'My biggest regret': Big Brother's Leo reveals he was ashamed of his mother's same-sex relationship before learning 'love is love'...and falling for housemate Skye
He's the gym junkie with a ripped body - and the guy with a soft spot for fellow housemate Skye.
And now, after being evicted on Monday night, Big Brother Australia contestant Leo - whose real name is Ryan Burke-Gaffney-has revealed the challenges of his past are what helped shape him into a true gentleman.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, the reality star revealed his mother's same sex relationship was something he felt ashamed of while growing up in home country Canada - but he learned to change his attitude, teaching him valuable life lessons.
'My mum is an out-lesbian and I was raised by her and her partner, and also between my dad and my stepdad,' the Gold Coast based personal trainer said, explaining that between the age of three and 13 he lived between the two households.
Elaborating on his relationship with his mother, he said: 'I'm from pretty much the last generation before homosexuality was a really common and accepted thing.
'There was no Ellen, no Sex And The City kind of going on when I was in high school and junior high so I copped a lot of flak for it.'
Being bullied in high school led the student Leo feeling ashamed, and he went to great efforts to conceal his mother's romantic relationship with partner Sheryl from his peers.
'When I was young I was going through puberty and I would say to my mum "how could you do this to me, why are you putting me through this?".'
'There were lots of times I’d say "you’ve got to tell everyone she’s my aunt" and if they ever came to any events at my school or if it was public I demanded that they didn’t hold hands or anything like that,' Leo revealed.
But more than a decade later Leo says today, he is a changed person.
'Those are some of the biggest regrets of my life,' he said of his attitude to his mother's sexuality.
I was young, I was confused, I was angry, and I was saying things that I still regret to this day.'
Having been in Australia since 2007, working as a personal trainer and model, a now-mature Leo maintains a strong relationship with his family back home.
'Me and my mum and Sheryl have a wonderful relationship,' he says.'They know how much I care about them and how much they mean to me, and I know how much I mean to them.'
'My mum’s relationship with her partner is the happiest and healthiest relationship I’ve ever seen and I aspire to one day connect with a person the way they do and they really set an example for me.
'So I wouldn’t change it for the world.'
And speaking of finding someone he connects with, Leo certainly developed a close bond with blonde bombshell Skye in the house.
Being very affectionate in the house since he entered as an intruder, Leo and Skye faced some obstacles in recent weeks, slowly drifting apart as Skye's attraction to Ryan grew.
But while many claim Skye was simply playing strategic with her relationships, Leo says there were true feelings on both sides.
'I know Skye wants to win Big Brother more than anything,' he said.
'I'm pretty sure she’s willing to do just about anything to get there but I think that what was happening between me and Skye was pretty real and pretty heartfelt so I’d be surprised to find out it was purely strategic.'
Despite the pair's 10-year age difference, Leo explained it was actually Skye's maturity for a 20-year-old that really drew him to her.
'The thing that really impressed me most about her was just how much she wanted to learn and improve herself at the age of 20,' he said. 'When I was 20-years-old I was a mess.'
Explaining Skye truly welcomed him into the house and helped him flourish, he said: 'If she didn’t reach out to me the way she did in the first few days I don’t think I would’ve really made it as far as I did.'
And even if the Queensland beauty chooses to pursue a relationship with Ryan or anyone else on the outside, he insists he will hold the upmost respect for her.
'I’ll always have a soft spot for her and I’ll always care about her, 'he said.
'I want what's best for her.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbi...earning-love-love-falling-housemate-Skye.html