THEGAYUK

Author: Dannii Cohen

  • RuPaul’s Drag Race: Season 11 Episode 1 Review

    RuPaul’s Drag Race: Season 11 Episode 1 Review

    RuPaul’s Drag Race: As Sparkling As It’s Always Been

    RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 11 Episode 1 Review

    There are spoilers…

    With the new series of Drag Race coming hot on the heels of the last season of All Stars many people predicted that it would show signs of fatigue.

    It didn’t.

    It is clear to see why: though the format may be the same no season is truly the same because of the Queens.

    Every season has such a huge array of different voices, looks and personalities it’s never the same and always surprising. Already I am hooked on the story-line of Silky Nutmeg Ganache: can she keep up her amplified personality or will it be her downfall. If she does, how long will it take till the other girls snap?!

    Another hook is the return of “Miss Vanjie”, she’s already had me laughing out loud at times. She’s also grown a lot in style over the year. A great move to bring her back.

    But what mattered most is wondering: will Ra’Jah’s earrings stay on?! (They didn’t …)

    Meanwhile all the other Rugirls all seem to have interesting personalities and stories as well, with a lot of them coming from the House of Davenport – they seem specialized in turning out fabulous!! The House of Edwards are hot on their heels, though, with new additions Plastique Tiara bringing her best game to the show.

    The house of Montrese sadly didn’t do so well in this first episode.

    After appearing a bit lackluster at times during All Stars 4 it was good to see RuPaul appearing more like her usual self this time round. There was the twinkle, the naughty smiles and all the high energy quick fire jokes we’ve come to love. Her catwalk was as fabulous as always.

    The first challenge is, as is traditional: a photo-shoot challenge – this one with a twist. The new girls have to direct themselves in a photo-shoot with some legendary Drag Race alumina, including some big fan favorites and even winners. It is great to see the more seasoned Queens being so helpful and kind to the younger ones. Adore Delano simply living her best life and having some genuine fun being an absolute highlight.

    It is really amazing to see how the makers try to keep the first sewing runway challenge fresh; outfits inspired by past queens is a marvelous new twist.

    Then there was Miley Cyrus entering as a drag king and proving herself to be an absolute delight.

    She was unafraid to be fun with the Queens and gave them some advice that actually made sense and worked. She was also kind as a judge on the runway. A lot of guests try to outdo the regular judges, and often end up upsetting the contestants. Miley actually knowing and loving the Drag scene made her critiques all the better for it. (I do think poor Nina West not immediately ending up in the sing off after nine-years of auditioning is mostly due to her.)

    Then the runway itself: well, it seems a lot of those queens have learned by now that knowing how to sew is essential, there were no absolutely excruciating outfits or things falling off this time.

    Still, the moment Brooke Lynn Hytes appeared on the catwalk in her Detox inspired look it was clear she was a winner. Her outfit looked glamorous as well as professional as well as unique. She hit a deserved home run with all the judges.

    Oh, but poor Soju!! Yes, her outfit was the weakest and she clearly failed the sing off but my heart breaks for her. Seeing her Untucked goodbye it was clear she put herself under far too much pressure; She felt she had to both represent Korea as well as pave the way for other Korean LGBTQ youth. She felt she had failed all of them. She was also suffering from tendinitis and had burst a cyst on a very unfortunate place on her way to the show. This poor Queen deserves a rematch next year.
    Bless Vanjie for leaving her such a lovely note.

    With all queens seemingly talented in the entertainment department next weeks acting challenge looks to be great!!
    Can’t wait!! See you all soon.
    Or in Soju’s words:

    “I love all of you cysters! Have fun ❤ Soju”

     

    RuPaul’s Drag Race continues weekly on Netflix

  • DILEMMA | I cheated on my boyfriend with an online fling, now I deeply regret it

    DILEMMA | I cheated on my boyfriend with an online fling, now I deeply regret it

    I cheated on my wonderful boyfriend with a guy I met on Grindr and now I deeply regret it. I don’t even like the guy I cheated him on with.

    I cheated on my boyfriend with an online fling, now I deeply regret it
    (C) BIGSTOCK

    The sex was great, but I now feel guilty.

    I’m not sure why I cheated on him, but I feel that our relationship has gone a bit stale. We’ve been together for just over 5 years and everything has become very samey. Although we get on really, really well and don’t really argue.

    I started looking on Grindr a few months ago, mainly out of boredom and I started chatting to him – we met up for a coffee and then again for a drink one evening at our local. Then one thing led to another.

    We’ve only done it once, and the weird thing, despite the guy being really good looking, I don’t really like him. We don’t agree on things politically or socially.

    I’m not sure what to do next.

     

    Dr Dannii Cohen answers:

    How to deal with cheating
    (C) BIGSTOCK

    Dear reader,

    You might not like to hear what I am about to tell you, but it is the truth:

    You are the only one who can fix this situation, and it is not going to be easy.

    Step 1. Break up with your Grindr date.

    It is clear that you have no interest in him, and are only hanging on to him because you are afraid of dumping him. Why is this? Is he your back up because you are afraid to be alone if your boyfriend breaks up with you? It is clear from what you wrote that you don’t like him – you say so yourself. Let him go, but kindly, as this situation is not fair on him.

    Just remember, be kind: he did not ask to be part of your problem.

    Step 2: Win back your boyfriend.

    You said things have been a little stale: have you ever asked your boyfriend if he feels the same? Chances are he feels comfortable. But it could also be that he feels the same.

    Either way, you could try and bring a new dimension to your relationship: plan a few date nights, look for new ways to spice up your sex life (make sure that the both of you enjoy what you get up to as no-one should sacrifice themselves for the others enjoyment), maybe try role-play or something. Do new fun stuff together, cooking classes, theatre or anything you’d both like to try out.

    Step 3 Your conscience.

    This step should, to all intents and purposes come before step 2, because it’s the biggest step of all: will you tell your boyfriend about what happened? This is entirely on you, but the decision you make has to be made now, and once you make it you have to stick to it and deal with any consequences.

    If you don’t tell him and are certain he has no idea about what happened chances are that, if you put in the effort you can save the relationship. But bear in mind that you can’t go back on this if you feel guilt overwhelm you months/years later.

    Confessing it asap in a kind, gentle way at the right time, making sure they know how terrible you feel about it could see you forgiven in the long run. Don’t count on things to be rosy immediately, though and don’t rush your partner in his feelings. Let him be the one to say if they’re ready to start again or if he needs a break.

    I hope things turn out well for you and your partner.
    With love,
    Dannii Cohen

     

    Have you got a dilemma you’d like us to answer? Click here

    YOUR SUPPORT MEANS EVERYTHING

    Help us deliver unique, usable and reliable journalism that supports the gay, bisexual and curious community of the United Kingdom. Can you help protect LGBT+ media? Publishers like us have come under severe threat by the likes of Google and Facebook. The problem is that advertisers are choosing to put their money with them, rather than with niche publishers like us. Our goal is to eliminate banner ads altogether on site and we can do that if you could pledge us a tiny amount each month.

    We’re asking our readers to pledge just £1 per month, more if you’re feeling swanky. You can stop payment at any time.

    It’s quick and easy to sign up and you’ll only have to do it once.

    Click to start the journey and support THEGAYUK!

  • 10 facts you probably didn’t know about Freddie Mercury

    Freddie Mercury died on the 24th November in 1991. Today we celebrate his life with some great facts you may not know or may have forgotten.

    10. His real name was Farrokh Bulsara and he was born in Zanzibar. He had a wealthy childhood until he and his family had to flee a bloody revolution. His family are Parsees, followers of the Zorastrian religion whose ancestors came from Persia.

    9. He changed the lyrics of “One vision” to “fried chicken” to the last line when dared by his lover Jim Hutton. He sang it on every version since.

    8. Freddie was an accomplished ballet dancer, even performing with the royal ballet in 1979.

    7. Despite only revealing his illness days before he died, he dropped many hints about his failing health during his last 1986 tour, most famously in a brief speech before performing “Who Wants To Live Forever” at Wembley.

    6. By 1986 Queen were fed up with each other and took a break. In 1988 Freddie’s illness was the main reason to regroup and record albums The Miracle and Innuendo.

    5. Freddie wrote various songs for his cats: ‘All Dead, all dead’ was about the death of a beloved cat, while Delilah and Bijou were dedicated to the cats that kept him company during his last days. Meanwhile the song “Cool Cat” was about a man who reminded him of a cat. Freddie was a big cat lover and at one point owned up to ten cats. Freddie had portraits painted of his cats and called them daily when on tour.

    4. Freddie felt he performed at his best when he was unhappy in love, and seemed to seek out partner accordingly in his early years. Partner Bill Reid was the course of much heartbreak and fights: before one concert Reid bit Mercury’s hand so hard that it left teeth marks and bled profusely. Another fight left their hotel room with a layer of broken glass and plaster on the carpet. Showing that fights did not always led to great performances: one shouting match with Reid left Freddie so hoarse he could barely get his voice back in time to perform at Saturday Night Live.

    When dating Tony Bastin Freddie became aware that he was seeing someone else behind his back. As a punishment, he flew him all the way over to the USA, met him up at the airport told him it was over and then put him on the next plane back to London that day. He also kept Bastin’s cat, Oscar.

    3. Freddie first met future duet partner David Bowie in the summer of 1970 when he co-managed a stall in Kensington Market, with Roger Taylor. Freddie tried to sell Bowie a pair of suede boots. While he tried them on Mercury quizzed him about the music business. David was very unhappy about the music industry at the time and asked Freddie, ‘Why would you want to get into this business?’

    2. Freddie helped Princess Diana disguise as a man so she could go to gay bars with him and his best friend Kenny Everett. The trio also loved watching “Golden Girls” together at the home of close friend Cleo Rocos. Says Cleo: “Kenny turned the sound down on the television and we improvised the voices, but with a much naughtier storyline. Kenny was Blanche, Diana was Dorothy, Freddie was Sophia and I was Rose – we were uncontrollable with laughter.”

    1. Freddie was guarded about his sexuality, but did at one point speak about his love for partner Jim Hutton. Saying: “I’m very happy with my relationship at the moment and I couldn’t ask for better. So now I’ve finally found a niche that I was looking for all my life.”

  • COMMENT | As suicide amongst LGBT+ teens remains high, more needs to be done to stop bullying

    COMMENT | As suicide amongst LGBT+ teens remains high, more needs to be done to stop bullying

    This week is Suicide prevention week, a chance to be informed of how to prevent a friend or loved one from taking their life. Advice that, sadly, is much needed in the LGBTQ community.

    According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four LGBTQ teens tries to take their own life, and far too many succeed.

    One in four! With most recent tragic victim 9-year-old Colorado boy Jamel Myles fresh on our minds these figures now have a face, and we need to think of ways to stop adding to this count.

    Over the last few months more terrifying statistics have been released: According to the Metropolitan Police, the number of homophobic hate crimes being committed in London has doubled over the last five years. But not just there, searching through online reports homophobia is on the rise around the world (in every walk of life) and so is the bullying of queer youth – apparently even by teachers in several cases.

    The first thing that needs to be done is more attention to bullying prevention, as this is where it starts. These are dangerous times to be young and “different”. With bullying seemingly legitimised by the internet, media and politics adults feel they have the right to point, judge and hurt; whether through social media or verbally. This behaviour rubs off on young children and teens, leading them to judge others the same way.

    “It is horrifying to know that bullying has become even more vicious and unrelenting since the 1990s, especially since the “invention” of online bullying. It is a horrific idea that these days the harassment just continues at home, in what should be the safety of your bedroom”

    Bullying has always been around amongst children, of course. I too was a victim; different, mixed raced and shy I was an easy target. It too drove me to try and take my life, my mother saved me, and for that, I’ll always be grateful. This was in the 1990s, and it is horrifying to know that bullying has become even more vicious and unrelenting since then, especially since the “invention” of online bullying. It is a horrific idea that these days the harassment just continues at home, in what should be the safety of your bedroom.

    What is needed is more help and support for young LGBTQ teens: an appointed counsellor (preferably LGBTQ themselves) in every school would be a step in the right direction. Children and teenagers talk easier if they feel the person is “like” them or “gets” them. Educating teachers about bullying and other problems LGBTQ teens face is important too.

    More bullying prevention and a zero tolerance against bullying and discrimination are also very important. Far too often the bully gets validated in his or her behaviour with alarming future consequences.

    Bullying leaves lifelong scars that can be damaging. It can cause a crippling lack of confidence, PTSD, internalised homophobia and lots of other mental health issues. Protecting LGBTQ and other bullied children now is protecting their future. Protecting LGBTQ and other bullied children GIVES them a future!

  • This is how to wake up happy

    How we wake up, sets us up for the rest of our day.

    CREDIT: © oneinchpunch Depositphotos

    Sadly most people these days wake up as stressed as they went to bed. This means that we often wake up dreading the day instead of being ready to take it on. It is easy to change this by doing a few simple things in your early morning routine, but a lot of people think this might take too much time.

    This is a misconception as in fact: taking a few minutes in the morning to get ready for the day will boost your energy levels and will make you work faster: leaving you with more time by the end of the day to do things you really want to do: like hobbies.

    1. Avoid screens (1). Waking up clear headed begins with going to bed clear headed. Stop turning on your computer late at night thinking “I’ll just do that one last thing …” as we all know you’ll still be doing that one last thing at 3.00PM. Instead of pulling all-nighters you’ll be far more productive during the day if you avoid flashing screens altogether for at least half an hour before you go to sleep. Rest your mind with a book or listening to some soft music or a radio play.

    Your brain needs to recover from the glare of the computer, followed by the glare of the TV. An overload of images right before going to bed is detrimental to a good nights rest.

    CREDIT: Minerva-Studio-bigstock

    2. Get things ready before going to bed. Choose what you’re going to wear the next day early the evening before. After this think about what else you might need and put it out. Getting details in order the evening before saves you precious time and stress in the morning.

    3. Wake up at-least half an hour before you have to. It’s a myth to think that it’s that extra half hour of sleep that would help you to wake up feeling refreshed. You’d be surprised to know that this is not the case. Waking up a little earlier means you can start your day slow and relaxed, as you have some time for yourself instead of; jumping out of bed, rushing into the shower, wolfing down your breakfast and dashing out.

    1767892 / Pixabay

    4. Do NOT set an alarm. This might sound odd, but there is a very good reason for this: when you use an alarm to stir you in the morning you do not wake up naturally. The sudden beeps of the alarm disrupt your sleep and you jolt awake abruptly, stressed out before you’ve even opened your eyes. Hitting the snooze button after this makes things even worse as dozing off means you will be waking up again ten minutes later at the beginning of the sleep cycle. The worst point to be woken up.

    Instead of using your alarm try and exercise mind and body into resetting your biological clock so you’ll wake naturally. I do not advise to start training this during a working week as you may run into trouble.

    5. Avoid screens (2). Do not reach out for your phone or laptop the second you wake up. Those e-mails, messages and Tweets can wait. Immediately going for the phone means you’re starting work the moment you wake up causing stress levels to rise abruptly. Reading Twitter does not equal time for yourself. The internet late at night you’ll be on that phone/tablet for the next 40+ minutes, losing precious time and will stressed for the rest of the day.

    6. Begin the day with positive affirmations: Find a motivational meditation that speaks to you and play it the moment you wake up. Early in the morning, your mind is very susceptible and the affirmations will remain with you throughout the day.

    Alternatively, if you do not like to play recordings early in the morning: reading positive affirmations instead will do just as well.

    7. Go over your daily goals: What was it you had planned for the day? What is essential? Remember it and think about how you want to do it.

    CREDIT: ©-Iakov-Depositphotos

    8. Do some exercise: Some people swear by exercising first thing in the morning: it is easy to see why: it gets done and sets you up for the rest of the day. It is also obvious why many more people feel quite queasy at the thought of doing strenuous exercise first thing in the morning.

    Still, even if you don’t like working out first thing in the morning, it is a good idea to at least do something to wake up your body, your metabolism and your mind. Try ten minutes of easy exercise that suit you. A bit of yoga, for example, a few sit-ups a little cardio or pilates, even going up and down the stairs a few times. (Always, always stretch before anything you do though!!) Doing some moves early in the morning is like physical coffee that gets you going.

    9. Practice Mindfulness: Take your breakfast and relax. Eat slowly and try to truly taste what you are eating. After you have finished don’t jump up immediately but slowly close your eyes and do a brief body scan. Take a few breaths and pay attention to what you feel and hear around you. This should take no more than two or three minutes: a mini meditation.

    10. Talk to your loved ones: Take some time out to talk to your partner/family or live in friend. Give a kiss and a cuddle. The best way to start the day is with love.

  • OPINION | Celebrity Big Brother: I feel I’ve been watching a long-running pro-Tory commercial

    Big Brainwashing. Why does Big Brother want us to love dangerous Ann Widdecombe?

    Yes, I admit it: I’ve been watching Celebrity Big Brother for the first time in years. Hearing it was the Year of the Women I was intrigued. Hearing that there were, to be frank, political discussions hooked me. Little did I know what was in store.

    Well, about that whole Year of the Women debacle I can be short: they never meant it did they? If they did the selection would have been better. (Almost) all of the women selected were lovely and admirable in their own way, but were they the perfect choice to represent the whole of womanhood?

    Not according to the audience who voted three out in the first week and another three in last Tuesday’s eviction. But even ignoring that: the year of the women basically ended when the men entered the house … or even before that: the moment Ann Widdecombe entered and opened her mouth.

    The reason why she was ever asked to represent in “The Year of the Women” is questionable, as she has always made it blatantly clear she is no supporter of the female sex.

    She even admittedly left the Anglican Church to become a Catholic because she did not like their decision to accept women vicars.

    On her first night in she revealed she was basically against fighting for female rights or equal payment and victim blamed rape victims.

    She then upset trans contestant India by misgendering her, even though she was corrected several times by both India and other housemates.
 She later also branded Prince Harry’s fiancee Meghan Markle “trouble”, saying the actress’s background and attitude made her “uneasy”.

    Which for other contestants should have been enough to be voted out first, if you think about it. But not this time. No-one seemed to even bat an eyelid, and the media reported it as if the comments came from a funny old aunty, not a former Tory politician and media personality who still has quite a lot of influence: she still writes books and columns and is often wheeled out to defend unpopular Tory policies.

 Then Courtney Act (or Shane Jenek) entered the house, and things got even worse: the Ru Paul’s Drag Race contestant was met with eye roles and disapproving looks from the start. Every conversation about gay rights or feminism was met with contrary statements tuts or more eye roles. Even when the other girls talked about things that had upset them or made them uneasy she refused to show any empathy.

    Things got even worse once Courtney struck up a firm flirty friendship with Andrew Brady. This friendship with Brady was labelled “disgusting” by Ann, and their funny play fights were what made her choose the pair as the ones to be up for eviction. She thought their actions were sexual claimed they had “brought the whole house into disrepute” and then upset Brady by suggesting his mother and grandmother would be upset by it.

    Strangely it was not Ann who was edited as the bad guy in this, but according to the media, it was Andrew for being so upset he called her the c-word. Sure, not the nicest thing to call someone, but when pushed past the breaking point in a place like that tempers run high. The fact that a lot of housemates had admitted to feeling restricted by Ann’s constant judging, her eye-rolls and facepalming seems forgotten or ignored – even by most housemates themselves.

    This was not the first time Big Brother and the media twisted events to let Ann get off scot-free. Year of the ‘bad editing’ and year of the ‘feeble excuses’ would have been a better label. Or … year of protecting the sexism and homophobia apologist … Because frankly, that is what I feel I have been watching.
 Actually, I don’t know WHAT I’ve been watching beyond a long-running pro-Tory commercial. 

Several housemates have claimed that Ann seems to get a favourable treatment where edits are concerned. (The edit CBB chose to make of a conversation Andrew and Shane had during a very late night ‘Live from the house’ broadcast compared to what was shown on the official CBB show seems to support this.)

    Also, the way the show went out of their way to create another non-existent homophobic row to deflect from Ann was a clear indication of how protective they are of their ‘star’; John Barnes was edited to look homophobic in a conversation with Courtney.

    Even though the poor man, who had very intellectual LGBT rights conversations on the show, was obviously talking about what older straight men usually think about gay men. The media did pick up on this in a big way, even though Courtney expressed on camera what a great conversation she had with John.

    Meanwhile, more and more people in and around the house became “protective of Ann”; she was so entertaining and funny. She was harmless; it was pantomime, she was close with bisexual Amanda Barrie; it was all a joke.

 A strange long-running joke then. A joke who wrote a column to support conversion therapy.
 A joke who voted against: Gay adoption, Equalising the age of consent, Repealing Section 28, Civil partnerships, Equality Act, Making it easier for lesbian couples to access IVF.

    She is also against abortion and once agreed with the view that even in case of women who get pregnant because of rape, a life is still a life.

    She calls herself “a defender of the unborn”.

    In the recent past, she even supported capital punishment and a move to shackle pregnant prisoners in hospital.

 Looking up the housemates online before going in Courtney might well be surprised by the views of Ann and had every right to ask her about it.

    When she was a member of the House of Commons, she was a representative of us, the people so she should be willing to debate and admit what she did and why. There is no need to protect her from this; she chooses to appear on reality TV time and time again.

    She chose to go in this house, knowing that there would be debate and made herself a target by goading people like Courtney and Andrew by constantly eye rolling everything they did. She clearly revels in upsetting and placing small ticking bombs that she keeps kicking until they explode, but when they do she blames the injured party for being ‘too sensitive’ and then shuts down, expecting her protectors to finish the job. A neat political trick.

    It is remarkable that a person like this is hailed as a “loveable granny” in edits. For most of the time, this series was the “Ann” show, where housemates seemed to always chat about how “funny” and “adorable” she was. Sometimes this continued on into the Bit On The Side studio, where after a while people even forgot to add the, “I don’t agree with her views”, disclaimer that they’d added at the start.
 There is the strange feeling of it being ‘the year of the conservative’ where the housemates and audience alike are sucked into her views and being to repeat them.

    Quietly, Ann trained everyone in the house to look at her for approval… once she achieved that, she made the correlation that she was like Mum or Grandmum. She gave rewards and punishments. Then gradually escalated the levels of what they weren’t allowed to do, thus shutting out everyone who had anything bad to say about her. To disrespect/disagree with Ann would be like doing that to your own loved ones and made the person questioning the rules seem wrong and vindictive. And if you do a Twitter search it seems as if it’s working. Ann is hailed for her views and convictions by a good many people.

    The main excuse Ann apologists seem to use is ‘she’s old, and people were like that back then.’

    Excuse me? Were they really?

    Pardon me, but Ann Widdecombe is 70, not 101, She is not from the pre-war or Victorian age. She is my mum’s age; a woman who fought for equality for women, race and LGBT. If she heard someone like Ann back then, she’d clipped her around the head.
 Ann Widdecombe grew up in the ‘Swinging 60s’, she is younger than Mick Jagger and most of the Rolling Stones, younger than the remaining Beatles. She is as old as Marianne Faithfull – who was raised a convent girl but became a poster girl for bisexual liberation.

    These were the decades of protesting, feminism and sexual liberation – she might not have been part of it, but she can’t pretend she never heard of it. She certainly can’t brainwash people into believing that her attitude was the norm back then amongst her peers.

    The worst thing is seeing other LGBT members make those excuses for her, sucked in by the “funny old lady” act. No Amanda, Wayne, Rylan, Biggins, Russell Grant – this was not the norm back then. Shame especially those who are her age: why shame your whole generation?
 People like Elizabeth Taylor, Joanna Lumley, Barbra Streisand and most of the cast of Grace and Frankie are her peers as is Barbra Windsor.

    All these people believed and still believe in gay rights and general equality, even the nuns in the original Call the Midwife books were more open-minded than she is.

    What the heck Amanda especially; how difficult is it to understand that gay people did not have the right to marry in the very recent past and that this was because of people like Ann who voted against that. Be friends with her if you must, but don’t say that she and her opinions had nothing to do with your rights! Even on the show Widdecombe still insisted: “Marriage is between a man and a woman.”

    She uses her status to create her own little pantomime in which she is the star, knowing that this will continue to give her a stage to present her dangerous opinions… It’s a trick card Donald Trump played as well during the elections.

    It has nothing to do with how ‘things were back then’, as this was clearly not the case amongst her age group; it has to do with a narrow-minded woman who enjoys being the villain when it suits her, knowing it keeps her in the media. She uses her status to create her own little pantomime in which she is the star, knowing that this will continue to give her a stage to present her dangerous opinions. It even seems to make her popular with every generation. It’s a trick card Donald Trump played as well during the elections.

    Like Trump, Ann too showed she is still vindictive, placing Maggie Oliver up for eviction because of past political clashes. Maggie – who everyone expected to go far was barely seen during her time on the show. “I was talking about police, zero hour contracts, poverty and homelessness and those conversations haven’t been showed,”

    She came out of the house saying Ann had ‘no compassion for the homeless or poor’ and is a ‘misogynist’.

    “I don’t hate Ann,” she said. “She’s a powerful woman, and I believe that she is a misogynist.
 She’s playing a very clever game. She is very intelligent, but emotionally she is not. 
My views on politicians are widely reported, and Ann has proved every comment and stereotype that I have made about people in positions of authority. 
I don’t believe [her lack of empathy] is her fault, she has lived a privileged life.

    Emotionally she has never evolved. Politically she is very smart, but she has lived in a world of men. She has shown that in the fact she is quite vocal on her views about women.”

    In a way, this is bigger than Big Brother as this is a small window into the state of the world right now. It reveals how easily people give up their own opinions and freedom and how much intolerance towards those that fight for equality there still is.

    The catchphrase of this year’s Big Brother is “respect your elders”. Of course, you have to have respect for those that came before you; so many people fought for your right to exist and a lot of the freedoms we have now. But when someone is disrespectful or hurtful to you – judging you before they have even met you. You are allowed to voice your opinion. No-one is allowed to belittle or hurt anyone, no matter who they are and what their age is.

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • INTERVIEWS | The Brittas Empire – Cast & Writer interviews

    The return of Brittas Empire. Some of the cast and writers, look back on the show’s rich history.

 The Brittas Empire, the Chris Barrie helmed 90’s hit sitcom, experienced a bit of a renaissance this year with an all cast reunion to celebrate the re-opening of Ringwood Leisure centre where a lot of the show was filmed.

    The cast reunion was very well received by fans, and a video of Chris stepping back in the part of Gordon Brittas for a BBC online special was one of the most watched online stories for two days running.

    On Christmas day BBC Radio Solent will broadcast a special retrospective of the series at 16.00 (repeated on New Year’s day) with Chris Barrie, the cast and writers looking back on the series and the future. Hosted by Richard Latto, it looks like we’ll be in for a treat.

    Meanwhile, rumours of a comeback of the show are looking more likely than ever with many of the cast and writer Richard Fegan keen to create new adventures for Gordon, Helen, Tim, Gavin and co.

 Reason enough to get in touch with the cast and writers of the show to ask them about their best memories of the series and its place in LGBT history. Because did you know: this sitcom was the first and last BBC One prime-time show to feature an out gay couple! Writer Richard Fegan tells us about this: “I’m very proud of the way we portrayed Tim and Gavin and we got a lot of praise from gays who, as intended, laughed with them rather than at them. I think it was the first time that happened in a sitcom.”

    Let’s see what the other cast members and writer Andrew Norriss have to say in our exclusive interview with them.

    Andrew Norriss (Writer)



    Where did the idea of Brittas Empire come from?

    Hard to remember. I suppose everyone has met a Brittas or someone like him, and Richard and I were talking about someone we knew one day and… it went from there.

    How/why did you create Tim and Gavin?

    I think in episode one we wanted to see Brittas trampling on people’s feelings (unintentionally of course) and a gay couple meant that, given Brittas’s insensitivity, this was one way to show it.

    Were you aware that their characters were unique on TV? (At the time and perhaps still.)

    I wasn’t. I think maybe Richard was. I just liked the idea that the fact they were gay was never mentioned and never an issue Except accidentally, with Brittas, of course.

    Were the BBC okay with the characters from the start or did you have to defend them?

    Totally OK. Never even mentioned.

    Did you hear any audience/LGBT response (positive or negative) back then or now about those roles?

    We did get the odd message of approval – that it was nice to see an ordinary relationship with no add-ons to make it ‘funny’.

    Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?

    Absolutely no idea!

    What is your favourite memory of the show?

    My son, Johnny, was the baby in the drawer and was in each of the five series as he grew up. I remember watching him play trains on the floor in front of Carole’s desk, and he was in heaven. Not interested in the filming or anything. Just the trains…

    What do you think is the most iconic scene?

    My top favourite is the one where Brittas is killed by the water tank landing on him. Brilliant FX and the reaction of all the staff is so beautiful – funny and yet so sad. I loved it!

    
What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal?

    I remember at the end of one recording two girls in very skimpy dresses somehow escaped from the audience and wound up backstage where they asked me where they could find Chris Barrie. I had no idea that you could have ‘groupies’ for being in a sitcom. I’ve never asked if they found him, or what they offered if they did…

     

    Would you like the series to return?
    It might sound odd, but I’m not bothered one way or the other. I wouldn’t be able to write any of it if it does come back (too old, and busy doing other things now) and that would be the only fun bit for me. I know Richard’s keen, but I’m not interested myself.

    Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?
    The best thing about it was that he never had a clue. I’m sure he would have been deeply and embarrassingly supportive and understanding if he had, but… no, it passed him by completely.

    Pippa Haywood (Helen Brittas) 



    How did you become part of the series?



    I was invited to audition for the series and was actually asked to go up for a different part, but as soon as I read the part of Helen, I was really drawn to her, and so I asked if I could read for both. I was just fascinated by the idea of who could possibly live with a man like Brittas and why on earth would she stay with him for longer than five minutes! I then had a recall at which, I only read for Helen and then, to my great joy, the part was offered to me.

    What did you think when you first read the script?



    When I first read the script, I was amazed by its inventiveness and the wacky nature of the comedy. I was also fascinated by the character of Brittas and his relationships with others and the chaos that ensues. I thought there was scope for rich veins of humour and knew that it would be a romp.

    What did you like most about the series?



    Obviously, the incredibly clever and witty scripts and the opportunity to play so many extreme comedic situations were big factors in enjoying the series so much. 
But for me, Brittas was my first TV series where I was playing a lead role and could begin to relax in front of the camera and learn my craft. It was also a romp because we all got on so well, many friendships developed which have lasted a lifetime (so far!) and Harriet and I both had babies during those years, so there were times when the green room was a crèche! So for me, it was an era that encompassed so much more than just the making of the series. Happy days!

    What is your favourite memory?

    It is impossible to pick out a favourite memory there are so many!
 Having to learn how to ride a scooter and charging straight into a bush on my first attempt! Parachuting down into the leisure centre car park and having to wrap up an enormous length of parachute silk while delivering a speech (I seem to remember I got quite hysterical and too weak to gather it in!)
 Being dropped from a crane into a pile of elephant dung – lovely!
 Sitting sobbing outside the leisure centre (in character) and just really loving the scene we were playing. 
All the cast at my house for a picnic in the garden – a perfect summer’s day, a perfect crowd of friends.

    What do you think is the most iconic scene?



    Just fire engines and explosions in general!

    What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal?



    I don’t know about strangest, but the most embarrassing was coming in from the elephant dung scene with elephant dung all over me and being left with a towel in the ladies changing area to shower off the dirt. I quickly removed my silver suit and then got a bit confused trying to find my way to the showers as there was some dirt on my face and I didn’t want it to get into my eyes. Eventually, I found some showers and started to rinse off the dirt but when I turned around, realised that I was under the showers that you use before entering the pool. Anyone in the pool that day caught a glimpse of me starkers, apart from the remains of the dung, showering off in the entrance to the pool!! Luckily there weren’t many people swimming that day!

    What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them?



    I thought ‘about time’ that we have a gay couple in a sitcom that are just another couple and that the humour is arising from the situation and their characters but not because they are camp or the stereotypical gay characters we’d seen in the 70s and 80s.

    Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?



    I’m not sure, but it’s witty and outrageous, and I guess that appeals to the properly discerning comedy audience!

    Why do you think people in general still love it?



    I think everyone has a Gordon Brittas character somewhere in their life and so they love to release their frustration through the hilarity of the scrapes he gets himself into.
 I think it has a warmth of wit and character that is sometimes lacking from present-day comedy and I think the extent of the ludicrous nature of the comedy was ahead of its time and still much appreciated today.

    Would you like the series to return?
 If so, would you be part of it?

    I am very ambivalent about the return of the programme. I think sometimes comedy programmes suffer from being updated. If it could be updated in a way that allows it to be as fresh and hilarious as it was then but moves the series on to be contemporary then, yes. But you can’t just put all the old characters back in a leisure centre and carry on where we left off. We’re all too old and I think it would be much better just to enjoy the reruns.

    Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple? 



    OBVIOUSLY NOT!!

    Jill Greenacre (Linda)

    How did you become part of the series?

    I became a part of the series because I was on tour with Chris Barrie in a play called Totally Foxed. Chris had just been cast as Mr Brittas and one night said that the director, Mike Stephens, was coming to see the play. I was actually quite tired that night and had been intending to cycle home to my digs and not go out. I had a strong intuition however that I should join the others and meet Mike. I played a robot in the play and so, had I not joined them, Mike would never have seen my face ( the robot was masked). I ended up sitting next to Mike and chatting away, and the next day my agent called me and said the Mike wanted me to come to London to meet the casting director and talk about playing Linda. The rest is history!

    What did you think when you first read the script?

    When I first read the script, I wasn’t sure what to think. My part was very small in the early days so I wanted to make the best impression I could with my few words. I did think the script very funny but had no knowledge of who the other actors were and how the characters would come off the page.

    What did you like most about the series?

    I most liked that it was whacky and farcical yet had a politically and morally sound ethic running through it.

    What is your favourite memory?

    I have many favourite memories. I loved the Noah’s Ark episode because the studio was full of animals… I loved kicking down the toilet door to find an ostrich who was actually one of our crew with an ostrich head and feet on and I loved the reaction of the audience when I tipped a bucket full of rats down the toilet (the rats were unharmed)
    I also remember stroking a tarantula in the studio when it was brought into rehearsals!

    What do you think is the most iconic scene?

    The most iconic scene? There are so many! Maybe the chaos after the centre was blown up or when we were burying Gavin, only we hadn’t actually got a body, and the coffin was ridiculously small because Mr Brittas had said to save money… and Mrs Brittas had put the body of her dog which had just died in it without telling Mr Brittas…

    What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal?

    Maybe just the fact that Seb Coe was with us for a week! I had known him only as a famous athlete, and there he was being chained, by us, to a railing!

    What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them?

    I was heartened that there was a Gay couple written into the cast. It was brave in those days.

    Did you hear any audience/LGBT response back then or now about those roles?

    No, strangely, I didn’t. It was just accepted.

    Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?

    I think, apart from Tim and Gavin, the show has a big LGBT following because of the larger than life characters… especially Carole and Julie whom I think were LGBT favourites.

    Why do you think people in general still love it?
    I think people still love it because it stands the test of time. It’s still funny, still relevant; the characters are all loveable. The style is very much that of farce, and that’s universally humorous. The concept of having a character (Mr Brittas) whom everybody outside the centre “hates ” but he is unaware of this and whom the staff might complain about but are fiercely loyal to seems to always work.

    Would you like the series to return?
 If so, would you be part of it?
    I’d LOVE the series to return with all us original cast, and YES, I would definitely like to be a part of it!

    Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?
    No, I don’t think Mr Brittas ever realised that Tim and Gavin were gay ….and he never will !!

    Tim Marriott (Gavin)



    How did you become part of the series?

    I was sent to an interview by my agent with the producer, which I thought was a total disaster as I was nervous and stuttered my way through the script… When I left, I went straight out to the nearest telephone box (this was before mobiles) and called my agent to apologise for having messed up the interview. She said, “that’s strange, they’ve just offered you the part”! I think something in my befuddled naivety must have appealed to them…

    What did you think when you first read the script?

    I thought it was very fresh, original and different to the ‘two armchairs and a sofa’ style sitcoms around at the time…

    What did you like most about the series?

    The farcical, off the wall humour, the best episodes and most fun to do were the most extreme, like blowing up the centre or defending ourselves from a rampant emu loose in the corridors!

    What is your favourite memory?

    Every year going down to Bournemouth to location film for three weeks… our director always kept a really happy atmosphere, he used to call it our annual holiday!

    What do you think is the most iconic scene?

    To me, it would have to be when we thought Brittas had been flattened by the water tank after the centre collapsed, such blissfully dark humour, but there are so many… in the first series I got spear gunned to a door, that’s a memory you don’t forget!

    What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal?

    Everything we did was pretty strange! Sharks in the pool to a vengeful psychotic choirmaster… but Gavin RIP was a pretty odd episode, turning up at my own grave and asking if the funeral was for “anyone I knew!”

    What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them?

    There wasn’t much to them, to begin with, the characters weren’t really established, this was something we worked out over time. I don’t think We really thought too deeply about the impact of being the first openly gay couple on TV, it was just seemed natural for that to be there, and we played it that way.

    Was there ever a moment you felt unsure about portraying a gay character?

    I got the occasional nasty comment, which makes you think, but to be honest, these were pretty rare and only make one more determined anyway.

    Did you think about how you wanted to play the part?

    I knew we wanted to present them as natural and normal as we could as part of the micro-society the cast presented.

    Did you hear any audience/LGBT response (positive or negative) back then or now about those roles?

    Not really. Anyone commenting to me on our roles as Tim and Gavin has only really been supportive and appreciative of the show and our roles within it.

    Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?

    Because it was colourful, fun, intelligent and imaginative, and like-minded people who are colourful, fun, intelligent and imaginative enjoyed it!

    Why do you think people in general still love it?

    It was in many ways ahead of its time. Somewhat under celebrated back then, the comedy hasn’t really dated. Also, we had quite a strong young audience following who are, perhaps, now in their thirties and forties and, perhaps, remember us fondly and with a bit of nostalgia? I hope so, anyway!

    Would you like the series to return?

    Yes, I’d love a second shot at it. It was great fun!

    If so, would you be part of it?

    Not my decision, but if it was offered, I was available, and the scripts were as strong as the original, then I’d love to.

    Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?

    Never!! He was utterly blinkered!

     

    Judy Flynn (Julie)

    How did you become part of the series?

    I had worked with my Mike Stephens the director before. I wasn’t cast in the first series, and when Mr Brittas needed a new secretary at short notice, Mike got in touch with my agent to offer me the role.

    What did you think when you first read the script?

    Well, first of all, I was very excited to be offered the job. I found the scripts very funny. There is an element of farce but also a sad desperation to them which makes them funnier still. The writing is very clever. Each episode had a great story. The situation is set up and builds to a real climax.

    What did you like most about the series?

    Apart from the great writing, I loved being part of a company. To know that you are going to be meeting up with everyone, cast and crew, each year was fantastic. The studio audience aspect could be a bit nerve-wracking, but once you’d got one scene done, you could just enjoy it.

    What is your favourite memory?

    There was a scene where Brittas dies and when he gets to heaven St. Peter turns him away. He is accompanied to the pearly gates by two small children holding a basket between them that contains a shining orb. We filmed the scene once, and then we went to do another take. One of the little boys Jack (Harriet Thorpe’s son) who was about three or four at the time burst into tears and refused to do it again. When he was asked why he said `Because there is nothing to believe in anymore.’

    Another happy memory is walking along the beach at Bournemouth after filming. I was with Pippa Haywood and her partner Malcolm, and they asked me to be godmother to their first child, Molly.

    What do you think is the most iconic scene?

    Maybe when there was a shark in the Leisure Centre pool.
    It’s not any one particular iconic scene, but Carol (Harriet Thorpe) keeping her son Ben in a drawer under the reception desk was certainly different. And I loved it when she was happily washing her computer keyboard in a bowl of soapy water.

    What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal?

    There was one episode which was set in the future, and we were all aged up. That was weird, seeing what we would all look like in 30 years time. As we’re all meeting up again soon, it will be interesting to see make-up if got it right.

    What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them?

    I thought they great. They were just written as an ordinary couple who worked together with all the usual trials and tribulations.

    Did you hear any audience/LGBT response back then or now about those roles?

    I think people enjoyed having a couple in the series who just happened to be gay. It was never made a big deal of. If The Brittas Empire ever returned it would be interesting to see if Tim and Gavin ever got married.

    Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?

    I think people just enjoy a show that is funny. There were also lots of strong female characters in the show who weren’t just there to support the male star – they had their share of funny lines too.

    Why do you think people in general still love it?

    I think it is a show for everyone. People who watched it when it was first broadcast have introduced it to the younger generations. The older ones still find it funny, maybe in a nostalgic way, I don’t know, but it is lovely to think that people are still enjoying it.

    Would you like the series to return?

    Yes!

    If so, would you be part of it?

    I would like to be, but maybe it will return with new characters.

    Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?
    Definitely not.

    Julia St John (Laura)

    How did you become part of the series?



    The director, Mike Stephens saw me in the Victoria Wood Show on tv. He called me in to meet him at his office at the BBC, I subsequently worked on a few episodes of another show he was directing, and then I was offered The Brittas Empire.

    What did you think when you first read the script?

    I thought the scripts were wonderful, great characters, lovely storylines.

    What did you like most about the series?

    The writing.

    What is your favourite memory?

    So many memories. I think it was the camaraderie amongst us all; we had great fun together. Also, the way in which the writers responded to what the actors brought to their characters, developing storylines that were both unusual and hilarious.  The series could be very dark; people died, marriages tottered, each episode contained at least four strands of story that were all neatly and satisfyingly tied up at the end of the half-hour format.

    What do you think is the most iconic scene?

    For me, I suppose the most iconic scene is where Brittas emerges from the smoking ruins of the Centre (again!), holding a rescued child in each arm – a phoenix from the ashes.

    What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them?

    I thought the parts of Tim and Gavin were as fully rounded as the rest of the characters. The writing was as subtle about their relationship as it was for all the characters, nothing was overtly emphasised or banged out, it didn’t need to be, the audience were treated as adults.

    Did you hear any audience/LGBT response back then or now about those roles?

    No, I wasn’t aware of any specific feedback, and similarly, that the show enjoyed a big LGBT following.

    Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?

    I think people still love it because it is funny, and has heart. It’s a very moral show if that doesn’t sound too grand – Brittas always acted from the highest ideals, even if the exercise of them wasn’t always smooth or apparent!

    Would you like the series to return? If so, would you be part of it?

    I honestly find it difficult to imagine how the series might return, I think we are all a little too long in the tooth to be running around in shorts and gym skirts! Maybe if Laura was offered a senior management position, although she doesn’t need the money, what with being married to a billionaire ‘n all…!

    Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?

    I doubt it. He was old school. It would have to have been spelled out for him. But I think he would have embraced the idea, having given it some thought.

    John Carrigan (Patrick)

    How did you become part of the series? 

    My agent called me and said that I had been chosen as the new permanent Patrick. Jill later told me that pictures of possible people were spread out in front of the cast and I got the vote?

    What did you think when you first read the script?

    My first thought was what a zany and different kind of comedy this was and I thought it would be a blast to film; I loved the character of Mr Brittas.

    What did you like most about the series? 

    I liked the way that this group of people always tried to do their best in every situation, even though it always ended up going wrong, especially for Mr Brittas, but they never gave up trying.

    What is your favourite memory? 

    I have so many wonderful memories, but it has to be the way the whole cast welcomed me. I had a minor role compared to the main cast members and I thought I should respect that. We were away on location filming my first episode in Ringwood, so we stayed in a lovely big hotel in Bournemouth. I was in my room on the first night keeping myself to myself, and I heard a knock on my door, when I opened it, it was Chris Barrie, Chris said, “Come on matey, we are all meeting in the bar for a drink!” It was a wonderful way to be welcomed.

    What do you think is the most iconic scene?

    I think Mr Brittas staggering out of the wreckage of the leisure centre with a child in his arms who he had rescued, that was a great moment.

    What is the strangest thing that ever happened during recording or rehearsal? 

    Well, I do not know about strange, because strange became the norm on Brittas, but maybe strange for me was when I was called in to choreograph a fight scene. Because of my many years of martial arts training, I was asked to show Linda (Jill Greenacre) how to kick a double of Mr Brittas across the face. I was showing Chris and Jill how it would work by whizzing my foot inches from Chris’s  face and it dawned on me what I was doing and who I was doing it too? It’s not every day you get to kick Mr Brittas in the face.

    What did you think of the parts of Tim and Gavin, when you first heard about them? 

    I remember thinking how unusual it was to have a gay couple on a series who just fitted in as part of a team and the focus was not just on them being gay.

    Did you hear any audience/LGBT response back then or now about those roles?

    Not back then, but I have heard since from some of my gay friends who were happy that it showed Tim and Gavin as real people and not just camped up gay caricatures.

    Next to Tim and Gavin, why do you think the show has such a big LGBT following?

    Not being gay myself I can’t really speak with any authority, but maybe because the series did show an acceptance of people who were different. Nearly all of the main cast were not the excepted norm for those days, they all battled their unique set of problems, bet the rest of the leisure centre staff only always tried to help each other and just loved and accepted who they all were anyway.

    Why do you think people in general still love it? 

    I think there are several reasons. Apart from being so visually funny and with that unique set of characters, I think it was written with some real feelings behind the episodes and people involved. Even while you were laughing at these people, you were rooting for them, especially Gordon Brittas. Even though he was the biggest pain in the arse, deep inside him were so many good qualities and he always tried to do what he thought was right. You felt pain for the characters as well as laughing at them and the tender moments were played so well.

    Would you like the series to return?

    Absolutely I would love it to return.

    If so, would you be part of it? 

    I would love to be a part of it all again, hopefully with an expanded role this time. I have had many starring and co-starring roles since my early Brittas days, so I am more than ready to make a bigger contribution as Patrick.

    Do you think Mr Brittas ever noticed Tim and Gavin were a couple?

    I honestly don’t think he ever did, with his childlike innocence he never seemed to delve deeply into his staff as people and missed so much of what was under his nose. He couldn’t see what he was doing himself half the time, so I don’t think he ever realised about Tim and Gavin, maybe in a new series? Fingers crossed.

  • TV REVIEW | Red Dwarf XII: Skipper

    

Next year Red Dwarf will celebrate its 30th anniversary: a fact that has been marked by many lovingly inserted callbacks throughout the last two series of the show – last week’s recreation of the opening scene from ‘The End’, the series very first episode, was the biggest one to date – but this week’s edition; Skipper, the series finale, is set to take it even further.

    Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie) falls into his annual depression when reading an old report the Captain made on him. Reminded of all his failures he laments on the fact he wanted to make so much more of himself in life – and death. Soon he yearns for a chance to make amends. We’ve all been there.

    Soon the opportunity arrives when Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) presents the Hologram with a dimension skipping device that allows him to live his life in other and opposite dimensions allowing him to find the reality where he lives the life he always wanted.

 So, after a (very) quick goodbye Rimmer sets off on an adventure that sees him journey through the shows rich history meeting old friends and other versions of his shipmates.

    Though we are still hoping for something amazing in the anniversary year (Doug Naylor has mentioned a stage show) this comes very close to an anniversary special: the callbacks, the journey and choice Rimmer makes it both nostalgic and looking to the future in a way Doctor Who did in its 50th anniversary year.

    A great closure to the XI and XII series journey that begun in May 2015 that leaves the door wide open for more.
 Happy anniversary Red Dwarf and all who sail her, let’s journey together for many more years to come.

     Red Dwarf XII continues tonight on Dave at 9PM

  • TV REVIEW | Red Dwarf XII: M-Corp

    TV REVIEW | Red Dwarf XII: M-Corp

    Last week we heaped praise on the excellent “Mechocracy” and if you enjoyed that as much as we have, be prepared to enjoy this week’s instalment even more.
 Called “M-Corp”, this episode is a Lister centred Black Mirror-esque adventure that seamlessly combines humour with emotion and nostalgia.

    Poor Lister’s (Craig Charles) birthday doesn’t start well and it is set to get even worse as the ship receives the upgrade from hell from M-Corp. It all seems so perfect at the start when the fabulous Helen George (Trixy from Call the Midwife) tells them about all the wonderful things the company’s products can bring to their ship. Unfortunately, things soon turn sour as Lister finds himself cut off from his friends and at M-Corp’s mercy.
 Craig Charles displays both great comedy as well as dramatic timing acting Lister’s despair and confusion at being all alone in strange surroundings.

    While Helen George is deliciously creepy as the faux kind robotic face M-Corp.
 the rest of the cast is relegated more to a “supportive” characters role this week, but use what they are given brilliantly.

    A special mention should be given to the wonderful end scene that should melt the heart of every true Dwarfer.

  • TV REVIEW | Red Dwarf XII Episode 4: Mechocracy

    So after a very divisive episode last week, we are presented with a very uniting one this week.

    Mechocracy has been hailed as one of the best episodes since series 6 and it’s easy to see why.

    This episode has Rimmer and Lister bickering, Kryten on cheeky form, the Cat in a bit of a pickle and the return of an old “friend” or rather “frennimy”.

    The Dwarfers find themselves in trouble when all the machines go on strike and demand a leader to do their bidding. Soon the boys find themselves locked in a gloves-at-dawn election battle complete with smear campaigns and Rimmer (or rather Chris Barrie) doing a pitch-perfect David Cameron impression.
    A wonderful idea with some very nostalgic moments that fit seamlessly into the episode and reminds us of the fact that this series leads us into the 30th anniversary year.

    Red Dwarf continues on Dave TV tonight at 9PM

  • TV REVIEW Red Dwarf XII, Episode 3, Timewave

    For some strange reason, this week’s episode of Red Dwarf was a divisive one for the fans when it was pre-released on UKTV Play this week. It’s not really clear to see why, as the episode is simply a lot of fun.

    TV REVIEW Red Dwarf XII, Episode 3, Timewave

    The story starts when Rimmer decides to claim undiscovered planet with valuable substance, dreaming of untold riches once they find their way back to earth. When a timewave sends a 24th-century ship on a crash course towards that very same planet the Boys from the Dwarf decide to board the ship to warn the crew. The ship, though, is rather unusual – as the people at the top decided to make criticism illegal, so no-one can voice their opinions. Naturally, the Dwarfers soon find themselves in deep trouble.

    This episode features a hilarious guest turn from Johnny Vegas as a “ crit-cop” unhappy with his lot and an interesting Eddie Murphy impression from a very fed up Cat (Danny John-Jules). Stealing the show, though, for a second week in a row is Chris Barrie as a deliciously creepy alter-ego of Rimmer.

    After the darker themes of Siliconia this is a fun high camp romp of an episode that leads to interesting questions: how does criticism affect people? Does true positive criticism exist?

    Solid effort by all.

    Red Dwarf XII is tonight (26th October) 21.00 – Dave