'Therapy stopped me feeling like an outcast'

Demi Sims on the benefits of talking to a therapist, embracing her sexuality at her own pace and how her friends and family are her biggest cheerleaders

- RHONA MERCER

During her seven years on reality show The Only Way Is Essex, viewers watched Demi Sims trying to figure out who she really is, admitting she’d struggled with her sexuality since her teens, and gradually accepting the fact that she’s attracted to girls.

When we meet the 26-year-old, she tells us she’s finally comfortable with herself and, as a result, is more determined than ever to be a role model for others in the same situation.

“I want people to look at me and think, ‘She’s done it, so we can do it,’” says Demi, who first publicly referred to herself as bisexual when she was 19.

“I like it when people look up to me because I try my hardest to put myself out there. I’ve been single for two years, so I’ve not really had a relationship to put out there for others to see. But a couple of years ago I brought my ex [Too Hot To Handle’s Francesca Farago] on to TOWIE because I want the LGBTQ+ community to see that it’s a normal thing.”