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She recently described herself as ‘finally free’, as she came out as gay after hiding it for over 30 years.
And Dame Kelly Holmes, 52, is set to open up even more in her brand new documentary, Kelly Holmes: Being Me – which will air on ITV this Sunday.
The documentary focuses on the emotional journey she’s been on over the last three decades as she hid her sexuality – and its impact on her mental health.
New show: First look at Kelly Holmes: Being Me – the new documentary shows the Olympic champion reveal her mental health struggles
In a first look, the Olympic champion appears eager to talk as she gets personal, sitting at a table to meet loved ones.
Another scene shows Dame Kelly in a room decorated with her winning newspaper articles, medals and successes – as she solemnly stands in front of the collection.
The one-off documentary is set to introduce those closest to the runner, and see her discuss personal topics that she has never publicly spoken about before.
Tough: One scene shows Kelly in a room decorated with her winning newspaper articles, medals and successes – as she solemnly stands in front of the collection
Opening up: The one-off documentary is set to introduce those closest to the runner, and see her discuss personal topics that she has never publicly spoken about before
Talking about the documentary on Instagram, Dame Kelly wrote: ‘The documentary taught me so much about generational and social advancements when it comes to the LGBTQ+ world.
‘I have been petty oblivious and ignorant about it all but I hope one day to be an authoritative voice and also that my doc it helps many people on all levels,’ she continued.
While she also shared: ‘It’s an emotional journey, I am sure a lot of people will resonate with different parts of my story.
Emotional: She described the documentary as ‘an emotional journey’, as those closest to her helped along the way
‘Fear, Bereavement, Sport, Military, Mental Health, Family and the need for freedom to live their lives. I cried, smiled, laughed and cried and I am sure you will too!
‘Please watch it is what tells the story of why I couldn’t be me but how strong we all truly are as people.’
In a new clip from the documentary, the Olympian admits she ‘lost the plot’ when her mother Pam Norman died in 2017, adding that her mum would be ‘so proud’ that she is finally speaking out on her sexuality.
Candid: In a new clip from the documentary, the Olympian admits she ‘lost the plot’ when her mother Pam Norman died in 2017, adding that her mum would be ‘so proud’ that she is finally speaking out on her sexuality
Strong bond: Dame Kelly shared emotional memories of her late mother Pam Norman in the new documentary (pictured together in 2005)
Dame Kelly had come out to her mother and she explains that ‘she wanted me to always be me. And I just couldn’t. It’s consuming my life all the time, this worry and fear, which has been since I’ve been a kid.’
The star appeared on This Morning on Monday – taking part in her first TV interview since coming out the following day.
Breaking down live on TV, she tragically admitted she ‘doesn’t feel she had ever been happy’ but is now able to live her life authentically after years of hiding her sexuality in fear.
Social media: Talking about the documentary on Instagram, Dame Kelly wrote: ‘The documentary taught me so much about generational and social advancements when it comes to the LGBTQ+ world’
Journey: It’s an emotional journey, I am sure a lot of people will resonate with different parts of my story’ she wrote
‘The documentary was a way of me articulating the fear I’ve had for so many years and to allow me to have a platform to hopefully educate and inform people of the complexities of maybe being gay as well. I’ve never said that before – that I’m a gay woman – publicly on TV,’ she explained.
Continuing: ‘People don’t realise how hard it is to say that word. I’m not ashamed and I’ve been it since I was 18, but it’s really hard when you’re documenting different parts of your life that you’ve had to keep inside.’
Presenter Holly explained that part of the reason Dame Kelly kept her sexuality a secret was because she was in the army and until 2000, it was illegal to be gay in the army.
‘I’ve never been happy but now I can’: The star appeared on This Morning on Monday – taking part in her first TV interview since coming out the following day
Dame Kelly revealed, ‘You were read the rules of homosexuality in the army – that it was illegal to be gay – and yet you can’t change who you are. So I grew up with that fear in the head because I absolutely loved being a soldier in the army. It was something that I really wanted to do.
‘I was in there for nearly 10 years and yet I couldn’t express that. It was really difficult, because there was interrogation that happened. In the documentary, I explain it a lot and I speak to people that dealt with some shocking things, but for me personally, having raids, it was scary, humiliating, embarrassing.’
Kelly Holmes: Being Me airs Sunday at 10:20pm on ITV.
Must watch: She spoke on the daytime programme to promote her documentary
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