The colourful story of one of Britain''s best loved sportsmen, and his thirty year long coming out journey. If anyone was going to come out as gay at the height of their sporting career it should have been Mark Foster - a confident, laid-back guy who doesn''t care what anyone thinks. So how is it that it took someone like him half a lifetime to come out? From a Jack-the-lad from Southend being expelled from one of the most prestigious schools in the country to becoming the fastest man through water on the planet and a television favourite, Mark takes readers on a remarkable journey. He shares with us the sometimes serious and sometimes comic tactics that enabled him to live a double life for so long and convince himself he was happy doing so. But Mark''s experience, told with humour and honesty, makes us stop and reassess where we really are in terms of society''s approach to homosexuality and diversity in sport. Whether it''s his intimate coming out conversations, posing naked photo for the Elton John Aids Foundation, glittering appearances on Strictly Come Dancing or breaking eight world records in an unprecedented 20 year career in the pool, Mark reveals the other worldliness of being an Olympian. Inspiring and moving, A Double Life is the tale of one man''s pursuit of sporting prowess and finding the freedom to live his truth.

Autorentext
Mark Foster is an English former competitive swimmer, broadcaster and public speaker. He is a five-time Olympian, six-time World Champion and eight-time World Record holder over a 23-year professional swimming career. Foster trains and inspires the next generation of competitive swimmers through the Mark Foster Swimming Academy and is also a spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ community, promoting compassion, equality and inclusion.

Klappentext

'As gripping as Mark's greatest races' - Zoe Ball
'Incredibly brave and uplifting' - Rebecca Adlington

The moving story of one of Britain's best-loved sportsmen, and his thirty-year coming out journey

**WITH A FOREWORD BY CLARE BALDING

**As a five-time Olympian, six-time World Champion and eight-time World Record holder, if anyone was going to be openly gay at the height of their sporting career it should have been swimmer Mark Foster - a confident, laid-back guy who doesn't care what anyone thinks. So why did it take him half a lifetime to come out?

From a Southend Jack-the-lad expelled from one of the most prestigious schools in the country to becoming the fastest man through water on the planet and a television favourite, Mark's journey is extraordinary. With humour and honesty, he takes readers through his unprecedented 20-year career in the pool and shows how he hid his sexuality for so long - and convinced himself he was happy doing so.

Alongside his sporting achievements, Mark recounts his glittering appearance on Strictly Come Dancing, his growing broadcasting career and the other-worldliness of being an Olympian in the public eye. But his experience makes us stop and reassess where we really are in terms of society's approach to homosexuality and diversity in sport.

Inspiring and moving, My Double Life is the tale of one man's pursuit of sporting prowess and finding the freedom to live his truth.

Inhalt

Foreword by Clare Balding

1. Beer and chocolate
2. Phwoarrrrr
3. Millfield
4. Fifteen and fast
5. What will the neighbours say?
6. Seoul to Soul
7. The driver
8. Pretty cool
9. Catherine
10. Very amateur, a little professional
11. All I remember is a door closing
12. Branded
13. Thirty something
14. Tainted love
15. Strictly speaking
16. Aunty
17. A chip off the old block
18. Hello, world
19. Fun and games

Acknowledgements
List of images