X Factor: Union J star Jaymi Hensley comes out as gay
Jaymi Hensley, star of X Factor finalists Union J, has followed the advice of his mentor Louis Walsh and revealed that he is gay and in a three year relationship with his boyfriend.
Jaymi told the Sun: “I spoke to Louis about this and he said, ‘put it this way, both of my big boybands had a gay member in them.’ So he said it fits the formula quite well!
“Every boyband has got to have a gay one! And Louis just said ‘do it’.”
“I’m gay and I’ve never been happier!” he added.
The star said that he didn’t want to come out in five years time ”when I have made money and had a career. I don’t think anyone should have to hide who they are.” Adding: ”Not enough people in the music industry are open about their sexuality.”
The singer, who lives with his mother in Luton, said that he and his boyfriend, a hairdresser, plan to eventually get married (once the law changes) and have children.
The Union J star also revealed that he came out when he was 14 and “never had one piece of negativity.”
Interestingly, the star decided to publicly reveal his sexuality after a teenager asked him on Twitter if rumours that he was gay were true.
“I got a tweet from a boy who must have been 13 or 14 asking if the rumours that I was gay were true.
“He said he ‘really wished I could be out’ because he didn’t have anyone to look up to and was finding it really hard to fit in and tell his parents.
“I was that kid at 14 and really wished I had someone to say it was OK to be pictured on the red carpet with a guy and be gay in a boyband.
“The X Factor is such a great show to show that — you’ve got such a great range of characters, especially Rylan who is so open.
“It was like if he can do it, why can’t I?
“But I’m not going to suddenly come out and do a flamboyant performance — that’s Rylan’s bag.”
He added: “If I can help just one kid out there, that is enough for me.”
