She’s making a name for herself in this year’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, but who is the BBC DJ dating and is she lesbian, bisexual or straight?
Adele Roberts, is the Jane McDonald loving BBC Radio DJ which fans of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here can’t get enough of, but what do we know about her personal life?
Adele came out in 2002, when she took part in the now-defunct reality TV show, Big Brother. She actually entered the house and came out to the nation even before she told her family about sexuality.
There are reports of Adele identifying as bisexual – according to reports she came out to her housemates as bisexual, but she has also referred to her own sexuality as being “gay” in other interviews.
According to PinkNews, Adele said, “I see myself as coming out in two stages. I think I came out to myself when I was about 14; and it freaked me out, I was a bit like, ‘Ahhh I don’t know if I want to be gay?’ – then after around a week I was like, ‘Yeah I want to be gay that’s fine.’”
Adele is now dating girlfriend, actor and vlogger Kate Holderness, who has enjoyed her own star-studded TV career since 1997.
How long have Kate and Adele been together?
This has never been revealed, however, when Adele took part in Big Brother in 2002, when she was 23-years-old, she did reveal that she had a girlfriend outside of the house.
This could have been Kate, but it’s never been confirmed.
★★★★ | La Clique, Leicester Square Spiegeltent, London
It’s getting cold outside but La Clique is back in town to steam things up!
Back in London after a ten-year absence and now performing in the Christmassy Leicester Square Spiegeltent – La Clique brings with it a potpourri of sexy performances compered by naughty woman Bernie Dieter (Little Death Club). In cosy environs we are treated to performances that are both fun and hot! The sexy Steven Williams shows us what he can do in a bathtub, while not so innocent David Pereira shaves his body on stage – au natural. Charlie Wheeler then twirls his sexy body on a large hoola hoop.
Then there’s Ursula Martinez who seems to find a red handkerchief in almost every part of her body. Plus we’re treated to the gorgeous singing of Kelly Wolfgramm who, along with the La Clique Palace Orchestra, bring the house down with her beautiful voice and their smashing music.
Don’t go once or twice, go to La Clique a few times as the performers are not the same at every performance. We missed the fire breathing Heather Holliday but we’ll definitely catch her at another performance.
La Clique is a must must must for you and your friends. It’s on until January 4th, 2020.
After borrowing $800 from his family, Berry Gordy bought a small house in suburban Detroit, built a recording studio and laid the foundation for one of the most successful record labels of all time. Boasting Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, The Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye, amongst others, Motown records grew to be a phenomenon. Featuring songs including ‘Aint No Mountain High Enough, I Heard It Through the Grapevine, My Girl, Dancing In The Street and Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Motown The Musical delves into the story of the label including its meteoric rise and its troubles as the hits dried up.
The show is punchy and well-paced, moving along at breakneck speed through the label’s back catalogue set against a backdrop of both the rags to riches story of Berry Gordy and the recent social and political history of America. At a time when race riots, the assassination of JFK and Vietnam were at the forefront of the American consciousness, Gordy simply wanted to unify people with his music. The show presents a rather sanitised version of the record label’s history, and touches on Gordy’s relationship with Diana Ross and on his management of some of the biggest names in music. But it is the music which is the major draw here, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Edward Baruwa steps into the shoes of Gordy remarkably well, and has a soulful voice and a natural charisma, holding the show together with his almost constant on stage presence. Olivia Hibbert does a fine impression of Diana Ross, and Daniel Haswell stands out amongst the large ensemble with his performance as Stevie Wonder. The production is incredibly slick, with vivid colours, stunning costumes and an incredibly effective use of projected backdrops which is superb as it transports the audience from scene to scene.
It is difficult to deny the legacy of what Gordy created; the songs remain absolute classics, the artists are legends and the music lives on. Cramming such a sprawling tale into a two and half hour show is a challenge, but by keeping it relatively light and focussing on the music, Motown The Musical is ultimately a feel-good celebration of some of the biggest songs ever recorded.
You would have thought that I’d learnt my lesson about venturing outside of London for dates. But no, ever the glutton for punishment, when my latest beau, Kevin suggested a day trip to Brighton, I jumped at the chance.
Kevin was/is the son of my then hairdresser. I say was as he’s no longer in my life and his mum no longer puts a pair of scissors anywhere near my bonce.
This one day, she was chopping away at my rather thinning hair and she started talking about Kevin. Although I knew she had a gay son, I’d never met him.
“Oh Mark. My Kevin’s just split up with his fella. He could do with cheering up.”
Alarm bells should have immediately started ringing in my ears. REBOUND. But this is me after all and I’m never one for saying no. Infact, NO has always been a word that struggles to leave my lips. Perhaps that’s why certain people have called me a slut over the years.
No sooner had the words, “Okay, I’d love to meet him” left my gob, this tall, jaw droppingly handsome man appeared from behind the door.
She was either a magician or this had been a planned set up. Seeing his gorgeous flop of brown hair and deep set green eyes quickly made me erase all thoughts of my hairdressers’ wizardry. Either that, or she’d wiped out my memory with another spell of black magic.
We caught each other’s eyes and I saw a glint in both his and mine. I smiled and I witnessed him become rather dazzled at the sight of my pearly whites. I’d been to the hygienist that particular day for a clean and polish.
“Do you fancy a day trip to Brighton?” He forwardly asked me.
“Damn right!” I blurted out quicker than you could say pier.
Before I knew it, we were at Euston waiting for the twelve minutes past ten fast train. We chatted with ease and laughed a lot. We had the same stupid sense of humour.
I soon found a glass of Sauvignon Blanc from the train’s buffet table was going down a treat. Luckily, he shared my love of all things Savvy B. Except he appeared to love it much more than me. He was already on his second glass before I was even half way through my first.
But, as you know, the good Catholic boy that I am, I shalt not judge.
No sooner were we off the train, Kevin had his lips firmly plastered around another glass of savvy b inside The Queen’s Arms. My eyes widened as I saw him pour the wine down his gullet quicker than Jaws approaching a surf board.
As my friends quite often say, “if Mark is shocked by someone’s behaviour, then that’s saying something”. It MUST be shocking. Now, until I spent some time with Kevin, I thought that I could put the Savvy B away. But he made me look like a tee-total monk.
After god knows how many glasses in The Queen’s Arms, he suggested we take a walk along the pier. Well, I say walk. By this point, it was more of a stumble.
Stumbling along the pier, we ventured into the arcade. As we came out the other side, Kevin grabbed my hand with excitement. How romantic, I thought, the way he’s clutching at my hand with such enthusiasm. It soon became clear that the over zealous way he held my hand had more to do with the pub on the pier he had spotted and was now dragging me into.
Five more glasses of vino for Kevin and just two more for me, I was struggling to keep up. I suggested we get some sea air. I thought it might help sober us up, if nothing else.
As we ventured out onto Brighton sea front, I turned to look at the pier all lit up. What a beautiful sight. Suddenly confused, I turned to look at Kevin who seemed to be sporting two heads.
“I didn’t know there were two piers!” God knows how I was managing to string a sentence together.
“There is only one pier”, Kevin told me, “the other one burnt down in the eighties.”
With hindsight, I realise the copious amounts of Sauvignon Blanc had probably started to affect my vision.
“Revenge should be open by now!” Kevin grabbed my hand rather enthusiastically. The fact that I struggled to put one foot in front of the other should have been a massive hint that I was ready to get the train back to London.
Just as we went to cross the road, a policeman tapped me on the shoulder. My head flopping from side to side, I managed to turn to face him without falling flat on my boatrace.
“Don’t you think it’s time you called it a night.” P.C Plod advised, obviously observing my inebriated state.
Wanting to nod my head, I didn’t get a chance to respond as Kevin took the lead.
“The night is only just beginning!”
“It looks like it began a long while ago!”
I do like a policeman with a sense of humour.
Ignoring the officer of the law, Kevin took my hand once more and started to pull me away from P.C Plod. Struggling to stay in an upright position, I found myself clinging onto the policeman’s shirt.
And before you could say, old bill, I had fallen to the pavement, pulling P.C Plod on top of me. And then, just to put the icing on the cake, the Savvy B (and empty stomach) finally caught up with Kevin. I saw projectile vomit launch towards us.
“I’m arresting you both for being drunk and disorderly in a public place.”
Those were the last words I heard before my eyes opened again in the cold light of day. Sunshine beaming through police cell bars.
I got the train home to London all on my own.
Receiving a caution on a date was a sure fire way to ensure that a second date with Kevin was definitely not on the cards.
New research, published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, has found that adolescents from sexual minorities (those attracted to same-sex or both sexes) in the UK are more likely to experience mental health problems, adverse social environments and negative health outcomes in contrast to their heterosexual counterparts.
The research aimed to rectify the lack of contemporary UK data in Generation Z (people born between 1995 and 2015) regarding the disparity in adverse outcomes faced by sexual minority young people who have grown up in this Century – a time of advances in rights for sexual minorities.
10,000 adolescents
In order to gain a better understanding of these outcomes researchers from the University of Liverpool and University College London analysed information on almost 10,000 adolescents born between 2000-2002 who are taking part in the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS).
The researchers analysed mental health (e.g. depression, self-harm), social (e.g. victimisation, bullying), and health-related outcomes (e.g. weight perception, substance use) in sexual minority (629) versus heterosexual (9256) adolescents at age 14 years. They also estimated the number of co-occurring difficulties in each group.
Findings
The researchers found that sexual minorities were around five times more likely to experience high depressive symptoms (54% vs 15%) and self-harm (54% vs 14%). They also had lower life satisfaction (34% vs 10%), lower self-esteem and were more likely to experience all forms of bullying (i.e. peer bullying 27% vs 10%) and victimisation (i.e. sexual assault/harassment 11% vs 3%) .
Sexual minorities were also at increased odds of trying cannabis (16% vs 6%) trying alcohol (67% vs 52%), perceiving themselves as overweight (49% vs 33%), and dieting to lose weight (66% vs 44%).
Sexual minorities experienced more negative outcomes at the same time. For example, sexual minorities experienced 1.4 out of 3 mental health difficulties on average whereas heterosexual adolescents experienced 0.4 out of 3 on average. Overall cumulative difficulties experienced were 9·4 out of 28 for sexual minority youth versus 6·2 for heterosexual youth.
Implications
The lead author, Rebekah Amos, said: “Our current study provides much needed population-based estimates indicating pronounced differences in mental health, social, and health-related outcomes between sexual minority and heterosexual adolescents in the UK. We find that sexual minority adolescents are five times more likely to be depressed and self-harm and 2-3 times more likely to be bullied and be victimised, illuminating the scale of current adversities this group of adolescent are facing.”
Dr Praveetha Patalay, study co-author, said: “The study exposes the vast disparities in a range of outcomes between sexual minority and heterosexual young people, highlighting the need for further prevention efforts and intervention at the school, community and policy level to ensure sexual minority adolescents do not face lifelong adverse social, economic and, health outcomes.”
Dr Ross White, clinical psychologist and study co-author, said: “The study findings highlight the need for mental health professionals, teachers, parents and young people to work together to co-create systems of support that will allow young people to flourish irrespective of their sexual orientation. An important aspect of this work will be to foster societal attitudes that celebrate diversity, recognise common humanity and nurture compassion for one-self and others.”
Rebekah Amos added, “Despite high profile policies such as the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2013 in England, Wales and Scotland and the introduction of sexual orientation as a protected characteristic during these adolescents’ lifetime, the evidence presented here indicates that large inequalities in social and health outcomes still exist for sexual minority adolescents growing up in the 21st Century.”
This is a report based on a press release sent from the University of Liverpool.
The Vaults underneath Waterloo train station have been turned into a palace – Red Palace.
And it’s the Prince who reigns over this kingdom. Follow him and his court as they help guide you through various rooms and alleys that will surprise and hypnotize you – they are scenes right out of Alice in Wonderland.
The Vaults have been turned into a labyrinth where you get snippets of his story and are guests at his masquerade party. Enjoy the show in the redecorated Vaults where you are led to various rooms including a room where a Mermaid will tell you her deepest darkest secrets – and she’ll ask for yours! Baba Yaga predicts the future and tells fortunes in her harem, while in the swamp you will more than likely get lost!
The whole adventure is eerie and scary but really cool! Be really immersive and go for the dinner before the show, while a bit rushed, immerses you immediately in the evening where you get to meet the Prince and his guests to the party.
I highly recommend the dinner as you get to meet, over a meal of three courses, your fellow attendees. The delicious meal consists of homemade soda bread with dips, delicious lentil and roasted beetrood salad and baked camembert, wth the main course being a delicious slow cooked lamb, with squash, potatoes, cabbage – and to top it off you are treated to a candy apple for dessert. It throws you immediately into the show! Or if you prefer to arrive a bit later for the ball- it’s a masquerade ball so masks and elaborate costumes, while not mandatory, are recommended – it’s ok!
There is also a bar open all night during the show to get you lubricated with drinks that are unlike any you’d ever had before.
The evening as a whole is a bit complicated as there are no clear cut instructions. My friend and I must’ve missed a couple of the interactive rooms because we just didn’t know who to follow or where to go. And going into the evening not knowing what it was all about left us more confused as the characters finished off the evening in a joust/fight and the main room opened up and became a dance floor.
I’m thinking I might have to go back just to re-live, and to understand, what I was supposed to be a part of, and what this show was all about.
The University of Liverpool has seemingly done away with the labels gay, lesbian and bisexual and replaced it with “sexual minorities” while still referring to straight people as heterosexuals.
In a press release, which was trying to convey that young people born between 1995 and 2015 who identify as a “sexual minority” i.e gay, lesbian, bisexual and pansexual are more likely to experience mental health problems.
“sexual” minorities makes us look as though we are just sexual beings”
Throughout the press release, the University, which worked alongside University College London, repeatedly called LGB people “sexual minorities” however when it came to writing about their heterosexual counterparts, it used the word heterosexuality.
THEGAYUK conducted a flash poll to see what it’s readers thought of the term “sexual minority”
The clear indication from our flash poll was that the majority of those who identify as LGB did not think that the term was right. Over 80 per cent of those who took part said they disagreed with the term and were happy to keep identities labelled as Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual.
One commenter wrote, “‘sexual’ minorities makes us look as though we are just sexual beings, a different sexuality to heterosexuality is a part of who we are not just the sex we may or may not have”
Another added, “totally agree! Sex is one aspect of a human being! I am married to a man, that is not a sexual thing! I am lucky that also part of the luck I have had”
“Attraction not Identity”
According to researchers, it’s about attraction, not identity, a spokesperson for the research said,
“We use sexual minority as an umbrella term to incorporate those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual. We use this term as we only had data about sexual attraction (from the secondary data source used i.e. the millennium cohort study) and not identity which would be more closely reflected by ‘LGB’.
“Our sample were not asked about their identity but only their attraction i.e. have you been attracted to a boy/girl. Furthermore, due to the fact they are likely still navigating their identity at this age i.e. 14 years old (savin-williams, 2011) we did not want to ascribe labels that may change in future and as such sexual minority was a more age appropriate term.”
★★★★ | Desiree’s Coming Early, Soho Theatre, London
90 minutes of non-stop comedy is what you’ll get when you see Desiree Burch.
American comedian Burch, now at the Soho Theatre until Saturday November 23rd in a show called Desiree’s Coming Early – rapid fires her tale of her experience at the Burning Man Festival – a festival held every year in the Nevada desert where people are free to be naked – she was! The show is also about her quest for dick there (and not a man named Dick) after the breakup of a long relationship.
Desiree recounts the moment of her being the only woman of colour in a sauna in the desert there, where it’s mostly white people. She also doesn’t hold back on jokes about Bill Crosby, Harvey Weinstein, and more specifically Michael Jackson.
Burch is rude, crude and honest! And her American-style comedy will leave you gasping for air, because she doesn’t! But she’s forthright and honest about a law in California where it was illegal to administer IQ tests to black students. Discrimination?
You decide. It’s the background theme of the show, and a clever one at that.
Desiree Burch, who is about to take this show to New York – is fast, funny, and brutally honest.
Peter Tatchell, one of the UK’s most famous LGBT+ rights advocates has said that pride, needs a “major rethink” and for it to “get back to what pride was originally about”.
The stalwart rights campaigner then put forth a four-point plan, which included returning the parade back to a political march, getting rid of corporate branding and banning motorised floats.
The plan, he suggested should be trialled for one year.
In a statement, Tatchell wrote
“As a Patron of Pride and one of the organisers of the UK’s first Pride in 1972,
“I have attended every parade since then – 47 in all.
“I believe a major rethink is needed. We need to get back to what Pride was originally about. “
Four ways to take pride back
Peter Tatchell Foundation
The Pride parade should become a march for LGBT+ rights
As a political march, this would mean no charges being imposed by Westminster Council, the Metropolitan Police and the Greater London Authority, saving around £60,000 in fees to Westminster Council alone.
Pride should be open to all
There should be no restriction on the number of people who can march and no requirement to get a wristband.
Oppressive institutions should be excluded from Pride sponsorship & the parade
This includes weapons manufacturers, tobacco and fossil fuel companies and the Home Office until it stops incarcerating, banning employment and deporting LGBT+ refugees. Individuals from these institutions should still be welcome in the parade but without any corporate branding.
Ban motorised floats, except for disability vehicles
Having vehicles in the parade allows Westminster Council to slap onerous charges on Pride and contributes to the carbon emissions that fuel climate destruction.
Tatchell added, “I am proposing that these ideas be trialled for one-year in 2020. If they work, Pride can keep them permanently. If not, Pride can ditch them and try something new”.
Pride In London is one of the biggest prides in the country, which regularly sees over a million people watch and take part in the huge parade.
“The Pride parade can and should remain true to its founding ideals”
CREDIT: (C) Joffe Walters
Tatchell reiterated what Pride was all about saying,
“The founding principles of the LGBT+ Pride parade in 1972 were: LGBT+ visibility, the celebration of LGBT+ life and culture and the demand for LGBT+ liberation, including the abolition of discriminatory laws and reform of anti-LGBT+ institutions. It was open to all who supported these core principles.
“The Pride parade can and should remain true to its founding ideals.
“Pride must be by and for the LGBT+ community – not city authorities or corporate funders. Their support is welcome but it must not dictate”.
Pride operates on the terms of Westminster Council, the police and Sadiq Khan
Highlighting some of the constraints that Pride In London faces, Tatchell revealed,
“The Mayor of London, Westminster council and the Metropolitan Police now hold the whip-hand. The Pride parade operates on their terms – not ours.
“We must reject any cap on numbers in the parade. It goes against the ethos of Pride which was, until recent years, open to all. In 1997, there were over 100,000 people in the parade and 300,000 at the post-parade festival on Clapham Common. Numbers are not everything but they should not be artificially restricted.
What is Peter’s vision for Pride?
“Revert to a political carnival parade for LGBT rights, like the first one in 1972. If it is a political march there would be no fees payable to the police, council etc.
“Political marches are not charged. The anti-austerity and anti-Brexit marches were not subject to any of the draconian costs and restrictions on numbers that have been imposed on Pride.
“Pride can be political and still have a colourful, joyous carnival atmosphere, as in 1972 and 1997.
“To cut parade costs, motorised floats should be axed and replaced by other options, such as hand-pulled non-motorised floats – mounted on flatbeds on wheels – as some groups had in 1997.
“These were smaller in size than the gigantic bus and truck floats of recent years but still fabulous and more diverse and imaginative eg the OutRage! giant papier-mache head of Tony Blair in Pride 1998. The Thames Festival parade is awesome but has no motorised floats. I remember a huge dragon held aloft by dozens of parade participants using tall poles. It was very effective and dramatic; proving that motorised floats are not the only way to have a spectacular carnival parade.
“My congratulations and thanks to the Pride organisers, the Community Advisory Board and all the volunteers who make Pride in London possible. Pride’s online consultation seeking LGBT+ input regarding the future of the parade was commendable. I salute you,” said Peter Tatchell.
I recently went on a date with this gorgeous guy I met on Grindr. We decided to meet up and went to a gay bar in town.
Things, I thought were going really well. There was definitely chemistry between us, but when I came back from the loos, I found him snogging the guy at the next table along.
I made my excuses soon after and left.
Later on that evening he texted to see what was up and why I left in such a hurry.
He’s just so good looking and friendly and our WhatsApp chats are so good. I just don’t know if I should give him a second chance.
What should I do?
Tom
Tom,
Delete his number from your phone and move on. There are so many other available guys out there for you to meet so I wouldn’t get so hung on this one, particularly as it seems he wasn’t so hung up on you.
Is there really any point in trying to salvage something that wasn’t really there in the first place?
What you had was a digital relationship which didn’t translate in the real world.
This happens, so don’t beat yourself up about that. It’s not your fault.
They say everything is about first impressions – that’s not just the first 10 seconds of your date, but the entire first date. The guy snogged someone else. What kind of impression does that give you about him?
Don’t beat yourself up and don’t spend another minute thinking about him. Mr Right is out there.
If you’ve got a dilemma you’d like us to answer, click here
Step into place – a place worlds away but right in the heart of very very busy Leicester Square. Step right into The Lost Alhambra.
The Lost Alhambra is a basement cocktail bar right between a pub (The Moon Under Water) and TGIFridays. Once you go downstairs it’s like another world – a space very unique, dark, and a but forbidden. Beautiful yet futuristic interior, succulent lighting to set the mood, and a cocktail menu that will knock your socks off.
Open for only one month, The Lost Alhambra is setting new heights in the cocktail world. Part of the Adventure Group (which also owns themed bars The Escapologist and Blame Gloria, among others), this venue was literally lost, when known as The Alhambra Theatre, and 100 years since it closed its doors, the space has been revived into one of the most progressive bars in London. And the cocktails – all very different and unique on their own merit.
A multi-page cocktail menu will make it very hard to make a decision. But try the Razzle Dazzle. It’s literally sparkling (thanks to the glitter) and is very sweet thanks to the ingredients of passion fruit liqueur, peach schnapps, triple sec, and also includes lemon juice, vodka, and fresh egg white. And it’s a beautiful looking drink. Another sweet one is the Pisco Inferno. Made with pisco, passion fruit, peach liqueur, vanilla, ginger ale, the catch here is that it’s served in a disco ball – Disco Inferno time! The blend is delicious (though I wish the disco ball would’ve been bigger!).
If you want something fiery – go for the Flaming Zombie – because it literally arrives to your table on fire! With two types of Bacardi Rum, with triple sec, mango, fresh lemon juice, and pineapple juice, it’s got quite a kick to it – and while it’s a strong drink, the pineapple soothes the flavour.
How can you miss with the Porn Star Martini? It’s everything you always wanted in a drink – and The Lost Alhambra knows how to make it! The apple juice and passion fruit blended with the vodka makes it a passionate and tasty drink – and there’s the requisite shot of Prosecco to go with it – your choice to mix it in or drink separate – my companion preferred it separate – but it’s up to you!
Also up to you is whether to have a non-alcoholic choice – and The Lost Alhambra has many choices. The aforementioned The Matinee Porn Star has all the same flavours as the one above but without the Prosecco and vodka; while the Matinee Espresso Martini also has no vodka (it’s got a nice foam top to make it go down easy), while the Matinee Bellini strawberry and rhubarb with non-alcoholic Prosecco was yummy!
When you go to The Lost Alhambra (and trust me you’ll definitely want to go) – seek out Zsofia the Assistant Manager. She knows all the drinks very very well and if you can’t make a decision she’ll guide you! Or if not her than any other member of the international staff.
I definitely can see this place become the new go-to cocktail bar in the west end. And while the drinks are at West End prices (£10 to £11.50 for the alcohol drinks while £6 each for the non-alcoholic drinks and beer and cider), the venue is great (there’s even a lighted ceiling), and more importantly the drinks are superb. Go on….get lost in The Lost Alhambra.
