You know that feeling when a face from your childhood suddenly pops up on your feed and it’s like no time has passed, yet everything is different? That’s the vibe with John Barrowman lately. For a while there, it felt like he’d vanished into the ether of "cancelled" celebrities, but 2026 is shaping up to be his weirdest, busiest, and maybe most honest year yet.
He’s currently gearing up for a massive 2026 tour called My Life In Musicals. It's exactly what you’d expect—high energy, plenty of Anything Goes and Sunset Boulevard, and that signature Barrowman dazzle. But behind the jazz hands, there’s a much heavier story about a guy who nearly lost it all and is trying to figure out where he fits in a world that doesn’t always find "tomfoolery" funny anymore.
What Really Happened With the Flashing Scandal?
Honestly, if you ask three different people about the John Barrowman controversy, you’ll get three different answers.
💡 You might also like: Sabrina Carpenter Birth Chart: Why the Pop Icon is More Than Just a Taurus
Back in 2021, the internet dug up old reports of him exposing himself on the sets of Doctor Who and Torchwood. It wasn't "new" news—he’d actually written about it in his own autobiography years prior—but in the post-Me Too era, the context changed. What he called "silly behavior" or "high-spirited fun" was suddenly viewed through a much sharper lens of workplace misconduct.
He lost his judging gig on Dancing on Ice. He was basically erased from the Doctor Who interactive experiences. It was a total shutdown.
The nuanced part? Most of his co-stars, like Eve Myles or Gareth David-Lloyd, didn't describe him as a predator. They saw it as an annoying or eccentric prankster being, well, too much. But crew members and runners—the people with less power on set—sometimes felt differently. That power dynamic is what really sparked the backlash. Barrowman has since admitted that his "mask" of Botox and bravado was a way to hide the trauma of being "hyena-ed" by cancel culture.
The Celebrity SAS Disaster (and Why He Quit)
If you caught his 32-minute stint on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in late 2024, you saw the breaking point. It was brutal.
✨ Don't miss: Why Sexy Photos Miley Cyrus Searched Online Still Spark Massive Cultural Debates
He didn’t leave because he couldn't do the push-ups. He left because he was physically sick and, more importantly, he seemed spiritually exhausted. He told the instructors, "I know who I am and what I’m about, it’s not for me." It was a weirdly vulnerable moment for a guy who usually spends every waking second trying to be the most "on" person in the room.
In recent interviews, he’s been surprisingly dark about that period. He talked to The Mirror about driving out into the Colorado desert, debating whether to end things. It’s heavy stuff. He credits a random fan message on Cameo for "flicking a switch" and bringing him back from the edge.
Where is John Barrowman Now?
He’s living mostly in Palm Springs with his husband, Scott Gill. If you follow him on social media, you’ll see a lot of dogs, a lot of fitness content, and a lot of preparation for the stage.
- The 2026 Spring Tour: Hits places like London’s Cadogan Hall and the Roses Theatre in Tewksbury starting in April.
- The 2026 Autumn Tour: A massive run through September and October, covering everywhere from Cardiff to Glasgow.
- Convention Circuit: He’s still a king at Comic-Cons. Whether it's New Orleans or Belgium, the Torchwood fans are still turning up in droves.
It’s a bit of a localized comeback. He’s not back on the BBC hosting primetime Saturday night shows, and he probably won't be anytime soon. But he’s found a way to survive by going directly to the people who still want to hear him sing.
The Reality of "Moving On"
There’s a tension in how Barrowman handles his past. Sometimes he’s deeply apologetic. Other times, he’s defensive, calling the backlash "disproportionate" and likening his critics to hyenas.
It’s that lack of a "perfect" apology that keeps the debate alive. Some people think he’s a victim of a culture that forgot how to forgive; others think he still hasn't quite grasped why his behavior was a problem for people who weren't in his inner circle.
But here’s the thing: in 2026, the industry is different. The "big star" energy that allowed for on-set pranks has been replaced by HR-mandated boundaries. Barrowman is a relic of a different era of television, trying to navigate a new one.
What You Can Do Next
If you're a fan—or even a critic—who wants to see where he's at now, the best way to get a sense of the "new" Barrowman is through his live work.
- Check the Tour Dates: His My Life In Musicals tour is essentially his manifesto. It’s where he’s most comfortable and most himself.
- Watch the "Laid Bare" Stream: He filmed his Glasgow concert specifically for those who couldn't travel to see him. It’s a raw look at his career journey.
- Read the Autobiography: If you want the unfiltered (and un-edited) version of his stories before the 2021 scandal, Anything Goes is still the best source.
Whether he ever fully regains his "national treasure" status in the UK is up for debate. But for now, John Barrowman is doing the only thing he knows how to do: he’s staying in his seat, and he’s making sure the show goes on.