<description>&lt;p&gt;Anthony Kavanagh speaks to Rich Clarke about the hidden cost of becoming Kavana - a 90s pop star forced to hide his sexuality in an industry where being openly gay felt impossible.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From knowing he was gay at 10 to creating a public persona that masked his truth, Anthony reflects on how years of secrecy and self-denial fed a spiral of anxiety, shame, and addiction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is a conversation about fame, identity, addiction, and the long journey back to self-acceptance.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Anthony’s memoir &lt;a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pop-Scars-memoir-fame-addiction/dp/B0DX2GZMRN" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Pop Scars&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is out now. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;📱 Follow us on &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/alwaysmepodcast/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@alwaysmepodcast?_t=ZN-8wjnbm7WMha&amp;amp;_r=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;TikTok&lt;/a&gt;: @alwaysmepodcast&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;💬 To share your story, email: alwaysme@global.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SUPPORT SERVICES &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;LGBTQ+ Support&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Switchboard – LGBTQ+ Helpline &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• A confidential helpline for LGBTQ+ people to talk about sexuality, gender identity, and more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Phone: 0800 0119 100&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Website: &lt;a href="https://switchboard.lgbt/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;switchboard.lgbt&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stonewall&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Offers support and resources for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Website: &lt;a href="https://stonewall.org.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;stonewall.org.uk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Open Table Network&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Phone: 07501753618&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Website: &lt;a href="https://opentable.lgbt/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;opentable.lgbt&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mental Health &amp;amp; Suicide Prevention&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Samaritans&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• For anyone in distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Phone: 116 123 (Free, 24/7)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Website: &lt;a href="https://samaritans.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;samaritans.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mind&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Provides advice and support for anyone experiencing a mental health problem.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Phone: 0300 123 3393&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Website: &lt;a href="https://mind.org.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;mind.org.uk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;PAPYRUS – Prevention of Young Suicide&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Support for people under 35 experiencing suicidal thoughts, and for those concerned about someone else.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Phone: 0800 068 41 41&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Website: &lt;a href="https://papyrus-uk.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;papyrus-uk.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Shout&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• A free, confidential mental health text support service.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Text: SHOUT to 85258 (24/7, free text service)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Website: &lt;a href="https://giveusashout.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;giveusashout.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alcohol support&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;NHS Alcohol support&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Information about alcohol addiction &amp;amp; where to get support&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Website: &lt;a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

This Was Always Me

Global

Being Kavana: Anthony Kavanagh on the cost of hiding his sexuality in the 90s pop industry

AUG 11, 202552 MIN
This Was Always Me

Being Kavana: Anthony Kavanagh on the cost of hiding his sexuality in the 90s pop industry

AUG 11, 202552 MIN

Description

Anthony Kavanagh speaks to Rich Clarke about the hidden cost of becoming Kavana - a 90s pop star forced to hide his sexuality in an industry where being openly gay felt impossible.

From knowing he was gay at 10 to creating a public persona that masked his truth, Anthony reflects on how years of secrecy and self-denial fed a spiral of anxiety, shame, and addiction.

This is a conversation about fame, identity, addiction, and the long journey back to self-acceptance.

Anthony’s memoir Pop Scars is out now.

📱 Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @alwaysmepodcast

💬 To share your story, email: [email protected]

SUPPORT SERVICES

LGBTQ+ Support

Switchboard – LGBTQ+ Helpline

• A confidential helpline for LGBTQ+ people to talk about sexuality, gender identity, and more.

• Phone: 0800 0119 100

• Website: switchboard.lgbt

Stonewall

• Offers support and resources for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families.

• Website: stonewall.org.uk

Open Table Network

• Phone: 07501753618

• Website: opentable.lgbt

Mental Health & Suicide Prevention

Samaritans

• For anyone in distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide.

• Phone: 116 123 (Free, 24/7)

• Website: samaritans.org

Mind

• Provides advice and support for anyone experiencing a mental health problem.

• Phone: 0300 123 3393

• Website: mind.org.uk

PAPYRUS – Prevention of Young Suicide

• Support for people under 35 experiencing suicidal thoughts, and for those concerned about someone else.

• Phone: 0800 068 41 41

• Website: papyrus-uk.org

Shout

• A free, confidential mental health text support service.

• Text: SHOUT to 85258 (24/7, free text service)

• Website: giveusashout.org

Alcohol support

NHS Alcohol support

• Information about alcohol addiction & where to get support

• Website: nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support