BBC Wales weatherman Owain Wyn Evans says he receives homophobic online abuse for his presenting style

‘But it never hurts me,’ says Evans, who has been presenting since he was 18

Owain Wyn Evans, a weather presenter on the BBC, said he does not let the homophobic comments hurt him (YouTube)

A BBC weatherman has spoken of the homophobic online abuse he has received for his presenting style.

Owain Wyn Evans, 30, who first came out to friends when he was 16, has described being the subject of online abuse for his sexuality as making him feel “exposed”, but said that it does not hurt him.

He has been a television presenter since he was 18, and now works as the weather presenter for BBC Wales. He told Wales Online: “I do camp it up sometimes doing the weather but I don’t even notice I’m doing it, when I’m waving my arms around.

“So I get the odd tweet that is a bit homophobic. I’ve been called things on Twitter and there have been general things like, ‘Who is this gay guy, he’s as camp as t***’.

Last month the leader of the Scottish Conservative party Ruth Davidson said she had been compelled to speak of the “significant amount” of abuse she received online in order to let young gay people know that receiving such treatment was unacceptable, and should not be considered normal.

Davidson said that “cowards use social media and the internet as an anonymous way to attack others for their sexuality” and that “it’s important that people draw attention to unacceptable language on Facebook and Twitter”.

Evans told Wales Online that the online abuse “never hurts me,” adding that the most serious abuse he had experienced was in the street from a passing car.

Evans had been walking home with his partner after a night out in Cardiff, and that the incident caused him to call the police.

“I’m not even going to say what they shouted, because it was not nice. More than anything I was angry because I felt I should not have to put up with that. No one should have to put up with that,” he said.

The weatherman said “there are always going to be homophobic” people, but added that he believes society is becoming “more accepting” of young people coming out, and that being gay is portrayed better in the media than it used to be.