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Ian Thorpe one year on: 'Life’s been good'

Almost a year after revealing that he was gay in an emotionally charged interview with Sir Michael Parkinson, Ian Thorpe has opened up about why he didn't speak out sooner.

“I wanted to explain why I hadn’t come out. Part of me felt that you shouldn’t have to and it was just something I had never felt was appropriate,” the 32-year-old tells Julia Zemiro in an upcoming episode of her show Home Delivery.

RELATED: Ian Thorpe admits he's 'ashamed' he didn't come out sooner

“Before then, it was something that I had never been comfortable with talking about to anyone, let alone the world."

"So I was really pleased when it happened, and since, life’s been good.”

Speaking about the time between when the interview was filmed and when it aired, Thorpie admits the waiting around was tough.

Ian Thorpe chats to Julia Zemeris about life after coming out. Photo: Home Delivery/ABC

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“That period was really interesting for me… there was this period of about two weeks where I had done the interview and was just waiting around to say, ‘hey, I’m out — I’m comfortable with it,” he says.

The interview, which airs tonight at 9pm on ABC, sees the pair visit Ian's primary school, the pool where he learned to swim, and meet up with an old boxing coach who had previously helped him get into into shape.

He also chats about his love life and the recent shoulder operation that has left him unable to do the one thing he loves the most - swim.

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