FORMER promoter Frank Maloney, now a transexual called Kellie, has been interviewed by BT Sport’s Clare Balding about the big issues that she has confronted in recent weeks.
On Big Brother
Your value as a Big Brother housemate went sky high
I didn’t get the fee that was quoted in the paper by the way
So it wasn’t 400 000
I wish it was, I tried to negotiate it at the last moment
You’re a good negotiator!
I got it up a little bit, but not as high as 400 000 I can assure you! But it wasn’t about the fee, it was about trying to get across to the world, or the British public, what it was to be a transsexual
Do you think because they go to see you in here you can say things that maybe it’s difficult to say at home?
Coming out (of the BB house) has really helped me with the press and my family my family were the most important part to me. I’ve got three daughters , and there was a dispute between the family as to whether I should go into the big brother house or whether I shouldn’t go into the big brother house, and I didn’t decide until the evening before it started. It took 2 and a half bottles of wine to get me to walk up that plank way, and I don’t remember going in!
On his sex change
Have you been surprised to an extent at the warmth and the generosity of the reception because the boxing community isn’t renowned for being wonderfully open minded?
No I think that’s wrong, the boxing community are one of the best communities in the world, they’re a very close knitted community and they support each other. From my position to someone having an accident, a friend of mine committed suicide not long ago, Dean Powell, and the whole of the community gathered round. I think people underestimate boxers, they are the most supportive and one of the best sportspeople for working for charity.
How much do you think it’s changed your personality, do you think you’re kinder now? (The sex change)
I’m a lot more tolerant, a lot more understanding, because as Frank’s a promoter you are just brash, you don’t care what you say, and I said a lot of things that upset a lot of people and I hold my hands up to that, and I regret a lot of the things I’ve said, but that my job as a promoter, and my job was to keep myself in the limelight, and keep fighters in the limelight. But I have changed a little bit, but I still try to keep a little bit of Frank. I want to be competitive because I want to use that to get across the message that I think is very important.
Kellie Maloney was speaking ahead of her appearance on The Clare Balding Show which airs tomorrow (Thursday) night at 10:15pm on BT Sport 1.
