What is one rule that you live by to take care of your mental wellbeing?

Tom: Be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up about making mistakes, because if you get worried about making mistakes, you’ll never try new things and you’ll never push yourself to try anything new. It’s how you become a better person.

What’s your best clapback against current beauty standards?

Tom: There shouldn’t necessarily be standards because everybody’s idea of beauty is different. So I think the idea of having beauty standards is a challenge. Coming up with your own beauty standards and being as happy as you can be within yourself is a superpower.

I struggled for a long time with being able to feel comfortable in my own skin, whether that was with who I was, growing up gay, or being an athlete. There’s so many elements to it where you’re always trying to chase what you think you want when actually sometimes just taking a moment to be grateful for what you have is important too.

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What’s the best beauty hack you’ve ever learnt and from who?

Tom: When leaving the house, a great makeup artist once told me, “A little bit of tinted moisturiser goes a long way.”

Who would you say is your Pride icon?

Tom: I’d say someone like a Greg Louganis, who’s one of the goats within the diving world. He’s done so incredibly well and he had to deal with his diving career as a closeted athlete because it was definitely not accepted to be a gay athlete when he was coming up through in the ’80s.

How has beauty and makeup helped your personal identity?

Tom: I enjoy and look forward to it… Even just taking the time to do skincare, there’s something pampering and relaxing about it. A routine and a ritual, almost. Every morning when I wake up, I have my toddler, Phoenix, grabbing at my leg while I’m there trying to use my globe rollers on my face and trying to wake up and he’s there screaming for porridge.

If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, 365 days a year on 0808 801 0677 or beateatingdisorders.org.uk.

1.6 Seconds is available to watch on discovery+.