I Wouldn't Be Double Olympic Champion If They'd Found Out I Was Gay: Dame Kelly Holmes on having to hide her sexuality in the army & the spotlight

Rich Clarke speaks with Dame Kelly Holmes, double Olympic gold medallist, former soldier, and proud gay woman, about the reality of hiding her sexuality for 34 years.

Kelly reflects on her time in the British Army, when being gay was still illegal, and the constant fear of discovery. She opens up about the emotional toll of living in silence, the pressure of public life, and the lasting impact on her mental health.

She also discusses survivor’s guilt... the belief that if she’d been discharged for being gay, she might never have become an Olympic champion... and the inner conflict of being celebrated while concealing such a significant part of her identity.

This is a conversation about fear, identity, and the unseen weight of silence

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