Gay rugby player Keegan Hirst is looking for love on Celebrity First Dates
Britain’s first openly gay rugby league player will appear on the show this week.
On a special edition of popular Channel 4 show First Dates, celebrities will attempt to find their perfect match on blind dates, and Hirst is among the star-studded line up.
The rugby player made history when he came out as the first gay British rugby league player, following years of depression.
He also became the first Rugby League player to take to the pitch as an out gay man, receiving an overwhelmingly positive reaction from fans and fellow players alike.
“At first I couldn’t even say ‘I’m gay’ in my head, let alone out loud,” he said at the time.
“Now I feel like I’m letting out a long breath that I’ve held in for a long time.”
And it seems Hirst is now ready to return to the dating scene, in a very public fashion.
The Batley Bulldogs captain will be going on a date with personal trainer Paddy White – a self-confessed “ex-party boy” who admits to taking at least 50 selfies a day and tweeting during sex.
“I was eager to make a good impression on Keegan and tried to impress him with my honesty and my humour, maybe I went just a little too far,” White said of the experience.
Boxing promoter Kellie Maloney recently had her appearance on the show axed, because the man she was matched with was “uncomfortable” that she is trans.
A source close to Kellie said: “The man seemed very taken aback during the date and it was clear he wasn’t very happy afterwards.”
Channel 4 confirmed that the man was “open to being paired with a transgender person”.
“Kellie’s date told the production team he was open to being paired with a transgender person, however after the date ended he felt uncomfortable about appearing on the celebrity episode,” a spokesperson said.
Catch Celebrity First Dates this Friday (July 22) on Channel 4 at 9pm.
