A former male escort who claims to have slept with 150 men now says he is straight after going celibate for a year.

Dominic Hilton, 27, from Bournemouth, only dated men after coming out at the age of 14 and says he grew up believing '110 per cent' that he was gay.

That all changed when he split up with his boyfriend on Christmas Day in 2017 and made a New Year's resolution to go sex-free in 2018 after reading online about the benefits of celibacy.

He says he wanted to spend the year getting to know himself a little bit better but found out to his surprise that by the end of it, his attraction to men had disappeared and he was now instead attracted to women.

After years of relationships with men, he now sees his future only with a woman. 

'Sex is always something I enjoyed, but this past year, that sexual attraction to men has just gone,' he said.

'If you'd have asked me in the past if a person can change their sexuality, I'd have said no – but I'm living proof that you can.

'It was a gradual thing – not like someone flicked a switch and I was straight – but now I am actively seeking a girl to settle down with.'

The big realisation came when he was on holiday with a friend and couldn't bring himself to talk about the men around them like he would have done in the past.

'I'd been wondering if perhaps I was bisexual, and attracted to both men and women, but now, I just don't find men attractive anymore,' he said.

'I have no intention of sleeping with a man again.

'Telling everyone I was straight was like coming out all over again, but my loved ones were supportive and just want me to be happy.'

The year of celibacy hasn't only affected his sexual attractions, but also his mannerisms and sense of style, and has even helped him in his battle against anxiety, he says.

'Before, I was quite camp, whereas I'm not now. Growing up, I loved dressing in makeup like Boy George, but these days, I'm always in tracksuits,' he said.

His experience of celibacy has been so positive that he's encouraging others to give it a try, even if it's for a shorter length of time.

'Even if you don't go a whole year, just take some time and focus on yourself – you may be surprised at what you learn,' he said.