George Shelley: 'I've had girlfriends and boyfriends'

George Shelley has opened up about his sexuality, revealing he has had boyfriends as well as girlfriends.

Addressing the topic for the first time, the Union J singer and I’m A Celebrity star said he is attracted to men as well as women – but he rejects the “bisexual” label.

In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Shelley, 22, said: “I’ve been reading a lot of speculation online as to whether I’m straight or gay or bi, and it’s all these labels, and it’s a little bit old fashioned, and this is why I’m not going to label it myself, because it’s not something I feel I can label.

“I’ve had girlfriends that I’ve loved and have been amazing periods of my life, but I’ve also had boyfriends, and I just want you to know that whether I decide to be with a girl next or be with a guy next, it’s because I love them, and it shouldn’t be a big deal.”

Shelley finished runner-up in the 2015 series of I’m A Celebrity, and he said his time in the jungle had inspired his public declaration.

During the show, Shelley became very close with fellow contestant Ferne McCann, sparking romance rumours.

Addressing his fans, he said: “I’ve been on a personal journey and I want you to be part of that journey from now on, so I want to start 2016 with a clean slate.

“I went into the jungle and it gave me a lot of time to reflect on what’s important to me, and what is important to me is that I can be myself, and that I don’t feel that I should hide anything.

“I don’t want to make a big thing out of it when it happens and I don’t want to be scared any more. I don’t want to feel like I can’t be myself because I’m worried about what somebody might be saying about me, or the label thing, or all that stuff…

“There it is. I’ve not changed, I’m still me, I’m still the same person that I’ve always been, but like I said – I’m just becoming a little less scared of being myself and that makes me quite happy.”

He shared the video on Twitter with the hashtag #BeYourself.