Transgender boxing promoter Kellie Maloney says she “still” doesn’t think gay couples should raise children, but denies being homophobic.

The former UKIP candidate and manager of Lennox Lewis revealed on Sunday that she is transgender, and has transitioned to female.

Maloney had caused controversy previously by coming out against same-sex marriage, and saying she would ban pride marches.

She also told the BBC in 2004 that she would not campaign in the London borough of Camden, because there were “too many gays”.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Maloney claimed the previous comments were just “silly” remarks when she was “caught off guard”.

She said: “Look, I was caught off guard. These were just silly, off-the-cuff remarks. I’m not homophobic. I have gay friends.

“And my recent experiences have left me wiser and more tolerant. I’ve learnt a lot.

“All I will say is that going through the transgender experience doesn’t mean suddenly I have the same opinions on everything as everyone in the LGBT community.

“I still don’t think that children should be brought up in same-sex marriages.’’

Earlier this week, Maloney claimed that she went public with her transition because newspapers had threatened to out her.

She said: “[In February] I got that dreaded knock on my door, and it was journalist – I won’t say from which paper.

“I denied all knowledge of it and they said they were going to run the story on the Sunday, so I got my lawyers involved and we had to threaten injunctions.

“We kept it under control and six weeks ago another newspaper turned up at my house, then they turned up at my daughter’s house, and turned up at all members of my family’s house.

“I said, ‘look, I’m living in the shadow, I’m living in the dark, I can’t go out of my house no more and I’m terrified’ and my head was getting so confused about it.