Former Biggest Loser contestant and host Fiona Falkiner has shared for the first time how she came out to her parents as a lesbian in her thirties.

In a column shared on Mother’s Day, the model and TV presenter spoke candidly about the conversations she had with family and close friends about her sexuality – specifically, the phone call she had with her dad about bringing a woman home to meet her family.

“In terms of coming out stories, I feel I was very, VERY lucky. To put it in context I am 36-years-old and I had only ever taken two guys home to meet Mum and Dad so they were always a bit worried about me and my love life,” the body positive model wrote for News.com.au on Sunday.

 

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Happy Mother’s Day Mum! Wish we could be spritzing together today! Hope dad spoils you rotten! ????????????????

A post shared by Fiona Falkiner (@fionafalkiner) on May 11, 2019 at 3:20pm PDT

Falkiner, who Australia first met as a contestant on the first season of The Biggest Loser in 2006, said she first realised she might be attracted to women after connecting with a woman while travelling in South America with a group of friends.

Upon returning home to Sydney and keeping their relationship “pretty low key” for four months, Falkiner said she came out to a group of close friends, and then, her parents.

“I called my dad and said: ‘Hi Dad, just letting you know I am bringing a girlfriend home with me when I come home next week, I hope this is OK?’ He said: ‘Of course, darling’. I then said: ‘Dad … she is not just a friend she is my girlfriend, we met in South America.’

Side note – country music star Beccy Cole speaks to Mia Freedman about music, finding love, and coming out later in life on the episode of No Filter below. Post continues after audio.

“Dad’s response: ‘Oh … we can deal with that, we can deal with that, I guess the fellas have not really worked out for you have they? Not a problem, we can deal with that, okay darling, lots of love’. And he hung up. And that was it! I had come out to my parents.

“I think in the long run they were just happy that I was happy and had found someone I loved, and who loved me equally back.”

Falkiner also acknowledged not everyone’s coming out story is as positive as hers, saying, “it breaks my heart that I still have quite a few friends who have always known they were gay but haven’t come out to their parents, in fear of what their response will be.”

In April, Falkiner announced her engagement to Channel Nine reporter Hayley Willis on Instagram, sharing a selfie from their Vanuatu holiday.

 

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She asked and I said yes! ????????‍♀️????????

A post shared by Fiona Falkiner (@fionafalkiner) on Apr 16, 2019 at 2:00pm PDT

In her own Instagram post, Willis thanked everyone who made her overseas proposal possible.

“I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you Fee,” the sports journalist wrote on Instagram.

 

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15.4.19 I asked, and you said yes! I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you Fee ❤️???? To everyone who made this incredibly perfect moment possible – Our friends @the_moso_life for helping me plan it, our chef turned videographer Clifford who captured it perfectly, and to the locals who set off fireworks as we came back to the resort! Thank you all so much, I am forever grateful xxx

A post shared by Hayley Willis (@hayley__willis) on Apr 16, 2019 at 2:00pm PDT

“To everyone who made this incredibly perfect moment possible – our friends @the_moso_life for helping me plan it, our chef turned videographer who captured it perfectly, and to the locals who set off fireworks as we came back to the resort.

“Thank you so much, I am forever grateful.”

For more on Fiona Falkiner’s coming out experience, read her full News.com.au column here.