Jordan Burrow from ‘I Kissed a Boy’ tells FvH Podcast how to make men’s football more gay friendly
The lover boy from the Lake District has been one of the stars of the BBC TV reality dating show’s second season; Jordan joins the FvH Podcast to discuss coming from a Man Utd-supporting family, coming out as gay, and coming to the icons party dressed as Jake Daniels…
Jordan Burrow grew up on a farm near Sedbergh, where the Lake District meets the Yorkshire Dales, in a family of loyal Manchester United fans.
But for the last few weeks, he’s been seen on TV in a masseria in southern Italy, in the second season of the BBC TV show, ‘I Kissed a Boy’.
And when asked to choose a ‘queer icon’ to represent at the party in episode 3, it was football that inspired him – he came dressed as Jake Daniels, the UK’s only out gay player in the professional men’s game.
The 26-year-old got a hugely positive response when he explained on social media why he wanted to honour Daniels, including from the footballer himself, who sent Jordan a DM and shared the post on his Instagram story.
“It’s so important that more footballers and sports personalities come out while playing as it increases inclusion and visibility,” wrote Jordan in his post.
“The majority of supporters in football are dads, brothers, grandfathers, uncles and these are usually the people within families that young queer people fear coming out to.”
Now Jordan has joined the latest episode of the Football v Homophobia Podcast to talk about his “love-hate relationship” with the sport, and how it impacted him growing up gay in a rural part of the country.
“My dad and brother played, and my brother was really good,” says Jordan.
“I just wasn’t as good, and that used to infuriate me. I used to think, I should be really good at this!
“I was really into football though, watching United with my dad as a teenager. And then when I was 16, I came out as gay.
“I went through a weird phase, thinking, was I just watching it to try and be a ‘masc person’?”
Football and Pride needs to be ‘more than just a rainbow flag’
Looking back now, Jordan is sure that having no out gay role models in the men’s game to look up to was something that added to his insecurities.
He now wants to use the platform he’s been given by the TV show to start more conversations about how men’s football, and all sports perceived to be more ‘masculine’, can help to break down the barriers that still exist.
On the podcast, he talks about the vital role played by LGBTQ+-inclusive clubs and teams like Manchester Village FC, for whom he played when he first moved to the city a few years ago.
He’s now channelling his energies into the gym, with an ambition to be a personal trainer.
“I’ve realised now that it’s not that you’re gay and you can’t play sport, it’s that you just need to find your sport – and it can sometimes just be harder to find, especially if you feel you don’t fit in to those ‘masculine’ areas.”
The conclusion of ‘I Kissed a Boy’ is hitting BBC Three and BBC iPlayer during Pride Month, a time of year that holds great significance to LGBTQ people everywhere.
In 2025, however, there are clear signs that companies, businesses and brands which have marked Pride in previous years are much less vocal and visible this year.
As far as football is concerned, a scan of social media accounts from the professional men’s game suggests fewer than 20 of the 92 Premier League and EFL clubs have even acknowledged Pride Month in any way between the start of June and now.
There’s still time of course, and many clubs will wait until the local Pride event in their city or town to send out a welcoming message to their LGBTQ staff, fans, and wider community.
When they do, it’s often delivered with a highly risk-averse approach. For example, Wolves posted a ‘Happy Pride’ message on X on the morning of Wolverhampton Pride last Saturday, but turned off the comments. The club’s ‘Pride in the Pack’ group for LGBTQ+ supporters and allies were marching in the parade.
Happy Pride to the Pride In The Pack supporter group and fans representing the club in Wolverhampton today! 🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/0umfPgPJGK
— Wolves (@Wolves) June 7, 2025
In the quote tweets, several users said they were saddened by the approach taken by the club’s social media team, while noting the decision would have been taken to avoid hateful and discriminatory replies being visible under the post.
Jordan believes clubs everywhere should be thinking more seriously about how they can create stronger links with LGBTQ people who live nearby as well as those who support the team from afar.
Creating space and making time to talk is what’s needed, he says. “We’ve all got a common bond, and you would see more and more people coming forward because they’d feel more comfortable.
“But if there’s no presence, no one there to speak to, to be understood – more than just a rainbow flag, because it needs to be a connection – then people won’t come forward and people won’t feel comfortable to say who they are and be proud of who they are.”
Listen to the podcast episode in full here, and visit the Football v Homophobia website for more information about the campaign.
“I Kissed a Boy: The Reunion” is on June 15 at 9pm on BBC Three in the U.K.. Catch up on all episodes of “I Kissed a Boy” on BBC iPlayer.
Further reading and listening…
After going on UK’s first gay dating show, this gay guy is pursuing his sports dream (Outsports)
Football referees Mikey Connor and Dan McFarlane share tips for good gay mental health on FvH Podcast (Sports Media LGBT+)
93% of LGBTQ people want tougher action against homophobia in football, new survey shows (Sports Media LGBT+)
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