The Only Way is Essex star Charlie King has come out on live television, saying, ‘I feel so positive about this!’

He was talking on the This Morning sofa with gay journalist James Ingham, who writes the celebrity pages for The Star, and Wayne Dhesi, youth coordinator for gay rights charity Stonewall, a few days ahead of National Coming Out day this Saturday.

They discussed with presenters Phillip Schofield and Amanda Holden the difficulty in coming out, especially for young people.

Stonewall today launched a guide for young people who think they might be lesbian, gay or bisexual, discussing in plain English issues including religion, having children, getting married and bullying at school.

Stonewall’s research shows that homophobic bullying remains endemic in British schools and many young people still feel isolated and unsupported when coming out. Coming Out provides practical information on how to talk to friends and family as well as information on how to access support that is available across the country.

Wayne Dhesi, Stonewall’s Youth Coordinator, said: ‘Coming out can be a daunting and confusing time for young people. Our latest guidance addresses many of the common questions that this process presents in a positive and down-to-earth way that young people can relate to and understand.’

Stonewall’s Coming Out guide follows on from So you think your child is gay? – a guide for parents who think their child may be lesbian, gay or bisexual.

So So Gay talked to Charlie about his fitness and diet regime back in January and he has coincidentally just been signed as the main personality for underwear retailer Bang + Strike’s latest campaign. You can see all 26 shots of Charlie in his pants on Bang + Strike’s Pinterest.