The sexy brothers from Channel 4’s Hunted open up about the death of their parents, their strong bond and how Harry came out to Frank!
If you’ve been hooked to Hunted on Channel 4 you will have noticed two rather spiffing looking fellas trying to elude the hunters. And from what we’ve seen so far, Harry and Frank Savage are pretty good at being slippery eels. The rascals!
But what makes them even more captivating to watch is that not only are they drop dead gorge, Frank is straight and Harry is gay and their relationship and camaraderie is simply heartwarming to watch.
But in this week’s episode (available on All4) we were moved when the lads opened up about the death of their parents.
“Mum only died in the last four months, but even dad [who died] five years ago—it’s all still quite fresh,” Harry, 20, sobbed, breaking down and being comforted by his campsite owner brother.
Frank, 24, went on to explain: “Mum was diagnosed with dementia, she was young, and within three years it killed her. My dad was more of a shock. He was fit and healthy, they found him at home dead with a heart attack, at 55.”
GuysLikeU hooked up with the fellas to chat about how their devestating news changed their lives, how Harry dealt with coming.
You boys have had a tough couple of years… have those events changed you as individuals and as a family and as brothers.
Harry: For sure, the stuff that’s happened in the short time of 20 years in mylife has definitely change the way I look at things. I try and look at the positives of every negative situation, and i think in my case if particular things had not happened in my life I would be probably a worse version of myself. That’s sounds weird I know, but I mean before I hadn’t really experienced proper pain or loss, and when going through that your whole outlook on life changes.
Frank: Having 3 other siblings to rely on was definitely something that I would never take for granted, and like I said looking at the positive from a negative situation, us four siblings would never be as close as we are if we never went though the shit times. We are one very strong family unit, and all very close with one another. Its almost like for me frank is the father figure my sister lizzie takes on the role of mother hen.
Have those experiences changed your outlook on life? Are you goals different?
Harry: If you had asked me that, say, five years ago I would be giving you a very different answer, I think for me family is very important, me and my brothers and sister all go to one another for pretty much anything, and I think you appreciate your family more when you have gone through the shit that we have.
Have you always been close brothers or did you ever have that period of time when you pissed each other off?
Harry: It’s weird… Growing up we would fight like typical brothers, but when I got a bit older I started to look up to Frank in ‘a father figure’ kind of way, and the arguments became more like father and son!
Frank: Yeah, he would constantly ask to borrow money!
Harry: Not all the time!
Frank – Nah, I think we know how to wind each other up. I certintaly know how to wind Harry up, and you will see this in the show for sure. But when it came to having to work as a team, we were thick as thieves and both knew that it was time to focus on the game and not to piss one another off.
Harry, when did you come out as gay? How long had you been stewing on it?
Harry: I came out when I was 16. I knew I was gay the moment I hit puberty, and I think nearly everyone around me did. It was one of those things that I would always push to the back of my head and actually never face myself. I never asked myself ‘am I gay’? because I was too scared. It wasn’t until I started working full time in a pub where my bosses and the chief was gay, the I thought what was I even worried about. People would almost shove it into my face and force me to “come out” I wasn’t waiting for a time or moment, I just didn’t feel the need to yell it from the roof top. Looking back now I don’t really know why I was so worried about it.
Were you worried about sharing that with your family?
Harry: The first person I guess I officially came out to was Frank,. He was picking me up from work one evening and he was questioning me and telling how he likes Elton John. He was saying that he was a “lad” and asked if I knew he was gay? (Classic) Then I just came out with it and told him. Sadly I never really told my parents as I never got the chance, but I know they always knew the truth. I mean my mum was buying me princess dresses for nearly every birthday, pretty sure she was well aware of what I would become!
Frank, had you suspected that Harry might be gay or was it a surprise.
Frank: I don’t think I ever urged him to come in. I mean we all knew who he was, he just hadn’t said those words, that he was gay. I was never really surprised when he told me – I mean we all knew he was gay, it was very clear. What I didn’t know was that he was struggling to come to terms with it. I think it was hard for him to come out because he never had anyone around him who was out as gay. I mean we grew up in a very conservative judgemental little village, where everyone’s very prim and proper, and maybe he was worried about being judged.
Harry, did you have any negative responses?
Harry: I had more negative people before I came out then after, after I came out no one really batted an eyelid.
Frank have you always been very protective over your brother?
Frank: Oh yeah massively… He’s the youngest of four and he’s had a shit couple of years, and that’s not his fault. He knows if he ever has a problem he can always come to me, and he does. i think as a family we are all protective over each other, but mainly Harry, not that he needs protecting. He’s very wise for his age, that’s for sure.
Are you both single?
HarryL Hahah! No we are both in relationships!
You’re both taking part in Hunted – of all the reality shows on the telly why did you take part in this one?
Frank: Being on TV is not my thing. Harry actually applied for the show without me even knowing. The main reason I attended the audition was because the show its self is right up my street. The whole aspect of being “fugitives on the run” really got me – I mean, when will you ever get to do that in real life? I never thought that us two numptys would actually end up getting on the show. I was slightly nervous….for onnce in my life, about the being filmed 24/7 for potentially 25 days straight, but after an hour I forgot we were even being filmed let alone a tv show, it is as if you are actually on the run.
Harry: Hunted is probably one of my favourite shows on tv, its not really like any other program at all, applying for the show I never thought in a million years that we would actually be selected for the final ten. its one of those programs that you watch and go “oh I could eailsy do that” so I thought why not apply and try, but you soon realising watching the show and being on It is two very different things! It took some persuading to get frank to do it!
The idea is to flee from those pursuing you – are you a crafty pair? Have you ever used your skills to get out of trouble or escape from a bad situation in the past?
Frank: Harry and I are both two very different people, which in a game like Hunted was great as we could use our separate skill set and put them together. For example, Harry was definitely a planner type of person where as I just drive in and hope to swim. But when you are on the run you do really need to think through things so I’m glad that Harry was there to stop me from just diving into risk.
Harry: Yeah and Frank is very practical and he knows his stuff when it comes to the great outdoors. He runs a campsite and his own log business, so he wasn’t afraid of getting his hands dirt. Me on the other hand it took me some time!
You’re both very good-looking chaps – are you prepared for the attention you might receive after the show airs?
Hahahah!!!! Well its funny as looking on Twitter even before the show has aired, from the promo shots it looks like ladies have already seen Frank as a looker!
Are you conscious about the way you look?
Harry: I’ve always been conscious about the way I look. My generation is all about social media, living a fake life and image. In my teens my image massively effected me. I was the chubby gay kid during most of my school years, it wasn’t until I lost weight that I started feeling more confident. i kinda wish I was more like Frank and didn’t care so much about what people thought.
Frank: I’m not a person that cares about the way I look at all. I don’t have any social media and I don’t want it as most of the stuff you see on there is not reality. It’s people trying to make their lives better then others and I don’t see the point of wasting hours and heart ache over how many likes you get on a photo!
Amen, Frank!
People shouldn’t look to others for self worth they should look at themselves, if you know what I mean.
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