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One year after THAT Instagram post, the premier league power couple talk the upcoming season: Lust Conquers All and the reaction following their historic coming out post
It's been a year since AFC Richmond’s Roy Kent & Jamie Tartt both came out as bisexual and announced their relationship in one Instagram post. We catch up with them at the Dog Track as they begin training for the 2023-24 season.
Attitude: So, Roy & Jamie, it’s been a whole year since you posted that coming out post, what's life been like since?
Jamie Tartt: It’s been mint, yeah. Not much has changed in our personal lives since everyone around us already knew beforehand. I’d say the best part has been being able to kiss this one after a win & hold hands in public without worrying if anyone will take a photo and put it on Twitter.
A: And Roy, you’ve been in the public eye for over 20 years, how has this been different?
Roy Kent: It’s been the same, all of what Jamie said.
A: So Jamie, how are you feeling about the upcoming season with Roy as the new AFC Richmond Head Coach?
JT: Yeah, thrilled. He’s a great coach, much louder than Ted & swears a lot, but it’s nice. The team all really respect him and the fans seem to be excited about it. Big man coach Roy Kent.
RK: Fuck off.
JT: We do miss Ted, though.
photo by milly p, clothes supplied by Roy Kent
A: Have you been watching the latest season of Lust Conquers All ?
RK: Yes.
JT: No, I can't bear to watch it after I was unfairly robbed.
A: Roy, I would never have picked you as someone who watches the show. Who are you rooting for, then?
RK: I think Rachel & Phil are going to win. They’ve been together since the start and seem like a perfect couple.
JT: Are you joking? Sophie and Brett are clearly going to win.
A: What was it like seeing the reaction to the coming out post and the other athletes that you inspired to come out?
RK: Did we?.
JT: Yes Roy, remember I show you posts all the time, one lad even mentioned us in the caption. We didn’t set out to start a ‘movement’ as I've seen people calling it. I’m just happy that we got to inspire those people even just a little bit!
A: Okay, but there was an outpouring of support from fans and everyone online really after the post, it must have been a scary thing to do? How did it feel seeing all that support pouring in?
JT: Roy cried.
RK: Fuck off no, I did not.
JT: He did. It was pretty scary though, not knowing how people were going to react was fucking terrifying. Seeing all the nice comments really made it all worth it though.
A: Have you seen that some people have started calling the two of you ‘Queer Role Models’, how does that make you feel?
RK: Pass.
JT: Yeah no it’s been mint, we sign a lot of pride flags now. I wouldn’t really call us role models though, I just wanted to be able to kiss my boyfriend in public.
A: What was your reaction to Sir Elton John commenting on the post?
Jamie: When Isaac [Isaac McAdoo, AFC Richmond center back] told us I thought he was taking the piss. It was nice to have support from someone like him though.
Roy: I think my sister was more excited about that comment than the fact that we’d just come out.
A: I’ve heard that Sir Elton John has been known to phoning people up, have you heard from him since the post?
RK: That’s none of your fucking business.
JT: Let’s just say yes and leave it at that.
A: And have any other celebs reached out since the post?
JT: Yeah, loads of people have reached out actually, my favourite one was Harry Styles who congratulated us and gave us tickets to his show last week which was aces since I was secretly a One Direction fan as a teenager.
RK: My 9 year old niece really enjoyed that one. We got to take her to the show and she got to go backstage and meet him, which she was chuffed with, but now she thinks we’re friends with Harry Styles & I don’t have the heart to tell her we aren’t .
A: Now I need to know your favourite Harry Styles songs
RK: Woman.
JT: This question is mean because I love them all, but since you’re making me pick one i’d have to say Matilda but at the moment i’ve been listening to Sunflower Vol. 6 a lot.
photo by milly p for attitude smile courtesy of Jamie Tartt
Roy has gone to the bathroom when I asked this question just to Jamie
A: Now Jamie, only a few years ago we witnessed the two of you physically fighting each other on the pitch, when did it all change?
JT: Eventually we slowly started becoming friends then one day, he’s going to kill me when he reads this, we were hanging out after a game and playing fifa and he just kissed me and now here we are.
A: The photos from your coming out post are, dare I say, iconic. I even saw online that a couple people dressed up as you for halloween, what made you pick those specific photos? Must’ve been a hard choice?
JT: I looked fit.
RK: Jamie looked fit, next question.
A: What do you say to the people that aren’t so supportive of your sexuality and relationship
RK: Fuck ‘em, we’re both very happy together and some c*** on twitter or at a game isn’t going to change that no matter how hard they seem to try.
A: Do you have any icons or influences that you draw inspiration from in day to day life or in football?
JT: Oh so many, I grew up idolising this bloke named Roy Kent, even had his poster on my wall and everything. But also lads like Beckham & also Bowie, fucking loved him growing up, my mummy would play his music all the time.
RK: Met Bowie once, he was lovely.
A: And Roy, for you?
RK: No one, met them all and they all turned out to be dicks.
JT: Don’t think you’re allowed to say that .
RK: Well I just did, and you can print that I don’t give a fuck. But i've been watching Sam Kerr's career for a while and she’s doing great things.
A: Jamie, we have to ask you about your iconic Twitter, your Instagram seems to be so curated but Twitter is the opposite. Why is that?
JT: I feel less pressure on Twitter, feel like I can get away with posting whatever I want.
RK: I’m sure Keeley [Keeley Jones, Publicist for AFC Richmond and former girlfriend of both Roy and Jamie] would disagree with that.
JT: To be honest, I just do it because it's fun. Plus I love to see everyones reactions.
A: Recently your teammate Colin Hughes has also come out, how was that?
JT: Yeah we’re dead proud of Colin, he’s a good friend and that was very brave of him. That’s his story to tell so don’t want to talk any further about it, but just know us greyhounds are all very proud of him.
RK: Colin’s a good lad.
A: I have some quick rapid fire questions for you now
- What's your favourite song at the moment?
RK: Vertigo by the Libertines.
JT: Friesenjung by Joost Klein, Otto Waalkes, and Ski Aggu.
RK: Why the fuck would you pick that song when you know I hate it.
JT: It's a good song
RK: But you don't even know what they're saying
- Do you have a favourite movie
JT: Okay this one's easy, mine is Shaun of the Dead.
RK: I’ll deny it if anyone ever brings it up again but mine is Frozen, it’s my niece’s favourite movie and it helped me bond with her a lot when she was younger.
- First concert & Best concert
RK: My first concert was Robbie Williams & The best one was when I took my niece to see Frozen with a live orchestra because it was her favourite day ever .
JT: First concert was actually Elton John with my mum when I was a teenager & I think the best one was Harry Styles last week.
- What would be your last meal on earth
JT: Probably my mum's Sunday roast. We didn’t have a lot of money growing up so it was always a special treat & Mummy always made it exactly how I liked it.
RK: Kebab.
JT: C’mon babe give them more than that.
RK: No, don’t want these fuckers to know my kebab place, that’s my church.
A: Okay looks like Keeley is giving us the wrap up so I have one final question for the both of you: Are you happy?
Jamie: Yes very. Never been happier.
Roy: What Jamie said. I’m very glad we did come out, it's been a very good year.