Hot Trends: Tom: I was dating a girl months before meeting my boyfriend

The Oly mpic diver, 19, is said to be dati ng Dustin Lance Black, 39 He claims it was 'love at first sight' and was shocked he fell for a man Friends said he was in a relationship with a woman as recently as March

By Louise Eccles and Laura Cox

PUBLISHED: 17:58 EST, 4 December 2013 | UPDATED: 20:29 EST, 4 December 2013



Olympic diver Tom Daley was dating a woman only a few months before meeting his boyfriend - believed to be an Oscar-winning gay activist 20 years his senior.

The 19-year-old met Hollywood screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, 39, in March, after the Nickelodeon Annual Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles.

While Daley has refused to name his boyfriend, friends said Black was the mystery man.

Daley, who won bronze at last year's London Olympics, told The Jonathan Ross Show, which airs on Saturday, that it was 'love at first sight', but admitted it was a shock to find he had fallen for a man. He said: 'People say "why did he have a girlfriend last year?". Well, because I had a girlfriend last year.

'And it wasn't until spring this year, it came upon me. I didn't expect it and it happened. Everything kind of clicked, everything went right.'

When Ross asked if he was surprised by his feelings, Daley replied: 'It was the fact I was falling for a guy and it happened so quickly.'

Daley said he did not want to label himself as gay or bisexual, adding: 'To be honest, everything is all pretty new and I don't see any point in putting a label on it.'

Last night, friends said Daley was dating a female friend as recently as March - but broke up with her when he met Black. A source said: 'Tom was dating a girl, an old friend of his, for a few months when he went to LA for the awards.

'Their relationship was pretty informal, but when he got back, she heard he had met someone else. She was pretty upset because she had feelings for him, but she had no idea it was a man until this week.

'Everything fell into place and she heard who he was seeing. She is happy for him, but it was a surprise.'



Daley told Ross his boyfriend was his first real love, saying: 'I can't get him out of my head all the time'.

Black won an Academy Award in 2008 for best original screenplay for his film Milk, starring Sean Penn, which is based on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk.

He co-founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights and has been repeatedly listed in OUT Magazine's '50 Most Powerful LGBT persons'.

Last weekend Black attended the Side By Side Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, and Transgender Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia.

It was really love at first sight. I've never felt anything like it before. I hadn't even talked to him and I was like, wow. I didn't know what to do

But his reputation as a safe-sex advocate was marred in 2009 when gossip columnist Perez Hilton published explicit photographs of Black having unprotected sex. The screenwriter later issued an apology.

Black answered the door of his £1million Los Angeles home yesterday, but did not comment when asked about his relationship with Daley.

The gated English Tudor-style four-bedroom house is set just off Sunset Boulevard. Daley has made a number of secret visits to California and the pair were pictured drinking coffee together in Los Angeles in October.

The coffee shop is within walking distance of Black's home. Yesterday Black wrote on his Facebook profile: 'Slept all day today after my trip to Russia. Did I miss anything?'

Friends then appeared to confirm rumours he was in a relationship with Daley by posting swimming puns in response to the message.

Jayden Parker O'Neal wrote: 'Let me take a dive into this. Nope, everything is just swimming along.

Marc Wheeler said: 'Oh, you know, just a little something about some Olympic athlete dating some equally gorgeous and wonderful man, but other than that, no.'





While Daley never mentioned his name, the young diver seemed more than happy to talk about his boyfriend on Ross's show, which had been brought forward to coincide with his announcement.

He said he was instantly attracted to him, telling Ross: 'It really was love at first sight. I've never felt anything like it before. I hadn't even talked to him and I was like okay, wow, I didn't know what to do.'

He described how he walked over to the man and typed his phone number into his mobile. He added: 'I have never had it before where I love someone and they love me just as much as I love them. I am used to - believe it or not - rejection when it comes to girls and dating. Honestly, seriously.

'I have never been in a position before where I have felt so happy. I thought I felt feelings like it before but this way surpasses all of it. Nothing compares.'



Daley said his boyfriend supported his decision to announce he was in a gay relationship, which he declared via a YouTube video message on Monday.

He also said his partner had encouraged him to keep diving when he wanted to quit earlier this year.

He said: 'He just gave that extra motivation and made me think, yeah, and he just made me work so hard. He's just exactly what I need.'

Black's agent and publicist did not return calls or emails about Daley.

When asked about Black, Daley's spokesman said he would 'not be making any comments today'.