Celebrity Hunted’s Carlos Gu on ‘hard’ reality of being gay in China
Carlos Gu has embraced his true self since moving to the UK to join Strictly Come Dancing in 2022. (Getty)
Strictly Come Dancing star Carlos Gu is taking on a new challenge with fellow Strictly dancer Amy Down in Channel 4’s Celebrity Hunted, but the performer has previously opened up about the very different challenge of growing up gay in China.
Professional dancer Gu, who joined Strictly in 2022 and lifted the famous glitterball trophy with celebrity partner Karen Cairney last year, came out publicly in an interview on ITV’s Lorraine in 2024, where he reflected on the difficulty of being gay in his home country.
“Myself, I moved to this country. I had a different life. I am finding my true self in this country,” the performer said at the time.
“Being gay in China, it’s really hard to talk about it. You can’t tell a word in telly, public, no word.”
Gu, who is set to try and evade police-style surveillance for two weeks on Celebrity Hunted, which supports Stand Up to Cancer, admitted that his mum had found it “hard” to come to terms with his sexuality, but that she had been fully supportive of his move to the UK, where he has been able to embrace his true self publicly.
“I think, because I came out to my mum… she’s a single mum who raised me, it’s hard for her”, he said. “But I’m so lucky to have her, she’s so open. The time when I told her I want to move to UK and I want to get this job on Strictly, she actually supported me 100% because she knew I would be happier there.”
Homosexuality has been legal in China since 1997, but same-sex marriage remains illegal and there are virtually no protections for LGBTQ+ people.
Same-sex couples have been able to apply for a “guardianship appointment” since 2017, which affords them certain rights to share assets and inheritance, but they are not allowed to adopt.
Trans citizens are only permitted to change their gender after undergoing gender-reassignment surgery. Gender-affirming care is only permitted for people over the age of 18, and they must have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, have applied for gender-reassignment surgery for at least five years, have no criminal record and be unmarried.
Gu is set to return to the Strictly ballroom when the competitive dancing show returns this autumn, and the star previously told Attitude that he would like to be paired with a male celebrity for the first time to inspire young LGBTQ+ Asians.
“Just for a little Asian boy at home, or for anyone watching, to see two men dance – it’s sexy,” he said.
Last month, Gu showed off a dramatic drag-style transformation for Asian Pride UK, complete with a towering beehive wig and full-on glam.
Celebrity Hunted airs on on Tuesday 4 August at 9pm BST on Channel 4.
