Tamzin Outhwaite Shares Family's Emotional Journey After Child's Transition
EastEnders actress Tamzin Outhwaite has spoken candidly about her family's challenging yet ultimately rewarding journey toward acceptance after her eldest child, Flo, came out as transgender. The 55-year-old star, who shares daughters Florence, 17, and Marnie, 12, with ex-husband Tom Ellis, revealed that Flo first identified as a boy around age 10 or 11, though she only discussed this publicly for the first time in July last year.
A Long Path to Understanding
"It's been a long journey, a very long journey, but we're in a great place now," Tamzin confessed. "I'm just happy that he's happy, and that's how I feel at the moment. He's thriving, absolutely thriving." The actress emphasized that she respects Flo's privacy, noting she was only permitted to discuss his transition on the Parenting Hell podcast because it's his favorite show.
During her appearance on the podcast hosted by Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe, Tamzin reflected on how her perspective has evolved. "I've got two kids. I did have two daughters and now I have a son and a daughter. That's quite easy for me to say now, but it wasn't maybe six or seven years ago," she admitted.
Navigating Initial Distress and Finding Support
Tamzin recalled the initial period when Flo came out as trans, describing it as a "very distressing time." She revealed her first reaction was internal disbelief, thinking "that's ludicrous," though she never voiced this to her child. The family sought professional help to navigate this transition together.
- Family therapy sessions helped them work through challenges
- Individual therapy for Flo provided crucial support
- Open conversations with extended family revealed they weren't alone
"Working back from that with talking, family therapy, therapy on Flo's side as well, talking with family and realising you're not alone," Tamzin explained. She stressed the importance of not pushing back against a child's identity, noting that resistance often leads to opposition.
Celebrating Flo's Individuality and Talents
Beyond the transition, Tamzin emphasized that being transgender is not the most interesting thing about Flo. She proudly described him as "an incredibly funny intelligent boy" who is growing into a wonderful human with significant talents. "The maddest thing is I suppose that it's not the most interesting thing about him," she observed.
Flo is an aspiring actor and comedy writer, with Tamzin expressing nothing but "relief and joy" at seeing him thrive after some difficult periods. She acknowledged that while transgender individuals represent less than one percent of the population, the topic has become disproportionately contentious in public discourse.
Family Dynamics and Continued Support
Tamzin also discussed how her family unit has adapted. Her ex-boyfriend of six years, Tom Child, remains her "best mate" and has been present throughout Flo's transition and Marnie's adolescence. "He has been around for the whole of like Flo's transitioning period, for the whole of Marnie becoming a girl that was discovering all sorts of stuff and boys," she shared, noting he's still considered family despite their romantic relationship ending over a year ago.
Podcast co-host Rob Beckett offered perspective during their conversation, suggesting "You can't do everything to make them happy. It's in them and there's other things at play. Having to let things take their course…" Tamzin agreed, emphasizing the need for sensitivity, especially given current challenges facing the LGBT community.
Josh Widdicombe noted how Tamzin's personal experience coincided with increasing public debate about trans issues, to which she responded that every situation and child is completely different. Despite the complexities, Tamzin's overriding sentiment remains one of gratitude for her family's current place of acceptance and her child's happiness.
