Irish Sunday Mirror

I’m bisexual.. and I’ve not told my dad Gazza yet

-

show a year ago. Regan says: “We were in the middle of our bows and it goes quiet. Dad just stood up in the Dress Circle and shouted ‘I love you Regan’. I was so embarrasse­d – but trying not to laugh at the same time.

“Dad is always crazy, you never know what he is going to do. He’s always up for a laugh.

“We would go on some amazing holidays, we spent a lot of time at Disneyland. If I could get Dad to sit still we would watch films together. Hocus Pocus was a popular one.

“Dad has a full cupboard of sweets, cookies and jellies. We love our sugar.

“Also he does funny things. He likes to crush things so, at Easter, if you are walking round a shop, he’ll crush the eggs. As everyone knows, he’s a laugh.” But Regan admits there was little to smile about during his parents’ bitter, well-publicised break-up. He watched his father’s life spiral out of control amid near-deadly binges.

Regan got through the tough times by concentrat­ing on performing.

HEALTHY

He says: “When negative things were happening, performing would distract me from it. Unfortunat­ely, it is a very sad situation, but that is life.

“It has been my life. Every family has problems, unfortunat­ely I have grown up around that, but I don’t dwell on it.”

Unlike Gazza, Regan has no interest in soccer and says of school PE lessons: “We used to do sport and play football, but I used to just pirouette down the white line on the pitch.

“Ever since I could walk I was always spinning around dancing, putting on little shows for friends and family. I don’t think I let Dad down because I chose a different career path.

“Dad tells me what he had to do to become successful, so I can apply the same to my career. He managed to make his dreams come true, so I can see when you’re dedicated to something you can achieve your goals.”

Regan danced for the English National Ballet before joining Tring Performing Arts School in Herts. He has sung in Trafalgar Square for March 4 Women and danced with Qdos

Entertainm­ent in pantomimes for the last four years. He stays fit and even makes healthy green shakes for Gazza when he visits.

But is he worried about being thrust into the limelight after seeing Gazza battle his demons so publicly?

Regan says: “I have stayed away from the limelight. Performing is what I do, so I love to be judged on just that. That is a big thing for me.

“I don’t want to be famous, I just want to be successful in what I do. My mum worries when I don’t get a job, or face rejection, and the fame side of it. I wouldn’t want to not have Dad as Dad but I would love to grow up not being the son of a famous person. I find it really hard. Because people know what he does, they assume I’m a joke act or I’m not actually going be able to dance or sing. But like Dad tells me, if I keep working hard, I can achieve anything.”

And of Gazza’s welfare, he says: “Like any child, you worry about your parents. I just want him to be healthy and happy.

“I love my dad, of course I do. We always tell each other that. We are a very loving and close family.

“We have our own lives, he is busy doing his thing. So when we do spend time together, you appreciate it more.”

halina.watts@mirror.co.uk

REGAN ON HIS LIFE IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS GAZZA’S BOY

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Ireland