'Man, I'm glad I got out when I did': Kim Kardashian's ex-husband Kris Humphries posts mean tweet after Bruce Jenner's transition interview - then 'sincerely' apologizes {F}

• Bruce Jenner's high-anticipated interview with Diane Sawyer began on ABC at 9pm EDT and continues until 11pm
• In tell-all interview, former Olympic medalist reveals he is transitioning into woman, which was a childhood dream
• 'To all extents and purposes, I am a woman,' says Bruce. 'Bruce lives a lie. She is not a lie... I can't do it anymore'
• Earlier today, Kim Kardashian, 34, revealed her family would be watching the sit-down together in support of Bruce 
• Meanwhile, Bruce's daughter, Kylie Jenner, 17, took to Instagram to lovingly share a throwback photo of her father
• Bruce sparked rumors about his gender identity last year after visibly altering his appearance in a number of ways

Bruce Jenner has revealed that he identifies as a woman - his 'true self' and a childhood dream - in an explosive ABC interview with Diane Sawyer.

The 65-year-old Olympic gold medalist and reality TV star sparked rumors about his gender identity last year after visibly altering his appearance.

And tonight, he confirmed that he is reinventing himself physically in a bid to transition from male to female in the highly-anticipated, intimate sit-down.

Speaking in front of millions of viewers, including Kim Kardashian and her family, Bruce tearfully revealed: 'To all extents and purposes, I am a woman.

'My brain is much more female than it is male. That's what my soul is. Bruce lives a lie. She is not a lie.' He firmly added: 'I can't do it anymore.' 

During the interview, Bruce also admitted that he has been taking female hormones for five years - and plans to completely transform into a woman.

However, he said he still fancied females. 'I was never attracted to the guys,' he said, explaining how his sexuality is separate to his gender identity.

And he denied that his revelations were for publicity purposes. Instead, he made them due to his inability to continue to 'pull the curtain', he said. 

Many viewers and celebrities are currently taking to social media to congratulate Bruce on making a giant leap for the transgender community.

However, others are expressing concern that his TV appearance is turning transgenderism into a spectacle.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO 

Emotional: Speaking in front of millions of viewers on ABC, Bruce revealed through tears: 'To all extents and purposes, I am a woman'

Living a lie: The reality star added: 'My brain is much more female than it is male. That's what my soul is. Bruce lives a lie. She is not a lie'

Intimate: Many hope the program, titled 'Bruce Jenner: The Interview', could be a giant leap for the transgender community. Above, Diane

Tearful: However, others have expressed concern that it may make transgenderism a spectacle. Above, Bruce unties his hair band

Addressing Diane in preview clips of the interview, released by ABC today, Bruce reveals: 'My whole life has been getting me ready for this'

Greeting: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star is pictured greeting Diane Sawyer at his mansion in a preview clip

Support: Bruce (left), who has been married three times and fathered six children, finalized the divorce to his third wife, reality star Kris Jenner, last December. Tonight, Kris's daughter, Kim (right), revealed her family would be watching the sit-down at 9pm EDT together

At the start of tonight's program, simply titled 'Bruce Jenner: The Interview', Diane asked Bruce: 'Are you ready?', to which he replied: 'I am, let's do it.'

The star continued: 'You know what... it's going to be tough. I've been thinking about this day forever and what I should do with my life. How do I tell my story, how do I tell people what i've been through... And that day is today.' He then asked Diane for a tissue and used it to wipe his tear-filled eyes.

Clutching the tissue, Bruce remarked: 'We have to keep our sense of humor about this. Me of all people - Bruce Jenner - has to deal with these issues.'

Seconds later, he answered the question that has been on everyone's lips for the past year - is he transitioning into a woman?

'I have always been very confused with my gender identity since I was this big,' admitted Bruce, lowering his hand to several feet above the ground.

He continued: 'My whole life has been getting me ready for this. I'm really excited about the future, about what good I could do in the world.'

He then revealed how he had explained his identity to his children. He told them: 'God's looking down, making little Bruce. He gave me all these wonderful qualities. [But then He thought] wait a second, we've got to give him something in his life to struggle with. Let's give him the soul of a female.'

Despite his self-proclaimed 'female soul', Bruce said he does not describe himself as a woman stuck in a man's body. 'I'm a person and that's who I am,' he said. 'I'm not stuck in anyone's body. It's just me. It's who I am.' He added that tonight's interview will be his last one as Bruce, as a 'he'.

And when asked if he dreams as a woman, he said he 'always' has done.

Before tonight's interview, ABC had refused to confirm exactly what the 1976 Olympic decathlon winner would speak about. Instead, the network simply promoted the sit-down as being 'wide-ranging'. Diane also declined to confirm what the interview would cover - but said it would be 'fascinating'.   

Love: Bruce's daughter, Kylie Jenner, 17, took to Instagram to share a throwback photo of her father - making her love for him known

'Throwback': She followed it with the hashtags #compassion #acceptance #tolerance #education #evolution #kindness #inclusion #peace

Close: Reality TV stars (left to right) Khloe Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner did not discuss Bruce's upcoming interview when they attended the Calvin Klein Jeans' celebration launch of the #mycalvins Denim Series at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on Thursday

'Champion': Also today, Bruce's second wife, Linda Thompson, tweeted her support for her former husband, who grew up in New York

Reaching out: Linda and Bruce are pictured together during their marriage - before rumors about Bruce's gender identity arose

'We have the chance to write this moment in history together': Lady Gaga spoke out in support of Bruce following his revelations on ABC

'I think we can all agree that some stories should only be told by the person who lives them,' said the 69-year-old acclaimed journalist. 'And he wants to speak directly tonight, so I’m going to let him say first what he wants to say, but we did talk over several days, long conversations.'

She added that the 'fascinating and interesting' interview would cover Bruce's children's reactions - and 'what they do to try and be a family again'.   

Speaking earlier today, Diane revealed what she hopes viewers will take away from the revelations. 'I hope people talk with other people, with families, with friends, because there is so much to think about,' she said. ‘Not just about what he is going to tell you but about everyone’s life.'

Previous promo clips had seen Bruce admit his priority is his family, telling Diane: 'I can't let myself hurt them. They're the only ones I'm concerned with.' He also says: 'My whole life has been getting ready for this … I wanna know how this story ends, you know? How does my story end?'

In a clip released on Thursday, a somewhat anxious Bruce admits: 'It's going to be an emotional rollercoaster, but somehow I'm gonna get through it.'

And in another, he says: 'I feel like I’m going to be OK. 2015 is going to be quite a ride... Quite a ride.'

Bruce, who has been married three times and fathered six children, finalized the divorce to his third wife, reality star Kris Jenner, last December.  

Revealing all: Rumors surrounding Bruce's gender identity first arouse in January 2012, when Ellen Pierson - who married Kris's ex-husband Robert Kardashian - claimed the star had been a cross-dresser 'for years'. Above, Diane interviews Bruce in his home

Rumors: Two years later, the rumors escalated when Bruce (pictured) was spotted in public after reportedly undergoing a laryngeal shave to flatted his Adam's Apple. In May 2014, he then refused to cut his long hair for Kim's wedding to rapper Kanye West, despite pressure

Moral support: The father-of-six appears in the interview alongside his four oldest children Burt, 36, Casey, 34, Brandon, 33, and Brody, 31

Before the 'change': In August 2014, Bruce was pictured with what appeared to be breasts, sparking claims he was having hormone therapy to turn into a woman. Above, the star is pictured in smart attire (left) and during Tina Yothers 16th Birthday Party in Los Angeles (right)

Today, just hours before the tell-all interview, Kris's daughter, Kim Kardashian, revealed her family would all be watching the sit-down at 9pm EDT.

Speaking to E! reporters in New York at the Variety Power of Women event, the 34-year-old said: 'We always support each other. Our family is super supportive of everything that we do and you know we're gonna watch the special tonight and support Bruce and watch it with him tonight.' 

Also today, Bruce's second wife, Linda Thompson, tweeted her support for her ex-husband, who grew up in a middle class home in New York.

'Once a champion of Olympian magnitude...now a champion for those who share the struggle to just be who they are,' the 64-year-old wrote.

She followed it with the hashtags #compassion #acceptance #tolerance #education #evolution #kindness #inclusion #freedom #peace.

Meanwhile, Bruce's daughter, Kylie Jenner, 17, took to Instagram to share a throwback photo of her father - making her love for him known. 

She captioned the black-and-white image, in which Bruce shows off his athletic build: 'daddy throwback. #Tonight #DianeSawyer #ABC #love'.  

Sparking discussion: Speaking earlier today, Diane (pictured ahead of the interview) revealed what she hopes viewers will take away from the revelations. 'I hope people talk with other people, with families, with friends, because there is so much to think about,' she said

Criticism: Wendy Williams said on her Thursday show (pictured) that she was not happy with the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, whom she called a 'fame wh**e'. She also noted he should be paying more attention to Kylie, 17, who is dating 25-year-old rapper, Tyga

Accusatory: Wendy is pictured donning a yellow top and cardigan, and a patterned skirt, as she slammed Bruce on Thursday's program

Former couple: After Bruce divorced from Kris last December, Chrystie Crownover - his first love and an interior designer - spoke out about the rumors that he was transitioning. 'I just want him to be happy,' said Crownover. Above, Bruce and Kris are seen together in 2008

However, others were not so thrilled about Bruce's revealing interview. 

Wendy Williams said on her Thursday show that she was not happy with the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, whom she called a 'fame wh**e'.

She also noted he should be paying more attention to Kylie, 17, who is dating rapper Tyga, 25 - and said he should not have had kids in the first place.

Rumors surrounding Bruce's gender identity first arouse in January 2012, when Ellen Pierson - who married Kris's ex-husband Robert Kardashian - claimed the star had been a cross-dresser 'for years. She said his first wife, Chrystie Crownover, had said he had a penchant for women's clothing.

Two years later, the rumors escalated when Bruce was spotted in public after reportedly undergoing a laryngeal shave to flatted his Adam's Apple. In May 2014, he then refused to cut his long hair for Kim's wedding to rapper Kanye West, despite pressure from the bride and his estranged wife Kris.

And in August that year, Bruce was pictured with what appeared to be breasts, sparking claims he was having hormone therapy to turn into a woman

Daughters: During his marriage with Kris Jenner, Bruce was stepfather to Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Rob Kardashian. The pair also had daughters Kendall, now 19, and Kylie (both pictured), 17, together, before announcing their separation in 2013. They divorced in 2014

Their wedding day: Bruce and Kris looked happy when they tied the knot in 1991 with their children in tow

A month later, Bruce started growing out his hair and shaving his legs. And in November, he was spotted wearing nail polish, a sports bra and Spanx.

After Bruce divorced from Kris in December, Chrystie - his first love and an interior designer - spoke out about the rumors that he was transitioning.

She revealed that she still sees Jenner - father of two of her children, Burt and Casey - at family events, and would support him in his decision.

'I just want him to be happy,' she said. 'He is a very proud and present grandfather. We all support him.'  

Earlier this year, TMZ reported that Bruce told his family that he has known he was meant to be a female since the age of five. 

Shortly after, ABC revealed it was airing a 'wide-ranging' interview with the reality star, sparking a hype over the sit-down.

Bruce, whose father was a tree surgeon and mother was a housewife. was diagnosed with dyslexia when he was young.

However, he showed a strong talent for athletics - and excelled at sports while a student at Newtown High School in Connecticut.

In the 1976 summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, Bruce took the gold medal in the decathlon and quickly became a household name

During his marriage with Kris Jenner, Bruce was stepfather to Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Rob Kardashian.

The pair also had daughters Kendall, now 19, and Kylie, 17, together, before announcing their separation in 2013. They divorced the following year.

According to People magazine, the Kardashian girls 'were the last to know' about the 'true identity' of Bruce, who lives in a $3.5million Malibu mansion.

'They were just hysterical when it all really came out,' a source told the magazine in March.

'The whole family went through a rough patch.. It's naturally a difficult thing to process and work through.' 

Bruce’s children, Burt, 36 and Casey, 34, (from his marriage to Chrystie ) and Brandon, 33, and Brody, 31, (Linda) will feature in tonight's interview.