Sebastian Croft has spoken about the "lonely" experience of being outed as a teenager, revealing years of bullying and isolation ultimately led him to leave school at the age of 16.
The 24-year-old actor and singer, currently appearing in Celebrity Traitors, said he struggled throughout his time at a private boarding school in Oxfordshire, where he was subjected to bullying before a fellow pupil revealed his sexuality to others.
Sebastian, who rose to international fame as Ben Hope in Netflix hit Heartstopper, said he had endured what he described as a "weirdly old-school experience" during his years in education. According to a recent interview with The i Paper, the actor was involved in a secret relationship with another boy at school before being outed.
Reflecting on the experience, the actor said he did not blame the classmate involved. "I had a really difficult few years," he said. "I don't blame the other boy who did it, because he was obviously just also trying to navigate the fact that he was getting chipped for being gay."
He described a stark contrast between his experiences as a young performer and life back at school. "It was a really lonely and difficult time in my life," he said. "I would leave school and be an actor and be doing the thing I loved the most, and be with other like-minded people, and feel so liberated in myself, and then I'd go back to school and be bullied and ostracised."
Sebastian began acting at a young age, appearing on stage before making his television debut as young Ned Stark in Game of Thrones. He has since built a successful screen career with roles in Heartstopper, Horrible Histories: The Movie and How to Date Billy Walsh.
The actor has also become an outspoken LGBTQ+ advocate. Earlier this month, profiles published around his appearance on Celebrity Traitors highlighted his work as a queer activist and his involvement in the Queer Was Always Here initiative, which celebrates LGBTQ+ history and supports displaced queer people.
Sebastian is one of several LGBTQ+ contestants appearing in the current series of Celebrity Traitors, alongside stars including Bella Ramsey, Joe Lycett and Myha'la.
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