Australian Idol singer Anthony Callea has given his first interview since coming out to the world last week.

In the interview, aired this morning on Sydney’s 2Day FM radio show, Callea responded to the hosts’ cries of “congratulations” with modesty. “Congratulations for what? I don’t need to be congratulated for it, it’s just the way it is.”

Callea said the accidental outing by traffic helicopter-man Vic Lorusso several weeks earlier was a blessing in disguise. “To tell you the truth, at the start of the year I was in Brisbane and I was speaking to my manager about it and I said ‘I think I’m comfortable within myself now to make that next step’ and we were talking about it for quite a few weeks. And then this whole thing with Vic Lorusso came out and I thought it was just something telling me that this was the right time.”

Was he upset about being outed? “I think I was more upset with the way it was blown out of proportion. But things are always going to be blown out of proportion, as long as I know the truth.”

It’s the reaction to Callea’s outing, that has been covered all around the world and through every media outlet in the country that has most surprised Anthony. “It’s really weird because a few days ago when I went to the airport and was going through the security, there were three security guards there. One of the them stopped me and said, “good on you”, and then I got through the actual security thing and the next one tapped me on the shoulder and said “that’s really good, good on you,” and then the next one tapped me on the shoulder. I was going, ‘what’s going on?’, I’m still exactly the same person.”

Callea finished off the interview by confirming he’s been with his boyfriend, Paul, for the past three years (pictured with Anthony in “Woman’s Day”, above right) and was “very happy” with his relationship. “At the end of the day, it shouldn’t matter who you love or who loves you, as long as you know what love is.”

One, two, three now: awwww!