Jonathan Bailey reveals he was ‘heckled’ in the street for holding hands with his ex boyfriend as he discusses his sexuality and plans for children in latest Vogue shoot

Jonathan Bailey has revealed he was heckled in the street after holding hands with his ex boyfriend. 

The Bridgerton star, 36, who is currently taking the world by storm after his performance as Fiyero in the screenplay adaptation of Wicked, explained he is keenly aware of the challenges that still exist today as a gay man. 

Speaking in his latest shoot with Vogue he admitted: ‘I’ve always been a confident hand-holder in relationships. 

‘I had a boyfriend who wasn’t experienced at holding hands in public. We got heckled in London. But that kind of behaviour is now outweighed by the smiles you get.’

Jonathan also opened up about the process of discovering his sexuality as he revealed it was a gradual realisation. 

He added: ‘I think other people understood my sexuality before I was even aware of it.’

Recalling an sleepover with primary school friends as a child he said: ‘I remember excitedly asking them “Guys, guys, who else thinks they’re gay? Do you? I do. I do.” 

‘It was a conversation I really, really wanted to have, to see if everyone else was on the same page. But everyone went quiet.’ 

His teacher at school then later called him out in front of the whole class. He continued: ‘I was having trouble with my work and he said, “Well, if you weren’t so busy being a fairy you’d understand”.’ 

Jonathan later went out for a girl for two years in his early experience and the pair are still close friends.

He explained: ‘It’s interesting with the binary where you’re perceived to be either this or that. That’s how I saw it at the time, but there are so many nuances to it. 

‘My experience of that relationship was not that I was in the shadows. She remains one of my best friends.’

Revealing his plans to start a family the star admitted he does see children in his future, but now is not the right time.  

‘Yes, it’s such a privilege for a man, but I can’t bring children into my lifestyle now,’ he confessed. 

‘I want to make sure I’m going to be present, I’m reading books on adoption. I might coparent with a woman, but I’m thinking it will be with a man.’

Jonathan previously revealed he was very aware of his sexuality after playing a straight character in Netflix’s smash hit Bridgerton. 

He explained that the media attention that came with the famous show put his sexuality into the spotlight as he admitted it felt very strange after his private life became part of the publicity for the show.

The Wicked star contrasted his experience on Bridgerton with working on Heartstopper, which he said he found cathartic, as he played a gay character. 

The Crashing actor told Vanity Fair: ‘Doing Bridgerton – it’s funny what comes with doing a lot of press, and suddenly there’s a lot that people want to know about you, and there’s a lot that’s asked of you that, obviously, in any other industry, you wouldn’t have to talk about. 

‘So I was hyperaware of the complexities and nuances of how I felt about myself being a gay man, let alone a gay actor, and suddenly finding success in playing a straight part and talking about that.’

Jonathan went on to discuss how much he loved Heartstopper and the graphic novel it’s based on, revealing he ‘wedged’ himself in to the part. 

He added however that it changed his view on growing up as a gay man.

He said: ‘Heartstopper seems to allow people to feel catharsis and to feel a sort of melancholic sort of nostalgia for what could have been. I was feeling all of those things anyway.’ 

See the full feature in the January issue of British Vogue, available via digital download and on newsstands from Tuesday 17th December.