BBC Radio 2 and Homes Under The Hammer presenter Owain Wyn Evans has candidly discussed his personal struggles with 'gay shame' during his formative years, highlighting how drumming served as a crucial sanctuary in a 'very masculine environment'.
Growing Up Without Reference Points
In an interview with the Lancashire Post, Evans opened up about the challenges he faced as a young man grappling with his sexuality. He revealed that he knew he was gay from a young age but lacked any positive cultural reference points to understand what that meant.
'When I was growing up, there weren't any reference points for what it actually meant to be gay,' Evans explained. 'It was a very masculine and heteronormative environment: the only cultural touchstones for gay people was them being the butt of jokes on TV or overly-flamboyant characters.'
Suppressing His Sexuality
The broadcaster, who came out at age 17, described feeling isolated during his youth. 'I literally felt like the only gay in the village, so I suppressed my sexuality,' he confessed. 'I put it in a box and thought 'this is a part of me I can hide.' I didn't talk about it or understand it.'
Evans also addressed the homophobic abuse he has received online regarding his presenting style, emphasizing his role as a passionate champion for LGBTQ rights.
Drumming as a Refuge
In a separate interview with Music Teacher magazine, Evans detailed how drumming became his refuge while battling 'gay shame' in his younger years. He explained that hitting the drums helped him hide his sexuality and manage his anxiety.
'It was this kind of 'you're not normal' feeling, and the feeling that you always have to try and fit into a mould that isn't you, and almost apologise for who you are,' Evans said. 'But the drumming has always been a thing that I could just do, because it completely removes you from anything.'
Music as Mental Escape
He went on to describe how music provided a mental escape: 'Whatever I'm thinking and however I'm feeling, when I put my headphones on and my monitors in and I play my drum kit, anything else that's going on just goes, because the drumming is what I'm concentrating on.'
Personal and Professional Life
Evans married his partner Arran Rees in London in March 2017, and the couple has since taken on their fifth property project in 2023, having relocated from northwest England back to Wales.
Professionally, Evans has become a regular fixture on BBC Breakfast and The One Show, recently celebrating three years of presenting Radio 2's Early Breakfast Show. He also continues his role as a much-loved weather forecaster.
The presenter recently underwent emergency surgery to remove his gallbladder, but has maintained his busy broadcasting schedule.
