but common knowledge isnt always correct - urban rumours and that

how do you know theyre in love - do you know them?

I'm really happy if someone is in a good relationsip but if someone wants privacy its their decision

its different with marriage or civil partnership - there you are standing up in public and saying we are together

If, and it's a big if, they are together, they owe no one, other than themselves, anything.

We're all entitled to privacy - live with it.

OMG! I still don't know whether to believe it, but if it's true, that's so sweet! And can you imagine how sporty their (adopted/surrogated) babies would be? Ok, I am obssessed with babies tonight, I have no idea why!

Lol maybe it's the time or maybe it's the fact you're a bit mad but I have so lost what you're going on about

I don't need to know Mark's sexuality, I do know it!

It's like me walking down the street and someone saying "Hey is your brother gay?" and I'd say "No, not at the moment anyway"... or something like that! With your little rules you're putting across would I not have to say "that is a taboo question - I can only answer it if you ask me what colour knickers I am wearing also"? Just to even it up a bit?!

I'm just rereading your knicker analogy and nope, I'm still not getting it!

It's 'common knowledge' that the only 'out' gay male at this year's Olympics was the Australian guy who won the gold in the 10m diving event, Matthew Mitcham (the same event Tom Daly competed in).

Hence, even if Mark is gay, he hasn't made it public knowledge and doesn't want to.

And if you need a source (this is one of many):

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-8784.html

Yeah I completely understand what you're saying and they're entitled to privacy I just think it's really sad that they have these lies. Mark mentions his "friend" Colin Jackson and Colin insists he's single all the time.

It doesn't affect me or how I live my life obviously! I just think it's weird, but they're no means alone because there's loads of famous people who do the same thing.

Just think it's a bit sad

Lol you're so aggressive!

It's not affecting my life if they're out or not I'm just saying I think it is sad that's all.

And they are together

but how do you know they are lying?

they could hang out with gay men all the time, live in Brighton and a place in San Francisco - doesnt make them gay - if they say they arent then accept thats what they are - or that they dont want to make a statement

no one asks me to make a statement that I'm a heterosexual - the fact that I'm a woman that married a men would tend to confirm that - but you dont know that 100%

anyway - he's come upstairs so its off to bed for us!

Nothing sad about it - if they are together I'm sure they're very happy.

Questioning my sanity does little to enhance your argument - sorry that my analogy is beyond you - I'll try to think of something more simple to understand.

btw in answer to your question apropos 'is your brother gay?' you could always answer 'that is none of your business.'

addendum: before I leave the thread - Marks sexuality is not taboo - it's an irrelevance.
Last edited by Ignazio : 21-09-2008 at 00:47

You could, but the person who asked the question would immediately assume the answer must be "Yes", because if it was "No" you would have said so!!!!

Nonsense - why should anyone answer a question which is none of your concern?

Some might find it quite amusing to lead you on. I would.

Does it matter what his sexuality is?.

It isn't.

But the thread is more now debating whether the forum should take any interest at all in the dancers lives. Well, we do. I am interested in who is married or in a relationship, what their wives / husbands/ boyfriends / girlfriends look like, whether they have children and the ages of their children, whether the pros are getting close to their celebrity off the floor etc etc.

Does any oft hat matter or is relevant to their dancing ? No, and it probably makes me a bit sad for being interested in the celebs and the pros lives, but, hey, I am a bit nosy.

None of the information makes me feel differently about the person - if I knew whether Mark was gay or not my opinion would not change about him in the slightest - why should it ? In the same way that if I knew whether Gary Rhodes was gay or not - I would still think he was a tw*t.

I don't believe that it is wrong to be interested in a person's life off the dance floor.

If people were not interested in celebs lives half the magazines on the bookshelves would close overnight; newspapers might have to start writing about real news; and a good deal of the tv stations would close as well. Some might argue that none of those things would be so bad............................ We can all have different views.

Also those celebs who really really want to stay out of the limelight seem to manage to do so; they would be unlikely to go on a program like Strictly for a start!!!!!!

None of them are stupid, they know if they appear in something as on-going as Strictly, they are likely to be on the tv or in the mags/papers potentially anything up to everyday for nearly 4 months, and folk are not going to be satisfied with discussing their latest dance moves!
Last edited by kaycee : 21-09-2008 at 11:21

Sheesh, if FM's are not allowed to be interested in the lives of the dancers over half the threads on here need to go.

There has been speculation in the press, thereby causing the question to be asked. If he is, it is a shame he can't be honest about it, and end the speculation.

You cannot have it both ways - if you want to raise your profile and put yourself in the public eye, the public eye is going to examine lots of aspects of your life. You take the money and makes your choice.

I don't believe the Mark and Colin rumours - hasn't Mark been living in the states for the past 3 years?

Lots of people have long distance relationships.

People were talking about it back in 2002, so it is not as if it is new:

http://www.swimclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=546

Be warned, there is a complete bigot on that thread, but he is put in his place.

Of course! That was a bit stupid of me to say the above really!! It just struck me as strange, as they are both incredibly busy and both live in different countries. (With Mark choosing to move a few years ago) As you say though, lots of people do have long distance relationships and make them work.

Doesn't Mark Foster live in North Essex. His house was on Through the Keyhole and was on that Gabby Logan, Inside Sport show.

I find it more prejudiced or homophobic for people to keep hushing people about discussing gay relationships or whether someone is gay or straight, rather than those who are asking those questions, really, which is what I find funny. Why though? I mean you are making this topic more taboo by hushing everyone about it, when no one here was doing it to spite Mark at all. And if there was no discussion about celebrities on this show that didn't really have that much relevance to what happens on the dancefloor, I can guarantee you that this place would be so boring and "polite" that not that many people would come here. People come here for discussion, excitement, buzz, gossip, discussion about the show, etc...

There was a thread about whether or not John and Jo Brand are related. Is that taboo or is that not allowed because it is "irrelevant"? FFS! If everything was completely and utterly on topic, we really would be boring. We might as well just sit on our high horses saying how lovely we are, sipping tea. I mean, it is slightly off-topic, but not to the point where it has NOTHING to do with the contestant, though. And Mark Foster being gay or not - if he is then he is fine with it and he must know that at some point, people will be asking "who are you going out with" and he will be very open about it. So if he is, then why can't we be open. We should be open about talking about sexuality, religion and other social debates, without it becoming personal or using it to attack others. No one took this seriously apart from the people who try to think that they are protecting him, when really this isn't helping.

Bruce seemed to imply last night that Craig Revel-Horwood is gay last night


I was totally shocked..... Craig is as butch as Len and Bruno......

Actually I agree 100% with you. As long as the question "is he gay" isn't used to be nasty about him, it's just a normal question. I always get curious about the celebs' lifes on strictly. I don't want to watch a bunch of robots doing the show each week, but real human beings. And to the question if it matters, no of course it doesn't. He won't lose votes for it, and it won't change "most sane" people's view about him. We can still discuss it though.

*applauds*

Agree.