Digital publisher LADbible Group (LBG) has dropped a special edition of its formatted series The Gap to celebrate Pride. The 26 minute episode sees LBG sit down with former professional footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger and current professional footballer Jake Daniels, both of whom came out as gay at different points in their lives.
Ex-Aston Villa, Everton and Germany star Hitzlsperger, now 40, made the decision to wait until he retired to publicly announce his sexuality – very much a sign of the era he played football in. By contrast, current Blackpool player Daniels chose to come out publicly right at the start of his career. When he did so, he received support and praise from the likes of Gary Lineker, Harry Kane, Sir Ian McKellen and Prince William.
During a wide ranging conversation, the two men discuss why they chose to come out publicly when they did and what stops other gay male professional footballers from coming out. They also discussed their hopes for the future of the LGBTQ+ community within the men’s professional game. Available on YouTube via LADbible TV, the Hitzlsperger/Daniels special has been watched 8400 times at time of writing.
The Gap is a long-running flexible interview format which sees two people of different ages discuss a shared experience that impacted their lives, how it affected them and how they dealt with it to ultimately emerge stronger. Previous editions have talked to gangsters, sex workers, addicts, homeless people and soldiers.
LADBibe Group recently revealed a new research report that revealed that nearly half of Gen Z aren’t planning beyond the next 6 months.
