They were already turning heads around the world when Take That and the Backstreet Boys were teenagers themselves. The New Kids On The Block – NKOTB for short – celebrated MEGA hits like “Hangin’ Tough” and “Step by Step” at the end of the 80s.
In 1994 the band broke up around Jonathan Knight (today 54), Jordan Knight (52), Joey McIntyre (50), Donnie Wahlberg (53) and Danny Wood (53).
Since at least a respectable comeback in 2008, NKOTB have been on tour from time to time, touring through smaller halls, singing on cruise ships, sitting on talk shows or giving interviews. So now Jonathan Knight on the podcast “Frosted Tips”.
In it, the singer revealed that during the band’s heyday, he was forced to hide his homosexuality!
Swarm of countless teen girls: The New Kids On The Block, Jonathan Knight is on the far right
The manager at the time knew that Jonathan Knight was gay. But: “He pulled me aside and said: If anyone finds out, then your career is over, then the career of the New Kids is over.” And record giant Sony will lose a lot of money. “There was just so much pressure,” Knight says in retrospect.
The 54-year-old was the first band member to throw in the towel. “Pop music just wasn’t what it used to be. We had to switch from arenas to theaters, then I left the New Kids. They kept going and eventually ended up in nightclubs. And it kept going down and down.” He jumped off soon enough.
The band in a current picture. NKOTB continue to tour
Jonathan Knight gave two reasons for his exit: “First, as a young gay man, I was frustrated and wanted to get on with my own life.” He also just wanted to be at home.
When New Kids On The Block reunited in 2008, Knight’s homosexuality was still not public. A friend of his had forced him out: “He sold pictures of us to the press.” By “us” the boy band legend means his longtime partner Harley Rodriguez (49), whom Jonathan Knight married in August 2022.
Incidentally, the host of the podcast is no stranger: Lance Bass was part of the boy band NSYNC. The 43-year-old is also homosexual and became the father of twins via surrogacy in 2021 with husband Michael Turchin (36)..
