Rylan Clark has declared he is unbothered by cancel culture, stating 'I don't care if someone wants to cancel me' as he embraces a new chapter in his life. The 37-year-old presenter, speaking to Metro, discussed narrowly missing out on a Strictly Come Dancing presenting role, his relationship with Kennedy Bates, and his journey through mental health struggles.
Strictly Snub and Support for Emma Willis
Rylan confirmed he was in the running to present the new series of Strictly Come Dancing but lost out to close friend Emma Willis, alongside Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe. 'I'm so over the moon for Em,' he said. 'She's perfect for that job. And JoJo, who I absolutely adore. I think he's just going to be amazing.' He added that the trio have 'big balls' to follow Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman but predicted they will 'have a lovely time.'
Mental Health and Rock Bottom
Reflecting on his mental health breakdown following his split from husband Dan Neal in 2021, Rylan said: 'I hate the term rock bottom, but that's the only way to describe it.' He credited learning the signs of his low points as 'one of the biggest blessings' and vowed: 'I'm never going to let myself go there again.' He leaned on celebrity friends Ruth Langsford and Claire Richards during his hospitalisation, describing them as 'family' who would 'hide the body' if needed.
New Romance with Kennedy Bates
Rylan's face lit up when discussing fairground director Kennedy Bates, whom he started dating last year. He said: 'Just because it doesn't work out once, doesn't mean you can't try again.' He described his happy place as driving to Leicester to see Kennedy, where he can be 'just Ross' rather than Rylan. 'It does feel like a little escape, like my own little world,' he added.
Cancel Culture Defiance
Addressing criticism, including backlash over immigration comments on This Morning, Rylan said: 'I don't f*****g care about all of that. I don't care if someone wants to cancel me, they're going to cancel me.' He emphasised that fame is not about fear but being decent, adding: 'There's not a lot of f*****g decent people about.'
The Assembly and Honesty
Rylan appeared on ITV's The Assembly, where autistic and neurodivergent journalists questioned him. He said: 'You've just got to be open and honest because no one's there to judge. And that's why it feels so safe.' He noted that people often hear untrue things about him, but the show's format allows for genuine questions.
