CNN host Richard Quest has acknowledged his sexuality, his fears about being openly gay in public life “never materialised” into reality.
The British-born news anchor made headlines in 2008, after he was arrested in a compromising position in a public park.
A year later, he made a comeback, having agreed to undergo six months of drug counseling in return for an “adjournment in contemplation of dismissal” of charges.
He said on Thursday, on his show Quest Means Business: “If I remember back to when I wasn’t open about my sexuality, I spent a great deal of time worried about it, about what my family would think, what would my friends, my colleagues would think, and of course, what would you think.
“Would the fact that I’m gay affect my creditability as a business journalist? Would you watch the program differently?
“Thinking like this saps energy, it drains confidence, it takes a toll on productivity, it’s exhausting!
“I realize that everyone has their own road to travel in making this decision about when it’s right to come out.
“I know that in my case, the worst fears never materialized. All in all professionally, I know the work I do here every day is better because I’m honest about who I am.”
kitodiaries 
I can totally relate to the fear of being seen differently after coming out.
Oh, but a massive number of Nigerian gays can totally relate.
I think soon enough it won’t matter. I was talking to a (straight) friend of mine yesterday on skype and he said he was attending a wedding that day. Later I saw the photos and it was a wedding of two guys. I jokingly asked him that he did not mention that he was attending a gay wedding, and he said there is no such thing as a gay wedding. That he was attending a wedding period, no need to qualify the wedding with a label. I was surprised and pleased too. Very soon it won’t matter
Wow! Such mature reasoning.
Dennis, I like your friend! 🙂
Just wanna say thanks to pinkpanther for this forum..bringing colors and unionism in the community..Anytime I visit dear,I owe u a champagne..
🙂 Thanks Simba. Have a good one today.
Richard Quest is gay?? wow . Always found him a bit funny; very lively and animated but I never in a million years would’ve guessed he was gay . He is kinda cute though
Hi Mr Quest, let me tell you your Nigerian story: if you were born in Nigeria (an event over which you probably would have had no control), seeing as your probably in the 37 – 43 age range, most of your contemporaries would have had wives and kids by now, if you didnt already have the same, you would by now have been subjected to years of emotional and psychological abuse, at your place of work, you would be looked upon as a freak of nature perhaps, you would lose your job or be subjected to ridicule and scorn by your superiors(whether or not you were out of the closet) as the simple fact of being unmarried and childless at your age would have been seen as the WORST!! crime a man can commit. Basically, happiness would be something very very far away from you.
On the other hand, you may have chosen the easier and safer path: you would get married to a woman once you felt pressure from society/family, you would have kid(s) you might or might never learn to love your heterosexual partner, you would most probably retain your attraction to men, you would struggle to fit in and connect with a wife you probably wouldnt love all the while living in deep fear of detection for if you happened to be found out by your wife or anyone else, you risked loosing your reputation, your job, your family … everything. You would carry massive emotional burden of living a fake double life and playing the delicate balancing game. The end result: happiness would still be far from you, perhaps you might be slightly better off then the unmarried version of yourself because you could maintain an outward appearance of happiness.
So Mr Quest, every morning, when you wake up, get on your knees and say a big THANK YOU!!!!! to whatever it is you believe in that you had the lucky stroke of fortune to have been born where you were born and not in Nigeria, and perhaps while you revel in your happy freedom, spare a thought for the not-so-lucky ones …
Well, other gay people in his country wet the ground for the freedom he’s enjoying today many years ago. So, I think before we start talking about how lucky he is, let’s try and reflect on what we can do for our next generation of LGBT people. Maybe if you become a big artiste, you could come out? Same here.
Loooool CeeCee, u dey vex gan-an. He IS lucky though.
Good one CeeCee
Hi, I’m new here.
Hello. Welcome.
It so happened that Richard Quest is my favourite CNN journalist.
And I mean it.
Quest Means business makes me laugh, I like the man’s typical Englishman’s mannerisms.
I aspire to acquire such entertaining mannerisms.
And now he turns out to be gay. Hmm I have no words to qualify this discovery. I’m simply held spellbound in awe.
Good for Him. Thank your goodness you are not Nigerian #sighs
@legalkoboko, you’re a bit late to this party…Lol!
Wow me too!!! It’s soooo surprisingly pleasant that Richard Quest is gay!!! Wow!! I never would have tot!!! Anyway good of U Pinky to let us know..hmmm story to tell my wife meeeeen!!!