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Life's never been better since I came out in
The Sun
BRAVE Boyzone star Stephen Gately told last night how revealing
he was gay had made his life better than ever.
Stephen, 23 has been overwhelmed by support since coming out
through The Sun - making him realise he made the right decision.
The millionaire singer says he has never been so happy after the
move lifted enormous pressures from him and boyfriend Eloy de
Jong. And on the rare occasions he feels miserable, Stephen just
delves into some of the unopened mail piled up in his living room
- and gives himself an instant lift. Tens of thousands of letters
of support have come flooding through Stephen's front door since
he courageously told the world he was gay on June 16. The star is
still ploughing through the mountain of mail, but not one letter
has been negative. Stephen was full of jokes and smiles as he
told of his delight at being able to live a normal life and walk
hand-in-hand down the street with Eloy, 26. He said: "Life
just couldn't be better for me, I can do whatever I want now.
"Things like going to the cinema and eating out are as
normal for us as any other couple.
"I always worried that someone would take a picture of me
with Eloy because not everybody knew I was gay. "Now we do
whatever we want and I can get on with my life, with being
Stephen Gately. "We can go on the same flight when we go on
holiday and even go to the duty free shop together. "It was
a nightmare before, having to get separate flights wherever we
went. "All the pressures have gone, it's a wonderful
feeling." Stephen also thanked his fans for their support,
saying: "I love reading the fans' letters they really cheer
me up. "Some days I feel a bit down but I cheer myself up by
reading a few of the letters. It's been absolutely overwhelming
and I know I've done the right thing. "After I've finished I
always feel full of life and get all this energy. It's
wonderful."
Our exclusive photo [below] is the first time Stephen and Eloy
have been pictured together. The couple enjoyed a weekend
shopping trip together in fashionable Knightsbridge, West London,
strolling down swanky Sloane Street and visiting designer shops
Gucci and Cartier. They went home empty-handed after nothing took
their fancy.
Stephen looked totally relaxed in public with his boyfriend, but
it was a different story three months ago when he decided
"the time was right" to come out in The Sun.
Stephen recalled his feelings the night before our exclusive
flashed around the world. The star revealed that he had been
dating Eloy for eight months saying he was happy and in love with
the Dutch singer. Stephen admitted: "I was absolutely
terrified the night before the story was about to break. "I
remember sitting in a hotel in Amsterdam having a drink and
hoping all my fans would support me. "It was very worrying
becausethey could have gone either way. I was so nervous. The
next morning when I woke up I put the TV on and it was
everywhere. It was really weird. "It even reached the New
York Post. That was an experience I will remember for the rest of
my life. "I was so happy and releived that all the fans were
very suportive of mydecision. "I received boxes and boxes of
letters and presents. "I just couldn't be happier, Eloy and
I are just getting on with things." Stephen took out time
from promoting the new animated film Watership Down to speak to
The Sun and tell hi fans about the past three months. He
revealed: "I've been working on my solo project and have
been in the recording studio laying down some tracks.
"Things are getting really busy and I won't really get any
time off until the beginning of next year. "I've recorded a
version of Art Garfunkel's Bright Eys for the Watership Down,
movie but it's not coming out until January. The reason for that
is simple we're releasing another Boyzone single instead so
everything got pushed back." Speaking in his dressing room
at the New London Theatre before a promotional show for the film,
Stephen admitted: "I'm about to go on stage and sing the
song and I'm really nervous. "I just love watching films,
especially musicals - that would be the perfect film for me.
"I just can't stop singing, wherever I am. It could be in
the bathroom, in the back of a car on the way to a signing or
something - even when I've just nipped out to the shops."
Stephen then took another sip of his water before giving a
private performance of a few choruses from Bright Eyes. His voice
is so good it sends shivers down the spine. Stephen clearly has
the talent and personality to forge a successful solo career
outside Boyzone, but he is quick to dismiss rumours that the
chart-topping boy band are about to split. He says: "Just
because we're doing solo projects doesn't mean it's the end of
the road for us. "We are contracted to do two more albums
with our record label Polydor. We've got another single coming
out in a few months, then we've got our tour. "There is no
way we're splitting up." Boyzone have scored seven No1
singles, including their last hit You Needed Me. Stephen and the
boys prevented former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell from scoring her
debut No1 single with Look At Me. Stephen said: "That was
brilliant. It was being built up as this great showdown.
"But we like Geri, there was no animosity at all. "They
boys and I have worked long and hard and getting a No1 single is
still a great buzz." Stephen's cover version of Bright Eyes
seems to have caused a stir with the original producer and
composer, Mike Batt of Wombles fame. One music industry insider
said: "Mike's a bit miffed that he wasn't asked to do the
new version. "He thinks he should have been asked and is
trying to drag Stephen into a war of words." But Stephen is
maintaining a dignified silence on the matter, saying only:
"I was asked to do a cover version. I'm not commenting on
anything else." In the meantime, Stephen is also trying to
enjoy a normal life at his huge converted millhouse outside
Dublin. He has become a dab hand in the kitchen, and has just
bought the dog he always longed for. "It's a shih-tzu puppy
called Joey and it's learning to walk at the moment," said
Stephen. "I'm teaching it go up the stairs, it's always
getting stuck. "I've always wanted one but never really got
round to getting one before. "But I promised myself I would
and Eloy and I chose it."