Gok Wan on love, fashion, eating disorders and overcoming demons - star speaks ahead of Birmingham and Stafford shows (with video clips shot from his living room)

But the 42-year-old star is now taking on the ultimate challenge; one which he says will leave him ‘the most naked’ he has ever been in his whole career.

So much so, he doesn’t want his parents in the audience for the first tour because ‘they mean the world’ to him, and much of the show covers parts of his childhood.

He is also set to discuss the trials and tribulations of dealing with eating disorders; demons which the star was forced to tackle even while in the public eye on How To Look Good Naked.

“This show will be the first time I have ever discussed how having body confidence issues while filming How To Look Good Naked affected me - even to myself, let alone an audience,” said Gok.

“I haven’t spoken to my family about it. I haven’t spoken to the amazing people who made the programme with me - or even the contributors; those amazing women who shared their stories.

“But I was really struggling. I was very much anorexic when I was still making that programme - in the very early days, anyway.

“And so How To Look Good Naked wasn’t just an incredible programme that helped millions of people around the world, it really helped me.

“I went on those journeys with the women as much as they did.

“The producers didn’t know they were going to get that, Channel 4 didn’t know they were going to get that, I didn’t know I was going to get that; which is what I think the success of that programme was. It was real. It was the most real television that I can remember.”

And though he is nervous at the prospect of being so unashamedly open, Gok says he’s very excited about it too.

“Going on stage myself for 90 minutes is really daunting. I don’t have the security of an editor or anything else,” he added.

“This is probably the most naked I have ever been in my entire career really, which is scary and frightening, but also massively exhilarating.”

In addition to body confidence issues, Gok will also discuss his struggle with realising and accepting his identity, as well as his tendency at a young age to make things up in an attempt to make his life more interesting.

“I always suffered with my identity from a really early age,” said Gok.

“Whether that was gaining weight or losing weight, or being effeminate, camp and stuff; always standing out from the crowd.

“If I could speak to my younger self I’d say: ‘Shut up and stop panicking. Just be honest.’

“You know, I was a massive liar when I was younger. I think probably for 15 years of my life I never, ever told the truth.

“It’s because it always felt like lies were going to make me feel prouder of myself and better; a better person. And far more attractive and far more successful and far brighter.

“You know, believe it or not, when I was growing up, my biggest hangup wasn’t being 21 stone, gay and Chinese - it was because I felt stupid.

“And so, I would constantly try and create this weird world, this fairytale world around me that was full of princesses and unicorns and horses and dragons, because all of those felt far more exciting than actually who I thought I was.”

When Gok was asked what he would tell his younger self now, looking back, he added: “I would just tell my younger self ‘you don’t need to do that’. Because actually, you and how you feel about stuff, is good enough. And if you know that, then you will be far happier.

“Having said all of that stuff, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Developing a greater confidence in himself wasn’t just about appearance for Gok; it also allowed him to have conviction in his thoughts and beliefs - something which he says he doubted at points earlier in his life.

“I had about 10 years where I had a real relapse in my political anger. I personally became very afraid of being heard, I was worried what people might think of me,” he said.

“I do have a little bit of guilt about that because I think that I should have been more vocal.

“It’s only really in the last few years that I found my strength again; where I’ve gone ‘actually, I’ve got a job to do here’. I’ve got a profile and people will listen to me - whether or not they believe in what I’m saying - the minute you are on television, you are put in front of people to talk about stuff.

“In the last three - maybe four - years, I’ve really started to be vocal again. Probably more so this year than I’ve ever been in my entire life. And I feel very comfortable with that. I’m confident and I’m willing to take people on with it.”

Furthering his role in the LGBT community, Gok hosted Attitude Magazine Awards in July - an experience which he describes as ‘amazing’ and ‘incredible’.

“It was brilliant just to be around the winners. These people have gone through so much in their lives,” he added.

“People turn around and say ‘why do you need an awards system?’ ‘Why do you need Pride and stuff?’. We need that because these people are showing the rest of the world - especially in Chechnya, and countries where it’s illegal and there’s a death penalty - there’s still 10 countries in the world (that’s millions of people).

“It’s really important these people get recognised and are put on to a platform and a stage for the world to see. It’s very important.”

Though Gok says he is excited about the prospect of opening up, he does fear the possibility of upsetting those he cares about most - his close-knit family.