'I'm a man who owns 200 dolls - it doesn't make me any less masculine'

11 August 2023 , 10:05

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Duane has more than 200 toy dolls in his spare room and has been collecting them since he was five (Image: SWNS)

Inside Duane AJ's three-bedroom house is a spare room dedicated solely to his collection of toy dolls, which range from shop-bought Barbies to £600 Japanese imports.

The former X Factor contestant started collecting dolls from the age of five and says he was bullied during his childhood, but now proudly shows off his hobby.

When Duane isn't singing, he's spending his extra cash on mini Jimmy Choo shoes and rare limited-edition dolls on eBay, and sharing them with his 38,000 followers.

"I don't know why I love them so much, but I do. I believe I was born to collect dolls," he said. "I just want to raise awareness for guys who collect dolls. It's fine to do what you enjoy, whoever you are."

Duane AJ was an X Factor contestant in 2006 and made it to boot camp (Duane AJ _ Official/Youtube)

Duane, who made it to X Factor's boot camp in 2006, got his first doll at a car boot sale with his grandma, and instantly became "obsessed". From there it grew, and for every birthday and Christmas his family would buy him different types of dolls. But, when he began taking them to school, he was picked on by cruel classmates.

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"Growing up my family always fully supported my hobby - they never made me feel like it was wrong," he said. "But at school the boys would take the mick and call me gay - it got the better of me and in the end I stopped taking them." Duane, from Truro, Cornwall, continued to collect dolls in secret, even as he moved into adulthood.

Now he shares his impressive doll collection with his 38,000 fans on social media (SWNS)

Now, the 34-year-old isn't ashamed and has embraced his passion. "It's an expensive hobby - I have to make sure all my bills are paid each month before I buy any dolls," he explained. He has everything from £20 Barbies through to Japanese Smart Dolls, which set him back up to £600, and tiny accessories that cost £70 each.

Duane's enormous collection of dolls is worth thousands of pounds, and occupies an entire room in his house where he lives with his husband, Nick, 35 - who is really supportive. "I couldn't have married someone who wasn't - he just lets me get on with my dolls," Duane said. "We live in a three-bed house - one is our bedroom, one is his office and one is my doll room!"

He wants to raise awareness for guys who collect dolls after being bullied as a child (SWNS)

Duane's favourite doll is currently a limited edition Alice in Wonderland doll, which he got on eBay before Disney even released them in the UK, costing around £100. "That was such a good deal at the time because there's only 500 of her in the world," he said. "She's such a rare diamond." Though, he won't rule out selling some dolls in the future as a "retirement fund".

For now, he has no plans to stop growing his collection - despite trolls on social media attacking him for his hobby. "It's only since I have got to adult life that I stopped caring what people think," Duane said. "You'll get hate whatever you do - people could hate you for collecting stamps. You have to just embrace what you love. Collecting dolls doesn't make you any less of a man."

Do you have a doll collection? Get in touch. Email [email protected].

Amy Reast