In the video, entitled ‘Something I want to say’, [see below] Daley said he chose to address the subject via YouTube because "recently I was misquoted in an interview and it made me feel really angry and frustrated".
In the clip he said, "in an ideal world I wouldn't be doing this video, because it shouldn't matter", but global interest in his statement has been vast, with the video already viewed close to a million times. He has not totally eschewed more traditional media on the issue as an interview with Jonathan Ross will be broadcast on Saturday.
How I see it
Phil Hall, chairman, PHA Media
Is Tom Daley a victim of internet trolls? Or could it be claimed he has no right to a private life when he has spoken openly about his family?
Earlier this year Daley gave a newspaper interview and was asked about the constant internet rumour that he is gay.
He lied. Who can blame him? If he doesn’t want to discuss his sexuality I would argue it is nobody’s business.
The difficulty comes when you step out of your core existence. He left the confines of the swimming pool to become a TV personality and accept commercial endorsements. In order to do that he has used his back story to paint a particular picture of himself.
When personalities do that it becomes impossible in the era of the internet to decide what you want made public and what you don’t. If a reporter asks if you are gay and you answer "no comment", everyone will assume the obvious.
Tom Daley is a decent bloke. I suspect he has come out on YouTube because he had a crisis of conscience – he did not like lying to the reporter, however crass the question.
I suspect he also felt it was an affront to his partner that he was denying his very existence. You can only applaud his courage and hope that others follow suit. The more people who are not afraid to reveal their sexuality when asked, the less power these homophobic sick individuals on the internet have.
