CHARLIE CONDOU CONFIDENTIAL: CHARLIE CONDOU

THE FIRST GAY DR WHO
NowMag

NowMag: CORRIE ALERT! @Charliecondou on being a dad & his plans to become the first gay Dr Who. Download the digital issue http://bit.ly/Downloadnowmag

Wrenfoe: @Confidential_CC Are you telling me all those other Dr Who's were straight ?!? I've seriously misunderstood the show all these years :D

GET YOUR FAMILY TICKETS

Charliecondou: We have spaces available for #outwiththefamily event on Sunday. The Snowman, lunch @GrouchoClubSoho http://www.outwiththefamily.co.uk

JOJEHARVEY: @Charliecondou #posh!

Charliecondou: @JOJEHARVEY totes! (Bernie sorted it out)

olivier_wery: @Charliecondou @GrouchoClubSoho Hi Charlie, would love to take my son there, but how do you register? Link provided is broken.

Charliecondou: @olivier_wery try this http://www.outwiththefamily.co.uk

olivier_wery: @Charliecondou @GrouchoClubSoho never mind, it was just the www. missing. works with http://www.outwiththefamily.co.uk. Booked in with hubby and son.

Charliecondou: @olivier_wery hooray!

UNCONDITIONAL L.O.V.E.

Charliecondou: RT @DiversityRM: We firmly believe that talking about love is what helps young people understand that LGBT people are no different...

MY NEW PLAY

denise_vanouten: Tickets for my new one woman play are on sale now. Check out http://somegirliusedtoknow.com

Charliecondou: RT @denise_vanouten: Tickets for my new one woman play are on sale now. Check out http://somegirliusedtoknow.com

ASDA NOT COMING TO THE PARTY

maryphototweet: @Charliecondou Guess what, @asda didn't refund a single one of the items. So let alone getting it a day late, i paid for what we didn't get!

Charliecondou: RT @maryphototweet: @Charliecondou Guess what, @asda didn't refund a single one of the items. So let alone getting it a day late, i paid for what we didn't get!

Charliecondou: @maryphototweet @asda that's outrageous. What should've been a perfect 40th birthday weekend ruined. Well done @asda

CONTEXTUAL

caitlinmoran: Tomorrow, #xmastreesessions in London, with Paul Weller, @mrchrisaddison, @serafinowicz and me, for Save The Children http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/get-involved/events-fundraising/christmas-tree-sessions …

Charliecondou: @caitlinmoran I have sent you a text message on your phone!

Allanswife02: @Charliecondou @caitlinmoran comes to something when you have to tweet someone to let them know you've text them pmsl x
olvinda

olvinda: @Charliecondou @caitlinmoran how quaint

CORONATION STREET STAR MICHELLE COLLINS: MY GAY FRIEND DIED FROM AIDS AND HIS FAMILY NEVER ACCEPTED HIM

Above: Charlie Condou and Michelle Collins

Actress Michelle Collins explains to PinkNews why she has long supported the work of the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and recalls how she lost a close friend to an AIDS-related illness. At a recent THT parliamentary event to mark World AIDS Day, Collins, who plays Rovers Return landlady Stella Price, toldPinkNews.co.uk: “We’ve come a long way today in that loads of people support gay charities and it has sort of become the norm really, hasn’t it? “I had a very good friend who died, who was HIV positive. And even when he died, his parents refused to accept the fact that he was gay. They just couldn’t come to terms with it because there was such a stigma then and they were in complete denial and we couldn’t go to the funeral. “It was awful and I think we’ve come a long way since then, thank God. And I used to be his surrogate girlfriend but sadly, I still think a lot of people are in denial about it. Because we live in London, we think it’s great. We’re very modern but in lots of other parts of the country, people haven’t moved on and there’s still this terrible stigma.” Before arriving in Coronation Street, Michelle Collins was best known for her role as scheming Cindy Beale in Eastenders. Commenting on her time in the BBC soap, Collins said: “One thing in particular is that Eastenders was very influential in the early days in their portrayal of the gay community and gay people. In those days, I think Eastenders was getting between 15 and 20 million viewers and that was amazing. Perhaps, other soaps or dramas weren’t tackling it as much. I don’t know so much about it now.” The actress is currently writing a book and leaves Coronation Street next year. Last month it was announced that Charlie Condou, who plays Marcus Dent, is also leaving the ITV soap. Paying tribute to the gay actor, who also resides in London, Collins said: “I’ll probably seen lots of Charlie anyway and we’re good friends”.

Above: Charlie Condou, Michelle Collins and former Corrie producer Phil Collinson

HOW THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA REACTED TO TOM DALEY'S COMING OUT NEWS AND VIDEO

TomDaley1994: Got something I need to say…not been an easy decision to make, hope you can support me!

The diving star confirmed that he is in a gay relationship with an emotional YouTube video. He also expressed his anger at being misquoted in an interview earlier this year. He said that his life had changed this spring and he feels “safe and happy”, although he is still attracted to girls.

The traditional gay media were very excited to have him in “the club”.

pinknews: Tom Daley: 'I'm dating a guy and I couldn't be happier' http://t.co/J6lwLCAgRw

stonewalluk: Moving and inspiring video from @TomDaley1994. A role model for thousands of other young people: http://t.co/yYV9mO8zZe

AttitudeMag: Go Tom!

AttitudeMag: What a moving and dignified video http://t.co/ljVrxlpuIy We love @TomDaley1994 tra la la la la la laaaaaaaaaaa! #gold

gaystarnews: @matthew_mitcham Olympic diver Tom Daley has come out as #bisexual http://t.co/D1g6qLwh4T

Even though there was some confusion over definitions.

lawandsexuality: Tom hasn’t come out as gay or bi. He’s simply said he’s dating a guy and he’s still interested in girls. Why the need to apply a label?

Celebrities weighed in with messages of support.

Schofe: I hope @TomDaley1994 that you're reassured & un-surprised by the support you will undoubtedly receive & deserve. Now get back to training

kylieminogue: @TomDaley1994 Inspiring and brave…..as always!!! #RespectTom

grahnort: @TomDaley1994 Good on you Tom! Never easy – to come out or find love and you managed both! Congratulations.

BoyGeorge: Good for you @TomDaley1994 and let that be the end of it!

piersmorgan: To all the homophobes out there spewing bigoted bile about Tom Daley, I laugh in your wretched little faces. You're losing, he's winning.

Charliecondou: Coming out is always hard and doing it in the public eye even more so. Good for you @TomDaley1994 for taking the power back to yourself

Inevitably, the jokes did not take long.

theguyliner: Looking forward to Tom Daley's first “somebody please bring me bacon” tweet. It's a rite of passage.

gossjam: Unlike the rest of us, Tom Daley's boyfriend gets to see him with his clothes on. Weird.

maybealexislost: WHERE IS THAT SCREENCAP OF TOM DALEY CHECKING OUT ANTHONY OGOGO'S ASS ON “SPLASH” WHEN YOU NEED IT

ryanjohnbutcher: All you PR-types might as well take the day off. We're all done for news today, thanks.

Fagburn: Sorry, for not blogging or tweeting today. The news that Tom Daley is a big gay has left me literally gobsmacked.

isntdave: On the plus side, this has stopped all I the tweets about the amazon drones PR stunt

The tone was quickly lowered.

Baxfail: CHALLENGE: Jack off to Tom Daley's announcement.

Trolls were quickly smacked down.

thegarethmclean: Gays: we did not get bullied and beaten up, spat at, shunned and treated like scum so we could sneer at other people coming out after us.

There was a quite-amusing headline fail.

Disco_77: Hey Yahoo. This is probably not the most appropriate way to report the Tom Daley story is it?

But mostly, people were moved and impressed.

QXMagazine: For many, coming out, dealing with bullies or homophobic parents isn't easy. So congratulations to @TomDaley1994 for making this brave step!

Dan_Brocklebank: There will come a day when “coming out” won't be news. Until that time we need to love & support those who are brave enough to do it.

brightlightx2: @TomDaley1994 well done. Takes guts in the public eye when you're young. Glad you're happy and will help lots more men do the same

Pop stars from the ’90s got very maternal.

tracey_thorn: Oh Tom Daley's video has just made me cry a little bit. Bless him, and curse anyone who is ever nasty to him.

tracey_thorn: @telenherry @TheHollyJohnson I did feel very mother henny watching him. Wanted to make him a sandwich and knit him a jumper.

WinceyWillis1: What a fuss so Tom is gay, I am left handed does anyone want to make a headline out of that. We are all human beings enough said.

Because unfortunately, in the world of sport this is still news.

matthewcpinsent: Well done @TomDaley1994 brave decision to be honest about current relationship with man.” Is it a big deal I don't think so”

matthewcpinsent: We all look forward to the time that this wouldn't be newsworthy in sport. Bit of a way to go yet though.

matthewcpinsent: Countdown to some crappy website/paper running 1st pics of Tom Daley &man, undoubtedly under a”exclusive first pictures” banner, begins.