Out Norwegian decathlon star Jonathan Hertwig-Ødegaard marks 1 year in Texas

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Out Norwegian decathlon star Jonathan Hertwig-Ødegaard marks 1 year in Texas

One year ago, Norwegian decathlete Jonathan Hertwig-Ødegaard touched down in Austin, Texas to begin a new chapter at the Texas Longhorns, and he’s already making waves on and off the track.

Hertwig-Ødegaard scored a massive personal best of 8,002 points in the decathlon in 2025, pushing him into the elite “8K club” of combined-events stars.

But his story is about more than athletic numbers — last year he came out publicly as gay, becoming one of the rare openly gay male decathletes in the world of elite sport.

As he settled into Texas for his freshman season, he posted an orange-themed “Year 1” photo and celebrated his adjustment to life in Austin, the Longhorn community, and the massive step of relocating overseas for sport.

In interviews he has spoken honestly about why visibility matters — not because every athlete should be a spokesperson, but because he hopes other young LGBTQ+ athletes can see someone like him competing and being free to be himself.

He’s aware that he’s ranked around #81 in the world for the decathlon, but emphasises that the bigger medal is the one he gives himself by living authentically and fiercely.

Training in Texas means competing in NCAA-level meets, pushing for podiums in multiple events, and embracing life in a new country — all while carrying the weight of being a role model for queer athletes at the same time.

Asked about his coming-out, he said: “I’m proud and happy with who I am, so if others have a problem, that’s their problem.” It’s a line that hit the internet and made a quiet statement: gay men belong on the track too.

He also made it clear that while the headlines are nice, what he really wants is a future where being gay isn’t news — just part of the background. “It shouldn’t be necessary that we talk about it so much,” he told Norwegian media.

Today, one year into his Texan adventure, Jonathan seems more grounded than ever — a top athlete, a visible queer man in sport, and a story in motion rather than a final chapter.

For his fans, the takeaway is simple: move boldly, train hard, stay true — and remember that the courage to be yourself is a medal in its own right.

John Whaite gets brutally honest about steroids, body image, and choosing life

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John Whaite gets brutally honest about steroids, body image, and choosing life

Strictly Come Dancing favourite and Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite has opened up about a secret steroid addiction that left him feeling so low he says it made him want to end his life.

In a raw new Instagram video, the TV baker and cookbook author explains that he first turned to steroids during lockdown, when endless mirror checks and social media thirst traps convinced him his perfectly normal body somehow was not enough.

Like so many queer men, John admits he tried the usual “fixes” first, hitting the gym, tweaking his diet, and pushing himself harder, but still felt stuck with a body that did not match the hyper muscled image he thought he was supposed to have.

That is when steroids entered the chat, and at first they gave him exactly what he thought he wanted, a bigger, leaner, more shredded version of himself that drew praise and likes and comments that briefly quieted the noise in his head.

The more people complimented his new physique, the more he felt pressured to keep chasing that high, even as the side effects started to pile up behind the scenes.

In the video John talks frankly about losing his natural sex drive, experiencing intense swings in libido, and even dealing with physical changes like shrunken testicles, all while feeling increasingly disconnected from his own body.

He describes putting body image ahead of his mental health, ahead of time with his family, and ahead of the softer, cosier parts of life that originally made fans fall in love with him back in the Bake Off tent.

At the lowest point he says steroids made him want to end his life, a terrifying admission that underlines just how dark body image struggles can become when they are mixed with depression, anxiety, and an industry obsessed with perfection.

John also touches on his time on OnlyFans, where his gym built body and cheeky charm brought in serious money, but also locked him into a cycle of feeling like he had to look a certain way to keep subscribers clicking.

He says the platform could have made him even more cash if he had focused on it full time, but ultimately realised that chasing views and abs was costing him peace of mind and any sense of balance.

Now he is choosing a different recipe for his life, stepping away from steroids, scaling back from the adult content grind, and refocusing on his brownie business Ruff Puff and the kitchen creativity that first brought him joy.

In a line that has already been shared widely, John says, “That stops now, I choose life, I choose health, I choose love, I choose a simpler life,” and honestly that is the kind of mantra many of us could probably borrow for our own bathroom mirror.

It is especially powerful coming from a queer man who has been praised for his looks, thirsted after in Strictly rehearsals with Johannes Radebe, and turned his body into part of his brand, because it reminds us that even the hotties are not immune to this stuff.

For fans who have followed his journey from nervous baker in 2012 to confident TV personality and out gay man, the confession lands like a hug and a wake up call all at once.

Yes we can still appreciate the shirtless pics and the dance floor smoulder, but John is asking us to value the softer things too, like honesty, boundaries, and the courage it takes to start again when you realise you have gone too far.

If you are scrolling his story and recognising your own battles with body image, gym pressure, or substances, his message is basically this, you are allowed to step off the treadmill, ask for help, and choose something kinder for yourself.

And if you are just here because you love a handsome baker with big feelings, consider this your reminder that the sexiest glow up of all is the one where someone chooses to stay alive, stay present, and stay true to who they really are.

📷 IG: @ john_whaite

Jonathan Van Ness Celebrates a Huge Milestone as Husband Mark Peacock Becomes a U.S. Citizen

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Jonathan Van Ness Celebrates a Huge Milestone as Husband Mark Peacock Becomes a U.S. Citizen

Jonathan Van Ness just delivered the kind of wholesome queer joy that can brighten even the grayest November morning.

In a heartfelt update shared across social media, the beloved former Queer Eye star announced that his husband of five years, Mark Peacock, has officially become an American citizen.

It’s a milestone that didn’t come easy, and JVN’s emotional reaction made it clear just how much this journey has meant to both of them.

The couple’s love story began back in 2019 when Jonathan was doing a comedy tour in the UK, which is where he met Mark and reportedly fell into the kind of whirlwind romance that belongs in a soft-lit Netflix rom-com.

One date turned into several, several turned into a full-on European mini-break, and before long Mark had met Jonathan’s mom, aunt, and closest friends during a spontaneous trip to Amsterdam.

When you know, you know, and these two clearly knew very quickly.

By mid-2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, the pair quietly tied the knot in an intimate ceremony that they kept private until later that year.

Mark, originally from the UK, has built a life in Austin alongside Jonathan, filling their world with British charm, fitness enthusiasm, and pottery that could absolutely win the Great Pottery Throw Down if he ever gave it a go.

But behind the scenes, the couple spent the last five years navigating the long, complicated, and sometimes emotionally draining U.S. immigration process.

According to Jonathan, the experience has expanded their understanding of what many immigrants go through, deepening their compassion and strengthening their bond.

In his announcement, JVN wrote about feeling pride, relief, excitement, and hope now that Mark has finally completed the journey to citizenship.

He also reflected on growing up at a time when marriage equality wasn’t even on the horizon and acknowledged that their life today would have been impossible without the historic progress that LGBTQ+ people fought for.

Their story is a reminder that love, patience, and a very supportive wardrobe of long coats can get you through some genuinely difficult processes.

The photos they shared — smiling together outside the courthouse with little American flags — practically radiate happiness.

Fans flooded the comments with congratulations, personal immigration stories, and a whole lot of teary-eyed emojis because this is exactly the kind of queer love story people are craving right now.

As for Jonathan and Mark, they seem ready for the next chapter, and something tells us it’s going to involve equal parts joy, activism, cozy knits, and maybe a pottery wheel or two.

Here’s to love, citizenship, and the queer power of building a life together against the odds.

📷 IG: @ jvn / marklondon

Ricky Martin Promises More Heat, Heart, and Steamy Moments in the New Season of Palm Royale

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Ricky Martin Promises More Heat, Heart, and Steamy Moments in the New Season of Palm Royale

Ricky Martin is turning up the temperature this fall, and Palm Royale fans are about to feel the heat in all the best ways.

The superstar singer and actor has already had a wild year, from viral thirst traps to earning the very first VMA Latin Icon Award, but his latest project might be the juiciest chapter yet.

Season 2 of Apple TV’s Palm Royale has arrived, and Ricky is teasing a delicious mix of nudity, kissing, tension, and emotional depth that has social media collectively fanning itself.

In the new season he returns as Robert, a closeted gay man navigating love, secrecy, and self-acceptance in the glamorous but unforgiving world of 1960s Palm Beach.

Ricky reveals that Robert’s struggles hit closer to home than viewers might expect, because many of the fears queer men faced decades ago still linger today.

The singer explains that the uncertainty, the shame, and the instinct to hide are emotions LGBTQ+ people still grapple with, making the story eerily relevant in 2025.

While the themes are serious, Ricky promises plenty of sizzling moments too, reminding fans that showing skin has never exactly been one of his issues.

His online following already knows this well thanks to his now iconic bathroom selfies, which even his Palm Royale costar Leslie Bibb raved about in a recent interview.

Bibb joked that the lighting is so good that someone should hire an electrician to “keep those breakers running,” proving that even his coworkers are fans of his steamy posts.

Ricky says the intimacy and vulnerability in the series are meant to help viewers see themselves in Robert and find acceptance through his journey.

The singer believes the character’s story can resonate deeply with men who grew up wrestling with fear, identity, or the pressure to blend in.

Season 2 also picks up after a dramatic finale that saw Robert uncover secrets, take emotional risks, and face the consequences of living in a world built on appearances.

The new episodes promise romance, revelations, and a few surprising twists that bring both glitter and grit to the glamorous Palm Royale universe.

With Ricky Martin leading the charge, the show is set to deliver a bold mix of queer storytelling, retro glamour, and the kind of shirtless moments that keep the internet alive.

Palm Royale Season 2 is streaming now, inviting fans to dive headfirst into the drama, the desire, and the irresistible charm of one very unforgettable man.

📷 IG: @ ricky_martin / appletv

Bargain Block’s Keith Bynum & Evan Thomas May Be Teasing a New TV Comeback

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Bargain Block’s Keith Bynum & Evan Thomas May Be Teasing a New TV Comeback

It looks like our favorite design power couple, Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas, might be dusting off their toolbelts and stepping back in front of the camera sooner than expected.

The beloved duo behind Bargain Block set Instagram buzzing when Evan posted a behind-the-scenes snap of Keith standing on what appeared to be a full outdoor TV production set.

The photo showed Keith casually posing in front of a camera rig in someone’s backyard while Evan dropped a pair of very telling 👀 emojis that sent fans spiraling into a renovation-flavored frenzy.

Keith immediately reshared the post on his own Story and added the ultimate tease when he wrote, “Feels good to be back at it. Think y’all are gonna be happy with what’s coming.”

In the world of reality TV hints, this is basically a marriage proposal.

The excitement comes just months after Bargain Block wrapped its fourth and final season on HGTV following a surprising cancellation, despite the series receiving an earlier Season 5 renewal.

The announcement left fans heartbroken, especially since Keith and Evan had become one of the most beloved on-screen partnerships thanks to their creativity, charm, and irresistible couple vibes.

But if you thought they were slowing down, think again, because these two have been busier than ever since leaving television.

Earlier this month, Keith shared that he and Evan had spent time traveling across nine states while working on a series of new renovation projects.

The post was packed with gorgeous snaps but suspiciously light on details, with Keith noting only that there were “new projects” underway without confirming the format or the platform.

Translation for the fans: something juicy is cooking.

Adding even more fuel to the speculation, Keith and Evan have mentioned that they have been exploring “other possibilities for other forms of media” ever since the series ended.

Given their talent, their chemistry, and their enormous fan base, it feels almost guaranteed that another project with their names on it is coming.

And honestly, the world could always use more Keith-and-Evan energy.

Whether it’s a new design series, a streaming special, or a completely fresh TV format, one thing is certain — the boys are back, the cameras are rolling, and we’re already clearing our schedules.

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