Blind Date is about to air its first-ever gay episode.
Although this isn’t the first episode featuring an all same-sex line-up – that happened in 2017, it is the first time gay men will take part in the legendary TV show, presented by Paul O’Grady. It’s taken 19 series to get to this point!
Speaking of the episode, Paul said, “This is another huge milestone for Blind Date and I can’t wait for viewers to see the guys having a blast on screen”.
Meet 28-year-old Joni, a nightclub host from Newcastle. Joni is titled Mr Gay England 2016 after entering the competition. He uses his title as a platform to help and prevent young suicides in the LGBT community.
Joni, from Newcastle, is the first gay “chooser” for Blind Date and will have the chance to question three suitors for his blind date.Blind Date is hosted by Paul O’Grady, taking over from his late friend, Cilla Black.
He’ll have the opportunity to question these three lovely lads,
36-year-old Alex a project manager from Henley On Thames. Alex classes himself as a ‘serial relationshipper’ he would like another relationship but with someone that lasts the distance and he’s hoping Blind Date will find him the one.
Then there’s Mark. The 29-year-old Case Handler for Airline claims, currently lives in London, but hails from Fife in Scotland.
Finally, there’s Paul. A 32-year-old Operations Manager from Barbados, living in Birmingham. He describes himself as a ‘full of life’ Barbadian, who loves English men but he just hasn’t got enough of them. He’d like Blind Date to change that and help him find his ‘true love.’
This episode airs this Saturday at 8 pm on Channel 5.
A man has been jailed for 16 years for multiple sexual offences against boys in 1970s.
Retired musician, Neil Duncan, 74 from Southend-On-Sea, was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment on Wednesday. Along with his prison sentence, Duncan will be made to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.
He previously pleaded guilty, in December 2017 to 39 offences:
One count of attempted buggery with a victim aged under 16;
– Seven counts of buggery with a victim aged under 16;
– One count of incitement to commit buggery;
– 13 counts of indecency with a child under the age of 14 years;
– 15 counts of indecent assault on a male under the age of 16 years; and,
– Two counts of making indecent images.
Detective Constable Amy Dobner, from the Child Abuse and Sexual Offences (CASO) Command, said, “Duncan is a prolific offender who spent the 1970s abusing young children. I am grateful that they have since come forward so that we could take the necessary action to bring him before the courts.
“I would like to take this opportunity to praise their bravery and resolve, and hope that today will further help them move on with their lives, knowing that Duncan has been punished for his crimes.”
Showing boys pornography
Police were first contacted by one of Duncan’s victims in March 2016. Three other victims subsequently came forward towards the end of 2016 and early 2017. They all told officers that they had been assaulted by Duncan as young boys in the 1970s.
Duncan would show the boys pornographic material before forcing them to perform sex acts.
Officers quickly established that he had offended across west London and the Home Counties.
Duncan was arrested on 4 August 2016. A number of computers were seized and found to contain indecent images.
Officers also discovered several diaries that were kept by Duncan which corroborated the allegations.
He was charged in mid-August 2017.
Detective Chief Inspector John Foulkes of CASO said, “Given the number of victims and offences that Duncan has admitted to, it cannot be ruled out that there are other victims who have yet to contact police.
“I would urge anyone who has been abused by Neil Duncan to come forward and speak to police where you will be supported by specially trained officers.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Barnet Child Abuse and Sexual Offences team on 020 8733 5139.
Sometimes it can feel like the world’s media is fixated on the achievements of the under 20s. The careers of those who are beyond the age of 25 don’t seem relevant, well we disagree.
Here are 10 gay and bisexual men whose careers totally bloomed after the age of 40, although some of them were already doing well before that!
Okay so RuPaul was already a star in his twenties, but, during the late 90s and 00s Ru’s career somewhat stalled. However the resurgence of Drag and more importantly, the part that Ru’s show Drag Race has played in giving drag its second wind puts Ru back on top.
Anderson Cooper, News Anchor and Reporter
Although Anderson has always been successful, thanks to his family line, (he’s an heir to the Vanderbilt empire) it wasn’t until he became the news anchor at CNN in 2003 that his star stock took off and he’s become steadily more and more successful since then. He’s now one of the most recognisable faces of news TV.
Bianca Del Rio, Drag Queen
CREDIT: kathclick / Bigstock
Bianca Del Rio / Roy Haylock was actually in his late 30s when his appearance and winning of RuPaul’s Drag Race made him a household name. Since turning 40 Roy and Bianca have been travelling the world performing in countless venues – Bianca even has her very own comedy feature-length movie, Hurricane Bianca.
We tread carefully here, as Giorgio hasn’t come out officially as gay or bisexual, but an interview in Vanity Fair in 2000 shed some light on his sexuality, when he said, “I have had women in my life. And sometimes men”.
Giorgio’s star was late rising. He showcased his first collection in 1975, when he was 41. Giorgio topped our richest list in 2015.
It wasn’t until the 80s that Calvin Klein clothing and the man himself became the fashion king that he is today, after all his company changed the way the world viewed underwear, anyone who has seen those Mark Walberg underwear pictures will know what we’re talking about. Although Calvin had success in his formative years, he was well into his 40s when it was arguably his underwear ranges and fragrances that turned his successes around.
Tim Cook became a household name when he took over the top job at Apple and he was into his 50s. He came out as gay in October 2014, becoming one of the most successful out CEOs in history.
Cyril Nri, Actor
CREDIT: Ben Blackall / Channel 4
Star of Channel 4’s Cucumber in 2015, Cyril, 54, starred in The Bill from 2002 until 2006. His career went astronomical again when he starred in Russell T Davies’ Cucumber making him a household name in the UK. SPOILER: His graphic murder in the show became one of the most talked about moments in queer TV history.
Harvey was known as one of life’s drifters, that is until he decided to go into politics in his mid-40s. Although only in the political arena for a few years before his murder at the age of 48, Harvey’s contribution to the LGBT movement has long been heralded as significant.
Dan Bucatinsky, Actor & TV Producer
In 2005 Dan helped bring The Comeback starring Lisa Kudrow to the world, cementing his position as a go-to producer in television. In 2013 he won a Primetime Emmy Award for his involvement in the hit TV drama Scandal.
Nick Denton Former (Gawker) Editor and Media Owner
Nick Denton, 49, was the founder of Gawker, which was one of the most powerful blog collectives on earth. In 2007 when he was 40 he entered the Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated worth of £140m. However, in 2016 Gawker ran into legal troubles and closed.
Once upon a time dear readers, I did actually have a boyfriend. I know it’s hard to believe considering I’ve been single and seemingly undateable for over a decade. But at one point in my adult life, I managed to hold down a relationship way past the first date.
I’m reminiscing about an era in my early twenties. Back when Atomic Kitten and Destiny’s Child were ruling the charts. A time when I dreamed of a sex change To become Tanya Turner and marry a footballer.
But as usual, I’m digressing and babbling on without getting to the point. Maybe that’s what I do on first dates and why I’ve never made it to a second date in ten years. Anyway, I’m not here for self-analysis today.
I was so in love with this boy in my early twenties. And he was so in love with me. Let’s call him Sebastian to avoid any law suits being filed against me. That’s probably an unfortunate choice of name to give him, considering this is a tale of crabs and I’m not talking about the cute red one from The Little Mermaid.
For nearly a year we lived in each other’s pockets, a whirlwind romance. I thought to myself on a daily basis; This is a man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. He even met my family which is a rarity in my love life.
And then one night, I remember this vividly like it was only yesterday.
I was having a glass of wine with Jane, my neighbour and I saw her staring peculiarly at my crotch. Feeling I may need to remind her I’m gay, she suddenly screamed,
“You’ve been itching all night!”
After another glass of wine, I plucked up the courage to pull my trousers down in front of a lady. Well, I don’t know if you can call Jane a lady but let’s use that word because I’m feeling quite nice as I write this.
As she examined my pubic region, I heard her scream as she came eye to eye with a crab. Our jaws dropped and I burst into tears.
So did Jane I think.
We pulled out a medical dictionary from the bookshelf. Yes, that’s right. We didn’t have iPhones with Google at our fingertips in those days. And from our dictionary, we self-diagnosed crabs. I pulled one out and I could see its legs moving. Probably the most unpleasant moment of my life. Oh and probably Janes’ as well.
A quick visit to the sexual health clinic confirmed the self-diagnosis as correct. But the bare-faced cheek of the doctor asking me if I knew the dangers of sleeping around.
“I’ve got a boyfriend who I’ve been with for over a year!” I bellowed.
“Well, one of you has been a naughty boy!” She retorted.
After establishing that it’s very rare to catch crabs from a toilet seat or dirty bedding, my eyes widened as I drew the only plausible conclusion. Sebastian must have been cheating on me because I damn well knew I had followed the rules of my Christian upbringing and remained faithful.
A few panic attack’s later and a slap around the face for Sebastian, another realisation dawned on me. I had to tell my Mum and Dad. The doctor had told me that everything in my house needed to go in the washing machine on a hot wash. And I still lived with my parents. Oh, the sheer embarrassment.
And then my eyes widened even wider at the prospect I may have given my Mum and Dad crabs. Our towels were always hanging on the rail together. Luckily, this story has a happy ending.
Nearly 450 LGBT+ people were killed in violence in Brazil in 2017.
New research has suggested that nearly 450 LGBT people were killed at the hands of homophobes and transphobes in Brazil in 2017. Brazil also has the highest number of murders in the world. A record 62,000 murders were recorded in 2016.
Grupo Gay De Bahia an LGBT+ watchdog, recorded a 30 percent increase from the 327 victims killed during 2016. The new figures equate to nearly one violent death every 19 hours. There were 387 murders and 58 suicides linked to homophobia.
Last year being gay was ruled a disease in the country, when a court in Brazil’s capital, Brasilia, ruled that homosexuality was a disease and that so-called “gay cure” therapy was legal.
Despite the country hosting one of the world’ biggest LGBT+ prides, Brazil has the highest number of violent deaths linked to homophobia.
This is despite same-sex marriage being legal in the country and Rio De Janeiro hosting one of the world’s largest LGBT+ pride events. The country also has discrimination protections for its LGBT+ community enshrined in law.
Luiz Mott, president of Grupo Gay de Bahia told The Guardian that ultra-conservative politicians could have contributed towards the rise in homophobia in the country. He said, “It’s a discourse that destroys solidarity and equates LGBT people to animals,”
There is now a K to add to the ever-growing LGBT+ acronym – and apparently, it stands for “kink”. The acronym which has grown since the 90s, out of a need to move away from the limiting “gay community” adds letters to encompass any community that defines itself as anything but heterosexual or cisgender.
The LGBT initialism was coined in the late 80s / early 90s.
So what do all the letters mean?
L – lesbian
G – gay
B – bisexual
T – transgender
Q – queer
Q – questioning
I – intersex
A – asexual
A – agender
A – ally
C – curious
P – pansexual
P – polysexual
F – friends and family
2 – two-spirit
K – kink
However, the addition of the K has been met with some reservation from many on the question website, Quora. Users were quick to dismiss Kink as part of the LGBT+ community.
Sarah remarked, “Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t believe that fetishes belong in the same acronym as sexualities and gender identity”.
While Caitlin added, “However, I and others believe that it shouldn’t be included in the acronym. Kink is not inherently non-cis or non-straight, and including it can feed into the stereotype of queer people being “sexual deviants”. BDSM is fine in a community of its own but it’s strange and unnecessary to include it with sexual orientations and gender identities”.
John wrote, “I’m gay, and I do not and will not use this silly LGBTQLAPK sh*t. They keep adding a silly letter for inclusion. You are just labelling yourselves, and that is a silly thing to do.”
*This article has been updated. We have become aware that this article has been used to undermine and denigrate the LGBT+ community.
AlthoughKink can form a part of someone’s sexual identity, is not limited to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual or transgender (or gender non-conforming) experience.
People want to know if Keith Lemon has a wife… but first, is Keith Lemon actually a real person?
As thousands of people want to find out if Keith Lemon has a wife, we should put it out there that Keith Lemon is a character, not a real person. He’s the brainchild of actor Leigh Francis.
But yes, to answer your question, Keith Lemon – or rather Leigh Francis does have a wife. Leigh Francis is married to Jill Carter, a beauty therapist, and the pair has two children together. Together they live in North London.
Who is Keith Lemon?
Leigh admitted that the character of Keith Lemon is loosely based on a friend, whose name is also Keith Lemon…
The character’s first appearance was in 2000 during a show called Whatever I Want. The show also showcased Leigh’s two other characters Avid Merrion and The Bear.
In terms of sexuality, Keith Lemon hasn’t yet identified as gay or bi but has long been described as camp and flamboyant by the UK’s press. His fake tan, bleached hair have all added to speculation about the character’s sexuality.
Keith Lemon currently fronts three shows for ITV, his long-running game/magazine show formatted Celebrity Juice and Through The Keyhole.
In 2015 ITV 2 started airing The Keith Lemon Sketch Show.
Leigh Francis is in his early 40s he was born on 30th April 1973.
And if you’re wondering why Keith also has bandages around his hand the story has changed, from a Kangaroo attack to just being a prop to help Leigh remember to stay in character. However, there are other suggestions that the bandage covers up an explicit tattoo.
Presenter and comedian Alan Carr has married his now actor husband, Paul Drayton, after being together for ten years. The star’s publicist confirmed the marriage. The pair had a “small, private ceremony” in the US.
The engagement ring was hidden in Alan’s dessert, and when he found the ring the hotel’s organist started playing Elton John’s “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and the hotel’s staff starting singing.
He said that at first, he thought he had broken a filling after biting into the dessert, but discovered that it was actually a ring.
Away from prying eyes
According to The Sun, the couple decided to wed in Los Angeles to be away from “prying eyes” where they would not be recognised.
The pair jetted off to South America to celebrate the wedding.
Despite the small wedding both Alan and Paul are planning a “big celebration” for all their friends and family later on this summer to celebrate their marriage, according to the publicist.
Previously Alan said that he wanted singer Adele to perform at his wedding.
Ann Widdecombe, who during her time as a Conservative MP, voted against gay rights consistently, called the love between fellow housemates Shane J (Courtney Act) and Andrew Brady “disgusting”.
In last night’s episode after Shane J joked to Ann, “You might not respect our marriage Ann but you have to recognise our love!” Ann snapped back quickly, “don’t be disgusting” before leaving the room.
Shane J and Andrew have been getting very close during their time in the Celebrity Big Brother house.
The pair is often seen together in an embrace or horse playing with each other.
Shane and Andrew have both struck up a bromance while in the Big Brother house. Although Andrew identifies as straight, he and Shane have formed a strong bond. Although their antics have caused many viewers of this year’s series to speculate about the nature of their relationship.
Last week the pair, while Shane J was dressed as Courtney Act, were spotted entering a toilet, where there are no cameras in which Andrew was heard to say “push it in” and “don’t get fu*king lipstick on me”.
Despite their closeness and much speculation from viewers, the pair has ruled out that a sexual relationship would ensue, claiming that their relationship is just a close friendship.
For those who continue to call same-sex marriage “marriage equality,” you might be interested to know that the UK government doesn’t consider your sexual activity equal.
So when same-sex marriage came into law, it didn’t automatically spell marriage equality – it’s one of the reasons why THEGAYUK.com doesn’t use the term.
One of those things that stopped us from fully embracing the marriage equality slogan was that in UK law gay sex and straight sex are not equal.
How do we know this? Well, straight couples can get divorced because of adultery. Gay couples cannot. Effectively treating same-sex sexual relations differently from heterosexual sexual relations.
Adultery is defined by UK law “voluntary sexual relations between an individual who is married and someone who is not the individual’s spouse”, but it only counts if the person is of the opposite sex. A spouse cannot commit adultery if the person they are cheating with is the same sex.
Grounds for divorce, in this case, would have to be petitioned under “unreasonable behaviour”.
This is also true of civil partnerships. Speaking to THEGAYUK.com last year, Andrew Smith, Associate Solicitor for Blacks Solicitors’ Family Law team told us,
“…the definition of adultery is sexual intercourse with someone of the opposite sex outside marriage. Instead, civil partners have to use ‘unfaithfulness’ as one of a number of examples of Unreasonable Behaviour.”
“Where is the equality?”
Jodene Murphy is petitioning the UK government for change. Writing on the petition Murphy explains, “When the UK Government welcomed same-sex marriage and updated the Marriage Act accordingly, they neglected to sufficiently update the divorce law. We are now living in a country where same-sex couples cannot divorce under the grounds of adultery. Where is the equality? Equal rights for all.”
The petition needs to garner over 10,000 signatures in order for the government to answer. At 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.
The changes to Facebook’s newsfeed algorithm could spell disaster for LGBT+ media.
In case you hadn’t heard Facebook is planning to change its newsfeed to make sure the time you spend on its platform is more “meaningful”. Mark Zuckerberg suggested that he wanted users’ time on the site to be “time well spent”. Facebook wants to give you more family and friends and fewer page updates. The problem is that many smaller news publishers, such as LGBT+ media could find themselves unduly penalised by the new update.
Many LGBT+ news sites rely heavily on traffic from social media sites like Facebook. A quick analysis of unverified traffic data from SimiliarWeb shows that PinkNews, GayTimes and Attitude had over 40 percent of their traffic driven by social media, including Facebook, in December, GayStarNews had 39 percent.
Part of the update will also rely on a trust score from users, which Facebook will use to determine how often content from a particular publisher will show up in your timeline. For more established, huge brands such as the BBC, Guardian or CNN this could prove to be an advantageous policy. However, many LGBT+ news sites have been the target of hate trolls and could find their trust score unfairly compromised by homophobes and transphobes.
If Facebook was to take these negative reviews into consideration, this new update could negatively impact LGBT+ media.
Speaking out against the changes, PinkNews CEO, Benjamin Cohen asked, Facebook’s VP of news Adam Mosseri, “How will Facebook ensure that homophobes don’t label LGBTQ media as untrustworthy, anti-Semites label Jewish media as untrustworthy and at the same time trust the sources that spread hate?”
Mosseri, wrote on Facebook, “We’re not looking to vet people. We are looking to make sure that our samples are as representative of the population as possible.”
Scott Gatz, the founder of Q.Digital, which owns and operates Queerty, asked: “We’ve specifically had to deal with page followers who are anti-gay commenting/flagging posts/etc, we’ve even had to escalate to your management. Now I fear that this will be a quiet way for them to make us go away.”
Mosseri added: “People can’t volunteer to weigh in on how trustworthy a page is, we pick a random sample of people to survey. Second, we only ask people who recognise a page if they trust it, so if you’re a small page we won’t have enough people and therefore this change won’t effect you.
The changes will see the amount of news displayed in your newsfeed reduced from five percent to four percent.
