But I thought they were gay?

Whoopi Goldberg

The multi award winning actress and star of Sister Act has a huge gay following and recently one of her co hosts on American chat show The View commented that Goldberg was about to come out of the closet. However, Goldberg, who has been married 3 times told the Pink Paper last week: 'People have always wondered, and even when I say 'no, I'm straight, I've always been straight, love men,' people go 'but no, are you gay?''

Goldberg is a committed gay rights supporter and has come out in protest at Prop 8. On gay marriage she quipped, "If you don't like gay marriage, don't marry a gay person.'

Hugh Jackman

Rumours started circulating about the ultra buff X Men star when he took on the role of a gay man in the musical The Boy from Oz on Broadway, because being in a musical and playing a gay man can only mean one thing!

Jackman also set tongues wagging when he thanked a mystery man called John in his Emmy acceptance speech. The John in question was his longtime assistant and producing partner. The star is well aware of the gossip, when he was voted hottest man in the world by People magazine, they asked him what the three biggest rumours about him were. He replied: "gay, gay and gay!".

He's been married to his wife Deborah Lee Furnish since 1996 and has gone on record as saying "I just think the whole idea of judging someone based on their sexuality is ridiculous."

Dame Ellen MacArthur

The sailing superstar's sexuality has been a source of debate ever since she began breaking world records in the early noughties. However, the woman who single handedly busted the notion that sailing was a man's domain has been romantically linked to a number of men including Ian McKay and diver Luis Costa. Notoriously private, MacArthur was interviewed by the gay website Rainbow Network.

Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen

A flamboyant dresser, artistic and nicknamed "Larry" after Lawrence Olivier - why anyone would think the star of Changing Rooms conformed to gay stereotypes, I don't know. However, Lawrence and his wife Jackie are happily married with two children. They also can lay claim to being the celebrity couple to win the most money on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? They won half a million pounds for their chosen charity.

KT Tunstall

A combination of Tunstall appearing in rainbow braces on the front of her debut album (Eye to the Telescope) and the subject of her hit single "Suddenly I See" being a lady set half the world's gaydar off. Tunstall was pretty embracing of her gay support and would regularly discuss the impact that the rainbow braces had had on unintentionally opening her up to the lucrative lesbian market! The gay rumours died down when she revealed that she was dating Luke Bullen, the drummer in her band. The couple married in 2008.

Colin Jackson

Rumours have circulated about the award winning hurdler for years. He's a high profile sporting star who is rarely seen with a woman on his arm, but he has made it clear that it's only his career commitments that have stopped him from doing so. He told The Voice magazine that he's well aware of the rumours: 'I don't mind having people say what they like in that circumstance. I know that I am not but I don't think it's for me to be going round screaming it from the roof tops." Very few high profile athletes have come out as gay.

Sharleen Spiteri

What is about Scottish lasses who can belt out a tune...did rumours persist about Barbara Dickson in her heyday?

Like Tunstall rumours about the Texas frontwoman have done the rounds. Maybe it's something to do with strong women? But despite her embracing her gay followers and even dragging up for them as Elvis in the "Inner Smile" video, Sharleen told Diva magazine ' I adore women. I just don't sexually fancy women." She is currently divorced.

John O'Shea

The Manchester United full back with the knack of scoring in big games is rumoured to be gay, but denies such claims. O'Shea brought the subject of his sexuality up in a recent interview in the United fanzine United We Stand, he said: "The Man City fans think that i'm gay. I just brush it off. It doesn't annoy me. What can you do?" O'Shea is engaged to be married. There are currently no out gay players in the Premier league.

Allison Janney

Famous for playing CJ in the West Wing and Mrs Pingleton in Hairspray Janney is a vociferous supporter of gay rights. Janney thinks people assume she is gay because she's tall, not married and once danced with Ellen DeGeneres at a party. Janney says: "I'm happy to be who I am, and people are going to think what they think. If it makes them happy to think I'm gay, let them think I'm gay." The multi Emmy winner recently appeared in Prop 8 the musical which lampoons the anti gay marriage movement in California.

Eddie Izzard

Comedian, actor and HOPE not hate campaigner Izzard is a confirmed heterosexual, but his fondness for frocks and high heels have confused many. Izzard began cross dressing in his early teens and has claimed "women wear what they want and so do I". He's also described himself as a "lesbian trapped in a man's body."