Wayne Brady feels ‘free’ after coming out as pansexual: ‘I’m not hiding anything now’

Actor and TV host Wayne Brady has opened up about the newfound freedom he feels after coming out publicly as pansexual, saying he no longer has to ‘hide’ parts of himself.

The 51-year-old TV star, best known for hosting CBS game show Let’s Make a Deal and for his role as James Stinson in hit US sitcom How I Met Your Mother, came out as pansexual to the world in early August.

In a joyous TikTok video, he lip-synced to Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now”, while wearing a wig and dancing under rainbow confetti. 

“In doing my work, I’ve come to see a few truths, one of them being that I want to be free to love whomever I want,” Brady wrote in the video’s caption.

“This truth makes me Pan[sexual] and part of the LGBTQ+ family. It’s scary as hell to say out loud but here it is”.

The star added that he wanted to experience more of the “joy” he brings to his TV audiences, and to do so, he had to live as himself “unapologetically”.

@waynebrady

As someone who gets to bring joy to others daily on tv, it’s been ironic that I don’t experience it as much as I’d like. I advocate mental health for all and a part of that is self transparency. In doing my work, I’ve come to see a few truths, one of them being that I want to be free to love whomever I want. This truth makes me Pan and part of the lgbtq+ family. It’s scary as hell to say out loud but here it is. The people I admire the most are the ones brave enough to be themselves unapologetically. This shouldn’t shake anyone’s world, but if it bothers you at all, that’s your business:) I was so afraid of having my manhood questioned, but screw that. A “real man” in my eyes, isn’t afraid to be honest and happy. From now on, I’ll be over here living my best life! I love you @Mandietaketa @Maile Masako @Jason

♬ original sound – Shannon

Now, in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, the comedian has reflected on his decision to come out publicly, explaining it has afforded him more freedom, both in his dating life and his own sense of self.

“It would be hard for me to truly put myself 100 percent into a relationship when there’s this nagging doubt that I have not explored that piece of me, or even given voice to having that option,” he stated.

“I’m not hiding anything now, so now I can approach you in a way that I never have.”

Brady noted that coming out as pansexual means he is “free to voice the option” when it comes to dating people of all genders.

“Here’s the thing: it may never happen… I’m not saying that I am going to be in a relationship with another man. I’m saying it is very possible for me to be attracted to the man because of the person,” he said.

“I can be attracted to this beautiful woman because of the person. But then again, that may be a non-binary person that might go, ‘Oh, I’m attracted to you. I’m attracted to this trans person’.”

Brady added that he currently has no interest in dating and is instead choosing to focus on his work and going to therapy, with the eventual aim of being his “best self”.

Now that the general public are aware of his sexuality, Brady suggested that he doesn’t have to “worry” about being seen with another man while out and about.

“The best part is, now that I’ve said this out loud, I don’t have to worry,” he said.

“I could show up at a red carpet. I could be at Denny’s for all you know, I’m not ducking anybody… because it is what it is, and I’m free to do that.”

He expressed that everyone should be able to experience the euphoria he has in terms of being his authentic self.

“Every single person should be able to be whatever your truth is,” he explained. “You should be able to feel like you walk in that daily, because that’s the only way to really be free.”

Wayne Brady joins a long list of celebrities who have stepped fully into their truths this year by coming out as part of the LGBTQ+ community, including Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa, Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapps, and CBBC presenter Joe Tasker.