Queer Eye star Antoni Porowski has said he feels labelling himself as gay “dishonours” the women he has previously had relationships with.
The Canadian TV personality and cook, who acts as the food and wine expert on Netflix’s makeover and life overhaul series, told GQ Hype that while he has been dating men for several years, he has had more romances with women overall.
Of his sexuality, he said: “I don’t really know and I kind of like not knowing.
“I feel like if I do refer to myself as gay, which would make it easier for people to understand sometimes, I feel like it dishonours women that I’ve been in love with.”
However, he said that working on the programme has helped him to “get a place where I’m a lot more comfortable in my skin” and that while he prefers to not label his sexuality, “fluid” or “queer” are close.
Porowski said he is still amused by being considered a sex symbol since rising to global fame last year in the programme and that he worries his appearance gives people the wrong impression.
He said: “I did not think that I was going to be objectified as a 34-year-old male, that usually happens for guys in their 20s.”
He added: “I used to do this thing where any opportunity I’d remind somebody that I have an educational background.
“I went to university, I’m not an idiot, I read a tonne of books. I’ve kind of calmed down on that a little because I think with physical appearance it’s always assumed that you’re a dumb ass.”
Porowski, who recently released his first cookbook Antoni In The Kitchen, is part of Queer Eye’s team of makeover experts called the Fab Five alongside hairstylist Jonathan Van Ness, culture guru Karamo Brown, fashion expert Tan France and home designer Bobby Berk.
The Emmy-winning show is a reboot of the 2003 series Queer Eye For The Straight Guy.
The full interview is available online via GQ Hype.