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ANDREW BROOKMAN, 47, SAYS HE'S BEEN 'TIMID' HIS WHOLE LIFE AND STRUGGLED WITH BULLYING, WATCHING HIS PARENTS ARGUE AND SPLIT UP MADE HIM FEAR HAVING A RELATIONSHIP 10:19, 29

May 2025Updated 10:36, 03 Jun 2025 A bloke has come clean about being a 47 year old virgin, admitting he's "petrified" of getting up close and personal with anyone. Andrew

Brookman reckons he's always been a bit of a shy lad and had a rough time with bullies back in his school days. The split of his folks when he was just a nipper at 10 years old threw

petrol on the flames of his social jitters, fear of diving into relationships, or getting cosy with someone, he spills. Andy didn't fancy the aggro of squabbles and copped a "fear

of life", deciding he'd rather fly solo. He dishes that his terror also sprouted from bottling up his sexuality and the homophobia he clocked during his younger years. Blue movies

turned into his "only outlet" and reference for the birds and the bees, and Andy confesses to battling an addiction that saw him glued to adult material for a whopping two hours a

night every day in his thirties. Article continues below But now, he's starting to chinwag about his sexual identity and isn't cringing anymore about being a 47 year old virgin. He

feels a kinship with the folk on Channel 4's fresh series, Virgin Island – a one-of-a-kind course in intimacy aimed at helping them conquer the fears that have them shackled. Andrew,

who earns his crust as a cleaner from Pontypridd, Wales, spilled the beans: "I've never been in a relationship. "Watching other people get divorced - and seeing arguments gave

me a fear of being social and intimate. "I didn't want to go through all that. I'd rather be on my own. You feel a sense of shame [being a virgin]. "Having no

confidence, no self-esteem and no self-worth and being repressed of sex drove me to seek therapy because I was petrified of getting intimate with anybody. I am not ashamed of being a virgin

at 47." Andrew had a tough time growing up, always sensing he was "different". He confessed: "I've always been timid and quiet. "I've always been afraid,

I've always been emotional. I got bullied in school. I was different. I was odd." During his teenage years, he "fancied girls" but felt clueless about taking things to

the next level. He admitted: "I wanted to move forward but I couldn't because of my confidence." At 16, Andrew discovered his attraction to men and realised he was gay, yet

the rampant homophobia of the era kept him from coming out. He revealed: "The fear grew. I went into the closet." Despite therapy and antidepressants in his late 20s, Andrew's

fears persisted. His 30s brought a new challenge with an addiction to adult content after moving into his own place, leading to nightly viewings. Andrew shared: "It was my only outlet.

It was my only way of feeling sex and seeing sex. I wanted to be doing it as well. I was jealous of them. "I was enraged that I couldn't even have sex in private." Now, by

penning 'Colours of a rare bird', he's breaking down his barriers. Writing has been a cathartic process for him, helping to shed feelings of shame, and he's even

volunteered at his local pride event for the first time. Article continues below Andrew is critical of the mockery surrounding virginity. He stated: "It's not funny. By now I

should be openly gay - I should be in a relationship. I'm not afraid to admit it now [that he's a virgin]." Discover more about Andrew's book here -

https://www.merlinuspublishers.co.uk/andrew-brookman/.