CBBC vet Dr James Greenwood has described his wedding day as 'the happiest, most poignant day of his life.'
The TV animal expert recently opened up about his journey of self-discovery and talked about his relationship with his husband in an interview with Attitude.
James, who is a practicing veterinary surgeon and resident vet on CBBC's The Pets Factor and BBC One’s Morning Live, recalled how he overcame personal struggles a decade ago to emerge as an out and proud gay man.
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He explained: " I came out in my mid-twenties. I think that was the time in my life that I felt the most vulnerable in so many ways. I worked through some really dark times.
"Coming out was the most pivotal, life-affirming decision I have ever made for myself."
James met his husband online and the couple have been together for 13 years now.
The pair live on a smallholding with their beloved dogs Dolly and Oliver, a one-eyed Labrador as well as hens, ducks sheep and a very "aggy" goose called Ryan.
James, who previously appeared as a contestant in the first series of The Great Pottery Throw Down on BBC Two, added: "He was running ski chalets in the French Alps, and I had just moved back to the UK, so it took us a while for our paths to cross in person, but when they did, everything just fell into place.
"He is also a massive animal lover, and the dream is to live on a small farm and be totally self-sufficient.
"For a large portion of my life, same-sex marriage was not even an option legally, so when we got married in June 2019 it was, hands-down, the happiest, most poignant day of my life."
The 36-year-old went on to explain how casual homophobia still remains a trigger for him.
He recalled: "The last time I got angry was a few weeks ago when I took our nephews to the park to play football.
"A group of teenage lads were messing about, shouting homophobic slurs at each other while the dads on the sidelines did nothing to correct them."
James has openly talked about the part he tries to play in the growing representation of the queer community in the media and how he chooses to keep fans updated about his personal life on social media.
He explained how if he can play a small role in reaching the younger audience within the LGBT+ community through the CBBC, then 'he is totally up for that challenge.'
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