The five-time Olympic gold medallist confirmed in an interview with Michael Parkinson, for which he is reported to have been paid over $500,000, that he is gay.

While the swimmers were travelling to Manchester for a pre-Games camp when the interview was aired on the Ten Network on Sunday night, they quickly caught up on the news from social media.

Reaction from members of the team on Monday ranged from hopes that the revelation could remove a burden from Thorpe's shoulders and help the 31-year-old, who has spoken about his battles with depression, have a more settled personal life, to disappointment that there had been so much post-interview focus on his sexuality.

Rising talent David McKeon said people's interest was warped.

"He's Ian Thorpe, he's the greatest Olympian that Australia's ever had. I think the story should be about Ian Thorpe winning five gold medals, he's amazing," McKeon said.

National head coach Jacco Verhaeren, who was previously the coach of one of Thorpe's great rivals, Dutch champion Pieter van den Hoogenband, said Thorpe's sexuality should not be an issue and would not affect his standing among the team.

"Unfortunately, apparently it's necessary to speak about (his) sexuality," Verhaeren said.

"For me it's not an issue, he's still the same champion, still the same friend and still the great competitor I know, and nothing has changed in that regard and that goes for the whole team and hopefully it will be a solution for some of the problems he has had in the past."

Matt Abood said he could understand why it had become such a talking point.

"It's a choice for everyone. Some people would be interested and want to know, because they obviously adore him and for him he's grown up in the spotlight so he might need to confirm it," Abood said.

"It doesn't change him in any way shape or form in my eyes. He's still the same guy who I've known and grew up watching swim, so to just to see him happy and relaxed would be my hope."

Thorpe will work as a commentator for the Ten Network in Glasgow and backstroker Belinda Hocking said she was looking forward seeing him regularly around the team.

"There's this excitment about him being on the pool deck," Hocking said. "It's sad that it's taken that long for him to be able to come down and interview us and have something to do with the swimming again but it's really exciting ... because he's such a big idol for all of us."

Fellow backstroker Emily Seebohm said Thorpe's personal happiness was most important.

"He's a happy and healthy guy now and I really look up to him and he's been a major inspiration for me," said Seebohm, who, with her mother, stayed in an apartment with Thorpe in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

"I (saw in 2008) how he is normally and not just hearing things from the media, actually seeing first hand what he's like and he's a really nice guy and I wish him all the best."