Officer Mark wins Mr. Gay UK title

[dude]

Officer Mark wins Mr Gay UK titleBy Rebecca Wright

PC Mark CarterA PC who cried himself to sleep at night because of his fear of coming out, was today celebrating being named Britain's sexiest gay man.

PC Mark Carter, 23, scooped the title of Mr Gay UK supported by up to 50 colleagues from West Yorkshire Police at the event at Blackpool's Flamingo Club.

As one of 25 regional finalists, he stripped down to swimwear to reveal his body to celebrity judges including Big Brother's Lea, Su Pollard, Rowetta and Anita Dobson.

PC Carter said: "I am absolutely 100 per cent over the moon. Two years ago I used to cry myself to sleep at night, I was so daunted by the prospect of coming out, but when I did, it was the best thing ever. I was so happy I could finally be myself.

continued...

"I came from a very straight background and upbringing. I played football, I was a sports captain, I had girlfriends. I thought telling people I was gay would mean no-one would want to know me, but at the Mr Gay UK final I had more people together, supporting me, in one place, than I've ever had in my life."

PC Carter, who lives in Bradford and works on patrol in Huddersfield, went into the contest hoping to change perception of gay men He said: "I am happy that people will be able to see that there are police officers who are gay and we are not necessarily the usual people that they see on TV programmes like Big Brother.

"It will be good for other young gay men to see someone like me who has been successful in a professional job like policing."

His bosses gave him their approval after he told them he had reached the final by winning a heat in Birmingham.

He admitted he was unsure how they would take the news but was relieved when they gave him the official go-ahead.

Attitudes had changed over the years, he said, and there was now more support for gay officers in the force.

West Yorkshire colleague PC Maureen Hales, one of the party who went to Blackpool in matching t-shirts bearing his photograph, said: "Mark is great, I knew he'd win, he's so down to earth. He's lovely."

PC Carter, who has been an officer for 18 months, won ?5,000 in prizes and will embark on a year of personal appearances and photoshoots.

According to the organisers Mr Gay UK was chosen via text votes and on-the-night voting, on the basis of looks, personality and "x-factor".

Competition organiser Terry George, says: "Mark is a great example of a young gay man achieving his goals in life. If anyone assumed it was just bimbos that entered competitions like this, Mark's proving them wrong."

e-mail: rebecca.wright@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

[Tragic Rabbit]

Yum! What a cutie!

But where's the swimsuit photo?

My favorite line: If anyone assumed it was just bimbos that entered competitions like this, Mark's proving them wrong.

BTW, do British cops still not regularly carry firearms (as US cops do)?

Kisses...

TR

[Trab]

http://mrgayuk.co.uk/home/?topic=1402

http://mrgayuk.co.uk/home/?folder=27

[Camy]

Yum! What a cutie!

But where's the swimsuit photo?

My favorite line: If anyone assumed it was just bimbos that entered competitions like this, Mark's proving them wrong.

BTW, do British cops still not regularly carry firearms (as US cops do)?

Kisses...

TR

That's my favourite line too! Can guys be Bimbos?

British police generally do not carry firearms. They have sticks! Each Police station has a firearms unit available to it, but they have to be called in. You do see armed police in the airports and major train stations.

[Josiah Jacobus-Parker]

Maybe it's just personal taste... but I can catagorically say that there are hotter gay men in the UK than he.... But good on him for having the guts to do it and provide something of a role model for gay youths. Even if it doesn't carry much weight on it's own...

And no, British police officers still don't carry fire arms, with the exception of airport and train station security. And of course Pallace Guards. They still wear those big hats too.