A Brighton contestant on the UK’s first gay dating show has spoken openly about his struggle of coming out, particularly to his dad.

Ollie King, 27, was among more than a dozen single men to feature on the new BBC show I Kissed A Boy, which saw people meet for the first time with a kiss at a romantic masseria in Italy.

In the final episode of the show, Ollie was reunited with his parents and met the family of his new partner, 27-year-old Dan from Glasgow.

Ollie explained how he was very worried about the prospect of coming out to his dad, especially as “some of the men are very much the men” in his family.

He said: “I really struggled coming out to my dad and everyone and thinking how is it going to affect my life from now on.

“I’m definitely from a working-class family - man’s man and the women are the women.”

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Ollie said that his mum had urged him to come out to his dad, to which he said he would in his own time.

Holding back tears, he said: “I can talk to my mum on a level about anything - with your dad, it’s a bit different.

“I remember being down my yard, working on my race car, and I heard this car skid up outside and on the gravel.

“I looked around the corner and my dad jumped out. I remember him running over and he threw his arms around me and he said ‘You’re my son, I’ll love you no matter what.’

“From that moment, I felt the world could throw whatever it needed at me - my parents are behind me.

“I saw a side to my dad that I’d never seen before and I really appreciate that.”

Ollie and Dan chose to remain a couple at the end of the series, along with fellow Brighton contestant Kailum and his partner Jake.

A special episode will see all the show’s contestants reunited with host Dannii Minogue, which will be broadcast on BBC Three at 9pm on June 11.

A second series of the show, I Kissed A Girl, will see ten single women matched up for the first time, with casting now open to take part.