1500 meters in Athens was ruined by her fear of coming out.
The TV personality – who is currently working on a documentary titled ‘Being Me’ – admitted she had kept her true identity hidden for years and had struggled with episodes of self-harm.
Historical: Kelly, who decided to come out during Pride month, shared how she first realized she was gay when she was 17 when she kissed another soldier (pictured during her time in the army).
Kelly confessed that even as she celebrated her gold medals in the 800 and 1,500 meters at the Athens Olympics, she feared being outed as her fame reached new heights.
Before the 2003 World Cup final, Kelly said she hit an all-time low and injured herself, recalling that she had “no control” over herself.
Kelly did not ask for support at the time for fear she would be dropped from the Olympic team.
In 2018, Kelly was made an Honorary Colonel of the Royal Armored Corps Training Regiment, which she saw as another obstacle to her coming out.
After suffering a meltdown in 2020, she called an LGBTQ+ leader to ask if she could still impact her ties with the army.
When reassured she wouldn’t get in trouble with the armed forces, Kelly admitted she felt like she could “breathe again.”
In her documentary, which comes out June 26, Kelly will speak to LGBTQ+ soldiers, and she said she was “stunned” by how much the army has changed since she was in the service.
She said she spoke to some young people in the armed forces for the documentary who weren’t even aware of the ban.
Army: Dame Kelly in her role as Colonel on Trooping the Colour