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British TikTok star and current I鈥檓 A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! contestant Max Balegde has moved both his fellow campmates and viewers to tears after sharing the life-changing experience that led him to come out.

The reality series, known for its gruelling trials and lighthearted banter, took a deeply personal turn as Balegde opened up about his chosen charity, Minus18, and the harrowing event that shifted his perspective on life.

Max Balegde on coming out after Manchester attack

On Tuesday night鈥檚 episode, Balegde explained why he had chosen to support Minus18, an Australian organisation dedicated to LGBTQIA+ education and youth empowerment.

鈥淢y charity is a charity called Minus18 that provides LGBTQ education in schools,鈥� he began.

His campmates listened intently as he delved into his personal journey, revealing that he first realised he was gay at a young age but initially planned to keep it to himself indefinitely.

鈥淚 remember the exact moment that I actually realised that I was gay, and I remember thinking that I would just keep it to myself forever, and I just thought, that鈥檚 just what I鈥檓 going to do.鈥�

Balegde went on to share that his perspective changed drastically in 2017 when he and his sister survived the Manchester Arena bombing, a terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 22 people.

鈥淚t took a real big thing for me to realise, basically, I don鈥檛 know if you remember, there was a terrorist attack in Manchester at a concert, and I was there with my little sister, who I love very much,鈥� he said, his voice shaking.

鈥淚鈥檓 not a parent, obviously, but it was just me and her there. And I remember in that moment feeling like I have the responsibility of someone鈥檚 life in my hands. And I was so just upset and confused and panicked.”

鈥淲hen we got out and everything was okay, luckily, we were okay. I remember in that moment just being like, oh my god, like you could have just died, and you robbing your family, who you love so much, of knowing who you actually are.鈥�

The deeply personal moment resonated with many, both in camp and beyond.

Balegde reflected on how LGBTQIA+ representation and education could have impacted his journey differently.

鈥淚f I just learnt in school that you can be gay and live a happy, healthy, normal life from a young age, I think it wouldn鈥檛 have taken something as dark as that to make me take that step to being myself, and I wish that I had a charity like that when I was younger.鈥�

Fans flooded social media with messages of support, praising Balegde鈥檚 bravery and the importance of his message.

鈥淢ax you are so brave, you did the right thing of speaking out,鈥� one viewer wrote.

鈥淗e鈥檚 an inspiration to all of us survivors of the attack, how he has faced it with such bravery and followed his passion despite it. Sending so much love to Max,鈥� another shared.

For many Australian viewers unfamiliar with Balegde, his emotional revelation has provided insight into the person behind the social media fame.

The British TikToker, who has amassed 3.6 million followers and over 392 million video views, is known for his quirky humour, celebrity interviews, and viral moments. His podcast, The Useless Hotline, has further cemented his place as a beloved online personality.

Since entering the jungle, Balegde has made an impression with his candid storytelling and comedic flair. From hilarious oversharing 鈥淚 have been battling the most violent diarrhoea of my life for the past two days鈥� to heartfelt moments like his coming out story, he has proven to be a compelling and entertaining contestant.

New year, new me! 馃拋鈥嶁檪锔�
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Max has previously spoken about the experience during the Manchester attacks in a video online, watch it below.