Rylan Clark-Neal suffered a horrific bullying ordeal when he was a child.
The Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two co-host, 32, previously opened up about his school years and admitted the “first three years of school was hard”.
Rylan said he was “the fat, ginger kid at school” and recalled a moment bullies attacked him.
It Takes Two host Rylan Clark-Neal on bullying ordeal
Speaking to The Sun back in 2012, Rylan said: “I was the fat, ginger kid at school.
Read more: Strictly: It Takes Two 2021: Janette Manrara and Rylan Clark-Neal divide viewers
“The first three years of school was hard and then I was like, ‘I’m gay now, get over it.’ It was taunting and very difficult.
“When I lived in London there was this playground that I used to go to after school and I got pulled off a rope swing and some boy kicked me in the head and fractured my skull.”
Rylan said he was “about 13 or 14” and he was left in hospital, adding: “It was a horrible time.”
Meanwhile, the former X Factor star said he eventually got to the point where he “thought [bleep] off” and if anyone said anything to him he would “give it to them straight back”.
Rylan rose to fame after finishing in fifth place on The X Factor in 2012.
He then went on to win Celebrity Big Brother the following year.
Now, Rylan is back on our screens as a co-host on Strictly’s spin-off show It Takes Two.
He will share hosting duties with former Strictly professional dancer, Janette Manrara.
On Monday, the pair hosted the programme together for the first time.
They received a mixed response from viewers, with many people loving the new duo.
Rylan and Janette on It Takes Two
One person gushed on Twitter: “Janette was brilliant. Just such a natural. And Rylan – how handsome did he look in that white shirt!!! Great team.”
Another added: “So lovely to see Rylan back and Janette’s dress is amazing.”
Read more: Rylan Clark-Neal ‘to divorce husband Dan’ after breakdown of their marriage
However, some people were missing Zoe Ball – who previously presented the show.
One tweeted: “Sorry but you can’t have #ItTakesTwo without Zoe.”
Strictly: It Takes Two airs on BBC Two, tonight, at 6:30pm.
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