Katie Hopkins is taking steps towards her goal of becoming a gay icon…
CREDIT: LBC
Taking to Twitter Katie Hopkins who has said it is a dream of hers to become a gay icon has likened herself to none other than the legendary gay icon Julian Clary.
Showcasing her new pixie cut, Katie Hopkins has said the look is “spookily” like Julian Clary’s crop.
He’ll be singing karaoke in his first episode of EastEnders on the 12th April – but you may notice that he looks a little different from the last time he was in Albert Square.
Last time we saw Johnny Carter he had jumped on his Vespa and was riding his way to Italy to join his boyfriend Gianluca to live in Rome – and he was played by Sam Strike – well Johnny is back and this time is being played by the gorgeous Ted Reilly.
CREDIT:(C) BBC – Photographer: Jack Barnes
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CREDIT:(C) BBC – Photographer: Jack Barnes
Speaking about landing the role Ted said,
“I’m truly delighted to be joining such an iconic show. The Carters are a fantastic family and I can’t wait to get started!”
Johnny’s return will see him coming to terms with lots of drama – as he knows nothing about his mum’s rape, baby brother’s brain trauma, that aunt Shirley is actually his grandmother. So expect lots of bomb shells over the next month as Johnny rejoins the Carters.
Celebrity Big Brother Austin Armacost has revealed what kind of day it is today… Naked sofa day of course.
Wearing nothing but a towel, Celebrity Big Brother star Austin Armacost has revealed what he’s wearing on the sofa today – and guess what – it isn’t much.
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With nothing covering his manhood but a towel, Austin published this picture with the caption
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has stated that she will work with campaigners from TIE (Time for Inclusive Education) as she accepts that there is still “more to be done” to tackle homophobia in schools.
CREDIT: Scottish Government images
Sturgeon’s vow came as she set out her proposals to ensure that a “leap forward” is made for LGBT+ rights over the next Scottish parliament. At an LGBT+ hustings on Thursday evening (31/03), attended by all party leaders, Sturgeon praised the “impressive” work of TIE and urged whichever party forms the next Scottish government to work with the campaigners.
She stated:
“At our conference, we had a moving debate and passed a motion in favour of inclusive education. I think what Time for Inclusive Education are doing is impressive and I hope that whoever forms the next Scottish Government will work with them, as we will.”
The move follows the unanimous passing of a motion in support of TIE by SNP members at the party’s spring conference earlier this month, which committed the SNP to creating an education system that is fully inclusive of LGBT+ identities and relationships within the next parliament, in order to promote a “safe, equal and accepting environment for all of Scotland’s young people”.
The topic of inclusive education has been propelled by TIE’s campaigners over the past year and Sturgeon’s support marks a significant turning point for the movement, coming just hours after the campaign argued that the SNP’s proposals for achieving LGBT+ inclusive education must go further.
Earlier in the evening, Sturgeon announced the SNP’s strategy, which included a focus on providing equality training for new, guidance and promoted teachers “so they are confident in tackling prejudice-based bullying”, and ensuring that “all children and young people learn tolerance, respect, human rights” to prevent prejudice and discrimination.
However, TIE’s campaigners argued that the strategy announcement did not go far enough, claiming that LGBT+ specific teacher training is required, stressing that “the next strategy to tackle homophobia has to be the right one”.
Commenting on the news of the First Minister’s support, a spokesperson for TIE stated:
“We are pleased that Nicola has agreed to work with us and we welcome her support. Her party’s current proposals do not go far enough and it is vital that the next strategy to tackle LGBT-phobia in Scottish schools is the right one – for too long we have dealt with a Section 28 hangover, the next Scottish Government must tackle this properly. We are happy to work with the SNP, and all other parties within the next parliament to ensure that our education system is inclusive of LGBT+ identities.”
All party leaders agreed with TIE’s calls for a commitment to improving accessibility to LGBT+ specific teacher training, with co-convener of the Scottish Green Party Patrick Harvie highlighting that faith schools must not be exempt from any strategy proposals.
Support for TIE’s movement for LGBT+ inclusive education has continued to grow, with Harry Potter actress Emma Thompson being the latest celebrity to endorse the campaign and call for an end to homophobia in Scottish schools.
Sturgeon later stated that:
“We must show leadership and courage in supporting LGBT+ equality. We have to have guts and lead by example.”
“To all our dearest customers, it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that we will be closing our doors for good on Saturday 23rd of April 2016.”
The pub’s management said the closure was happening because the landlord has chosen not to renew the lease.
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“Unfortunately this has not happened due to the landlord not willing to extent the lease, so the Richmond Arms will close and not re-open in any form.”
“This place is so close to many of us, we have laughed and cried here together for over 30 years. We will all miss this wonderful place in a different way.”
The Richmond Arms is just another casualty of London’s gay scene, which has lost a number of high profile venues in the last couple of years, including The Black Cap, The Joiner’s Arms and at least one of the Chariots’ saunas.The Black Cap is due to reopen in the near future, under a different name and new management. Campaigners are hoping the new owners will listen to community calls to keep the venue an LGBT space and keep the old name.
Ben Whishaw has received a BAFTA nomination for Leading Actor for his role in the spy drama London Spy – a drama which follows a gay Londoner looking to solve the disappearance of his boyfriend.
It felt incredibly fresh and I didn’t know what on Earth was going to happen, or what sort of a story I was in even.
I think it’s a fascinating story, a fascinating series, because although I think it is a thriller, it doesn’t really conform exactly to what you expect a thriller to do. It creates its own version of that genre.
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The series itself, London Spy, has been nominated for Best Mini series.
Along with Ben’s nomination, Cyril Nri was nominated as best supporting actor in the Channel 4’s Cucumber.
A study of 2,000 graduates found 64 per cent felt their degree was not relevant to their current role.
While results showed the average graduate polled to have left university with £13,292 in debt overall.
With approximately 12 million graduates in the UK* – the astronomical sum can be estimated at 65 billion squandered on degrees not used.
Results also showed a quarter are in job roles that are completely different to the degree they completed.
But while many of those who chose to continue their studies didn’t end up using their final degree to get a job, 85 per cent claim the experience itself has set them up for life.
Barinder Hothi, Co-founder of The Knowledge Academy – one of the biggest training companies in the world – which commissioned the study, said:
“It’s shocking to see such statistics – the high cost of university is often considered necessary in order to progress in a particular career.
“But with most valuing the experience of university (such as making friends, managing a budget, etc) over the knowledge gained from their degree, one has to ask, is it really worth it?”
Results showed just 36 per cent found their degree relevant to their current career choice.
And 67 per cent feel they could have got their current job without having their degree.
In fact six in ten never had to provide any proof they even had a degree in order to get their job and over a fifth feels their employer has no clue what qualifications they actually have.
A third said the content of their degree and the subjects studied are entirely irrelevant to the work they do now.
While a quarter feel there aren’t even small elements of their degree that are helpful to them now.
Reactions were split when deciding the value of a degree overall – 49 per cent felt having their degree made it easier to get a job, but 51 per cent were unsure or felt it made no difference.
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49 per cent feel they would have been better off getting in a job earlier and working their way up.
Which is perhaps why 62 per cent feel they chose the wrong career when they left school.
41 per cent of Brits who didn’t feel they used their degree went on to do further training for their current job.
In fact, tellingly, four in ten graduates polled (38%) wished they had done an apprenticeship instead.
While a similar number are seemingly discontent- over a third are currently considering re-training to do something more worthwhile than their current role allows.
However the life lessons of university still seem prominent – 85 per cent of those polled still felt university had made their life better, even if they aren’t using their degree.
The biggest reason for feeling university was beneficial was for the confidence it gave people, followed by lessons on generally setting up for life, how to budget and how to make friends.
Mrs Hothi added:
“University has become the expected path for many 17-18 year olds in the UK in recent years with alternatives such as apprenticeships or trainee roles being rarely discussed as an option. Without providing students with a good understanding of all the options available to them, some may find themselves graduating in a subject which is of no use to the career they want. With some finding that perhaps a trainee role would have provided them with the relevant work experience needed to give them an edge many expect a degree to have.”
The Knowledge Academy offers more than 50,000 job and skills training courses in 200 countries to customers including: the self-employed and SMEs, to blue-chips and multi-nationals like Rolls Royce, HSBC, British Airways, and Disney.
It offers a mixture of classroom-based education and digital learning, mostly IT, legal, finance, HR and business-related courses, but as diverse as Wildlife Training and Animation, to Psychology and Aviation.
