has opened up about being touched by a gay man in a London nightclub and how he dealt with the situation.

The Rizzle Kicks star was celebrating a friend’s birthday at a gay nightclub in Soho when he found himself on the receiving end of unexpected physical attention.

Speaking to Attitude in his to mark his Ally Award win at the 2026, in partnership with and electrified by , he recalled the moment.

Rather than feeling defensive or threatened, Stephens came away from the encounter with a fresh perspective on the kind of behaviour that women might experience from straight men on a night out.

“It actually profoundly upset me, because I left ironically with a deeper understanding of what women might experience at a club,” he said.

He also reflected on how touch does not always have to be sexual in queer spaces.

Stephens on understanding physical touch in queer spaces

“I’m very tactile,” said Stephens, explaining his perspective, “because I feel like in the gay community, the queer community, it’s much more common for men to be touchy with each other and not always in a sexual sense.”

Stephens has long stood in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, speaking openly about his love for queer spaces and supporting Pride events and fundraisers such as Trans Mission Live earlier this year.

He and former Little Mix star were together for six years, from 2020 until July 2026, with their shared allyship bringing them together.

“Jade showed me what an ally is” – Stephens reflecting on his relationship with Jade Thirlwall

Speaking to Attitude, Stephens said: “Jade showed me what an ally is”. Reflecting on what allyship means to him, he added: “So, I’m going to try not to get imposter syndrome, but for me, I guess it’s about not being afraid to show my allegiance to a community that I really admire.”

“I don’t think we would have got together [without our shared love for the community],” Stephens said of his relationship with the singer. “Like, our existence would be verging on heterophobic.”

Collecting his Attitude Award at London’s Roundhouse on 7 October 2026, Stephen paid tribute to his ex-partner, expressing his love for her.

Straight actors playing queer roles

In 2018, Stephens played a drag queen named Faith in film drama . As a straight actor playing a queer character, he also spoke out against his critics.

Stephens previously told that taking on the role “wasn’t me pretending to be a cross dresser or queer. It was me having almost a safe space to be able to actualise that form of expression.”