A contestant on the popular TV series “The Traitors" has spoken out against his home church in Northern Ireland, claiming they attempted to apply conversion therapy methods after he shared about his sexuality. 

Matthew Hyndman told The Independent that he had been "wrestling with a growing awareness" of his sexuality and had believed it would lead to "eternal damnation".

Matthew, aged 24, said he was subsequently subjected to pressure by the church congregation to undergo conversion therapy following a private email being shared amongst 100 members of the local Christian community. This allegedly culminated in church leaders demanding that Matthew follow conversion therapy practices before an audience of over 400 Christian leaders.

Hyndman said he refused to comply, stating he “didn’t need to change or ‘cure’” himself.

As a result, he said his membership in the church was revoked on the basis of "lifestyle choices" and he was left, as he recalled, with “nobody to turn to”.

Hyndman subsequently withdrew from church and his community, going on to co-found the group “Ban Conversion Practices”, which looks to fight the repression of people identifying as LGBTQ+.

"The first reaction of the mission leaders was not to comfort or support me, but to immediately demand that I undergo therapy and publicly, in front of my 400 fellow missionaries, confess and repent," he said.

Conversion therapy remains legal, though attempts by the government have been made in recent years to outlaw the practice.