Bobby Norris, the star of The Only Way is Essex, has admitted to being physically abused because of his sexuality.
Bobby, 38, spoke on FUBAR Radio on Wednesday, and revealed that he’d suffered through two physical homophobic attacks over the past couple of years, with one leaving him hospitalised. He described a horrifying assault by a bigot in London in a statement to host Ellen Coughlan.
“I was on my way into Access All Areas, and I was in Stratford, broad daylight, and a gentleman – and we use that word very, very loosely, because although we’re uncensored, I don’t want to offend – So, let’s just say called me a queer hunt with a C”, he shared.
The star added: “I’ve never really spoken about this publicly, but it is documented, if anyone that thinks I’m just chatting s**t”.
Bobby then admitted: “I was attacked twice in the last couple of years that they call gay bashing. I’m 38, but I still feel shame after receiving one of those “geezers,” which literally slams my head against and contains some veneers.
Despite his normal humour, the Celebs Go Dating star added that not everything can be faced with a laugh: “Anyway, I laugh about it because I deal with things internally. It wasn’t funny when I was in a hospital”.
In a video that was uploaded to Instagram on January 22 just a few days prior to his radio interview, Bobby described another hate crime. A man shouted slurs as Bobby attempted to commute for a meeting at Stratford, and it was the second time.
“So this message is for the lovely man at Stratford, who just gave me a mouthful,” and no, not that. As he passed through a tube station, Bobby said, “The one who made the decision to call me a queer hunt with a C, if you’re picking up what I’m putting down.”
He then joked: “Thank you for reminding me, because it’s really easy to forget my sexuality. So it is lovely to be told in such a beautiful way, regularly.
And I guess it’s just a message to all those out there who claim homophobia is no longer a thing because “we only have racists in Britain, homophobia don’t exist anymore, it’s like the dinosaurs.” “
Bobby concluded:” So ironically I’m on my way into Soho, you couldn’t make it up. But what I’m going to do is I’m going to my meeting right now at Soho House, where I’m going to pour a queer tear into my queer beverage, and raise the glass with you, mate. Have a lovely day.
Unfortunately, the Essex native revealed in November that he doesn’t typically have these experiences, and that he also receives death threats online along with face-to-face attacks. A homophobic troll threatened to gasoline bomb a man outside his home in one such situation.
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Source: Mirror
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