AN actor who ‘piled on weight’ after coming to terms with his sexuality is celebrating Pride month with renewed confidence.

It was in 2012 Ben Maytham came out as gay to his best friend but once comfortable with his sexuality he started to gain weight.

Ben, 28, said going out more with friends meant he was eating and drinking more until he hit 15 st 7lbs.

The actor, from Colchester, said it was a low point but he managed to find the confidence to turn his life around.

He said: “It was easy coming out to my best friend, we were watching Eurovision at the time and I think she already knew.

“A year later I had to leave drama school as it all got a bit too much and that’s how everyone else found out.

“I was at the International School of Screen Acting in London and it was my final year. I took the term off and went back after the Easter holidays to finish the course.

“My friends were really supportive and my family reacted really well.

“I have had people who have decided not to speak to me but it is what it is, you get to learn who your true friends are.”

After coming out to friends and family in 2013, he got into his first relationship but this ended the following year.

He said: “That’s when I started piling on the pounds as I just felt content out of a relationship and would go out a lot with friends.

“Later that year I found my partner, Carl, who I am still with.”

He said coming to terms with his sexuality and putting on weight afterwards affected his mental as well as physical health.

He added: “I still get comments but it’s being surrounded by positive people that helps.

“I hosted a charity event wearing drag for the Mind mental health charity.”

The turning point for Ben was when he was rehearsing for a play in February last year.

He said: “We had to do an exercise imagining what kind of animal our characters would be.

“Someone called me a whale which made everyone else laugh, it was very isolating. I tried to find a quick fix with Slim Fast but I got bored of milkshakes. I needed that support network otherwise I would have given up.”

“I had low confidence and didn’t want to be looked at.”

In January he joined the Kingsland Church Slimming World in Colchester.

He now weighs 12 stone 11 pounds and is proud of how far he has come. He said: “I couldn’t just wear a t-shirt before, I would have to wear a jacket as well and I didn’t like looking in the mirror. “It has changed my confidence and mental health.”

He has since been nominated as a finalist in the Man of the Year Competition at the group he attends.