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  • Judge Rinder splits with husband after four years of marriage

    Judge Rinder has split from his husband after 4 years of marriage.

    Robert Rinder and Seth Cumming have split after 4 years of marriage. Rinder is ITV’s famous daytime judge presiding over small claims in his courtroom. Cumming was a political adviser to former Chancellor, turned Evening Standard editor George Osborne but now works as a lawyer for a legal firm. The couple were together for 11 years in total.

    The couple got married in Ibiza in 2013, by a close friend, Benedict Cumberbatch, but announced their split in January 2018. No third parties are believed to be involved in the “amicable” split.

    According to The Sun, a source close to the 39-year-old star said, “It’s very sad news but Rob is separating from his partner of 11-and-a-half-years.

    “He’s very upset about the situation, but the split is amicable and no one else is involved.

    “Rob has never spoken about his relationship and nothing will change on that front. He very much wants to focus on his work, including Judge Rinder on ITV which he absolutely adores”.

  • Kevin Spacey investigated over third London assault: report

    British police said Thursday they are investigating a man over a third sexual assault, with the Press Association news agency reporting that US actor Kevin Stacey is the suspected assailant …

  • CAR REVIEW | Jaguar F-Type

    Jaguar F-Type | ★★★★☆

    This Jaguar F-Type is a welcomed departure from grand slam GT cars available. Its styling takes some elements of the old E-type to give it a romance of a time long forgotten. A time when Jaguar’s sports car was the fastest thing on the road and turned heads.

    The F-type isn’t all that though. It has a problem, and that problem comes from in-house at Jaguar. I was fortunate to test identical powered coupe and convertible models back to back with one being the clear winner.

    Let’s start with the styling. It’s not quite the pin-up poster your father would have had on his bedroom wall back in the day. Forget all about being seduced by this pussycat. It will still fill you with giddy excitement not only because the door handles pop out when you press the remote, but the looks are pure aggression. This femme fatale will scratch your mind and soul with a longing to go out with her again.

    It’s amazing what the Jaguar engineers have done to this engine. The four cylinder Ingenium 2 litre turbo has a broad spectrum of uses and can be found in many of the models offered by Jaguar and sister company Land Rover. In the F-type, it has been tweaked and prodded to suit its new sporting clothes. And it’s all quite good. A 155mph two-seater sports car that can achieve around 40mpg.

    What’s not to like?

    The power outputs sound great on paper. In practice, it is somewhat different. And here is where the F-type either excels or fails. It’s just not that fast. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fast, but for a car dressed to kill in sports car clothing with a 0-60mph dash in 5.4 seconds, it just isn’t fast enough. The problem is those pesky hot hatchbacks. They can be just as quick and for less money. Jaguar does offer more powerful F-types but you will need to pay extra for that, and we are, already up to £50-60k. What the Jaguar has up its sleeve is grand touring luxury.

    Inside you are treated to a snug cockpit. Everything falls to hand. And to the hand, you notice items that are there in other Jaguars and Range Rovers. No bad thing in real world terms as this does keep costings down. The one problem I have with the F-Type is the facia in that it is the same as plenty of others in the JLR range. The car is so different in so many ways that it needs to look different. And so too should the heater controls. At this price, they are just a little on the cheap side. This itself goes against the grain of the luxury feel you get from the seat leather and build to how it all moulds together.

    And so back to those performance figures. One of the problems with the F-type is in its construction. The all aluminium framed car makes it a heavy vehicle. Added to this the fittings that are well engineered to fit without rattling and more weight is added thus giving the illusion of luxury that is as mentioned, there in abundance.

    On the road then and how does it feel? It feels amazing. I’m a sucker for a smooth engine and sweet exhaust note and added to the 8-speed automatic gearbox it feels well suited to everyday use. Here is where it excels. For its few faults and out and out performance, it all adds up to make this a sports car that can be used to pop to the corner shop on a Sunday for a pint of milk and a Sunday paper albeit the long way around. It’s nice and easy to drive, and it looks the business. No one will really know that it’s the slower of the models Jaguar offer.

    Pulling out of junctions in wintry wet roads doesn’t end up with the wheels spinning and you looking like an idiot. It pulls away fast and has no trouble putting its power down. It feels quicker than it actually is. On today’s congested roads with mobile cameras popping up all over the place, perhaps feeling faster than it is, isn’t such a bad thing after all.

    The sound is quite intoxicating which heightens the sense of urgency. You can switch it off if you like unless you opt for the ‘Dynamic’ setting in which case it is there all the time. Normal mode is pleasant enough. The Coventry cruiser then is a pussycat. Select ‘Dynamic’ and its all noisy roar and claws for what it is. The burble and roar from the exhaust will make you smile.

    Handling too will also make you smile. It’s pretty much easy going all the time regardless of the setting you choose. This again adding refinement to a sports car looking package. It’s not bad if I am honest. For everyday use, the F-type is actually rather nice. Unless you are looking for an out and out sports car to do stupid things in, you wouldn’t be too disappointed with the very few shortcomings it has. For what I want in a car like the F-type, it doesn’t fail me, it excels. I want my fast car to be a bit lazy like me and easy going when I want to not think too hard about the road ahead.

    So here comes the problem I mentioned at the beginning. What is it to be? Closed coupe with average boot space or a drop top with even less boot space? That’s easy to answer.

    That accolade goes to the convertible. The £10,000 more of your cash is a lot to ask for straight out of the showroom. Keep the car for three years and that extra cash paid out will vanish with the joy the snug fitting, but mostly missing roof will have given you.

    With my choice made up, I’ll just have to send to the luggage ahead. Hoy hatch performance or not, they don’t quite have what the F Type has. And you remember me telling you about the sound of the exhaust? With that just over your left shoulder, it is pure evocative mechanical magic and I couldn’t get enough of it. Let the wheels roll, the south of France is calling.

    Likes

    Driving dynamics
    Engine sound
    Luxury refinement

    Loathes

    Interior looks a bit dated
    Fascia lacks a sporting identity
    Handling not exploited with this power.

    The Lowdown
    Car – Jaguar F-Type 2.0L RWD
    Price – (from) £49,900 Coupe / £59,085 Convertible
    MPG – 39.2mpg (combined)
    Power – 300 bhp
    0-62mph – 5.4 seconds
    Top Speed – 155 mph
    CO2 – 163 (g/km)

  • Katie Hopkins asked why there is no white or straight community and Twitter did not hold back

    “Because the whole effing world is a straight community you silly cow”

    Katie Hopkins knows a thing or two about causing outrage and one of her recent Tweets caused, its fair to say, a fair amount of backlash from Twitter users.

    Katie, who seems to be going a bit of an anti-LGBT bent recently, asked her followers the following question, “Why is there no heterosexual community? Or white community? Do you need to feel like a victim to belong? #transcommunity #lgbtcommunity #blackcommunity”.

    Well, Twitter users had a few answers for the former MailOnline columnist, Sun columnist, former LBC Radio presenter, former chat show host, former Celebrity Big Brother participant and former Apprentice candidate.

    So there you have it. Katie we hope you find yourself slightly more educated.

  • 14 ways you can deal with the bullies in your life

    Bullying takes many forms: Name-calling, making negative comments on your work, making someone feel worthless, physical abuse are just some examples.

    We’ve put some tips together to help anyone out there who is facing a bully. It doesn’t matter if you’re being bullied at school, college, university, work or home.

    Remember if you are being bullied remember it’s not your fault.

    Write Everything Down
    Keep a log of every incident; write down the date, time, location, what happened, what they said and any witnesses that were around.

    Tell Someone
    Tell someone in authority and ask them what they intend to do about it. Tell them any fears you have about reprisals from the bully.

    Someone you trust, like a family member or a friend, can also be useful. It means that you’re not dealing with the problem on your own; a problem shared is a problem halved.

    Get Support
    Don’t try to deal with it and your feelings about it all on your own. Get some support. Consider counselling for some additional help around your feelings.

    Know Your Rights
    All educational settings have anti-bullying policies. Some employers have these as well. Even if your employer doesn’t, they will have Equality & Diversity Policies as well as other relevant policies. Read them.

    There will also be procedures for investigating and dealing with bullying – so have a look at these as well.

    Know your rights. Nobody has a right to bully another. Make authority figures aware that you know your rights.

    Don’t Let It Get To You
    Try not to let the things the bully says or might do get to you; easier said than done, I know. Bullies bully for a variety of reasons, but it’s always about their issues, not yours.

    Try Not To Show A Reaction or Smile
    Don’t let the bully see that they are getting to you. To do this, try to give them no reaction or smile. You know that phrase: Smile – it confuses people.

    Walk With Confidence
    Use your body language to make you look larger. Stand with your legs apart, your back straight, and your chest pushed out slightly. Have your arms slightly away from your body and loose by your sides. Head up as you walk looking straight ahead. This does take a bit of practice but try practising in front of a full-length mirror. Believe it or not, this is how most bullies walk.

    When we see someone walk like this, especially a bully, we do the opposite with our body language. We make ourselves as small as possible including hunching our back, pulling our arms in close and looking down at the ground. Try to remember to keep this confident body language, even when you see the bully.

    The only time to avoid using body language to make you look larger is in the event of a physical assault. In that case, have your side to the perpetrator, as this will give them less of a target. In the event of a physical attack, get yourself out of the situation as soon as you can and to a place of safety.

    Remember nobody has the right to be violent towards you; likewise, you don’t have the right to be violent towards anyone else. All physical assaults should be reported to the Police.

    If It’s CyberBullying
    If the bully is sending you messages, texts, images and videos, keep them all. Don’t respond to any messages and make good use of privacy settings. Block/Ignore the bully and report them to the social media provider. If the messages get particularly abusive report them to the Police (this is why you need to keep all the messages as evidence).

    Take Sensible Steps To Keep Yourself Safe
    Keep yourself safe by carrying a mobile phone, personal attack alarm and being aware of your surroundings. Never walk home on your own and always try to stay with someone when travelling around the setting where you come into contact with the bully.

    Involve The Police
    Any violence or physical assault should be reported to the Police.

    If the bullying is homophobic or racist, you can and should report it to the police as a hate crime. Hate crime also covers bullying that is related to disability religion, ethnicity or gender identity. Find out more about hate crimes on the True Vision website.

    Come up with Good Coping Strategies
    We all have different coping strategies. Some good ones are: taking up sports or martial arts (these are particularly empowering, and you learn to defend yourself as well), talking to people, expressing how you feel creatively (e.g. writing, music, drawing, making movies, etc.). All of these activities also raise your confidence and self-esteem – something that bullies try to damage or destroy.

    Avoid Drugs & Alcohol as a Coping Strategy
    There is research that links drugs and alcohol misuse to bullying as a coping strategy. Avoid using drugs or alcohol to cope with the bullying. It might make you forget or feel happier in the very short term (for the night), but the next day the bullying often seems a much bigger problem.

    Know that It Gets Better
    Bullying is a massive issue. Many people get bullied. Remember that the situation you’re in now won’t last forever. There will be a time that the bullying will stop.

    Avoid Becoming The Bully
    There’s some research that shows that some people who have been bullied, later become bullies. Don’t let it happen; you’re better than that! Remember how it felt to be bullied. If you’re in a position to safely stand up to a bully that’s bullying someone else – do.

    If you’re affected by bullying, please check out our resources page for further help and support.

  • Magazines dump photographers following allegations from male models

    Magazines dump photographers following allegations from male models

    Vogue and GQ owners, Condé Nast have ended their working relationship with two photographers after male models alleged sexual abuse.

    Mario Testino, 63, and Bruce Weber, 71, have had any future commissions cancelled by the media giant, Condé Nast. The two photographers have been accused of the sexual misconduct of a number of male models.

    The claims were reported by New York Times and contain allegations dating back to the 1990s.

    Both Weber and Testino have denied any wrong-doing, with both saying that they were “shocked” by the claims against them.

    Weber said, “I’m completely shocked and saddened by the outrageous claims, being made against me, which I absolutely deny”.

    Testino’s lawyers, according to NYT “challenged the characters and credibility of people who complained of harassment”.

    Models and assistants described to the NYT a “pattern of what they said was unnecessary nudity and coercive sexual behaviour”.

    Anna Wintour, the artistic director of Condé Nast, released a statement confirming that commissions for the two world-famous photographers, saying, ”

    “We are deeply disturbed by these accusations and take this very seriously. In light of these allegations, we will not be commissioning any new work with Bruce Weber and Mario Testino for the foreseeable future.”

    Condé Nast has changed its code of conduct and new rules surrounding photoshoots have been updated to include, that models must be over 18, a strict no drugs or alcohol rule and models must approve shoots that include nudity, sheer clothing or undergarments.

  • First Wives Club director, Hugh Wilson dies, 74

    Famed director, Hugh Wilson has died at the age of 74

    The director of camp classic First Wives Club and the first Police Academy film has died at the age of 74, friends of the director have confirmed.

    First Wives Club starred gay icon, Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton and has since become a cult classic amongst the gay community.

    Wilson died at his home over the weekend in Albemarle County, Virginia. He was ill at the time of his death.

    His last film credit was for Mickey in 2004.

    Wilson was married to Charters Smith in 1979. Together they have five children.

  • OPINION | Is it time to revisit Gay Labels?

    Gay labels are ubiquitous, and some would argue that we don’t need them and even that they’re harmful. I’m talking about labels such as Daddy, bear, jock, twink etc. I think we do need gay labels, but we need them to mean something other than what they currently mean.

    At the moment, gay labels refer to a whole package. For example, ‘twink’ seems to refer to a particular male build and appearance as well as a personality and implied sexuality (bottom boy). ‘Daddy’, by contrast, seems to denote a well-built mature man who is probably a total top and is into twinks.

    I think we are right to be sceptical about gay labels when they are used in this way, and gay apps like Grindr don’t encourage us to think differently about them. But we can’t seem to come up with any alternatives at the moment.

    Naming is important because it helps us to make sense of the world around us and to integrate that meaning into and through language.

    One way of recalibrating these labels is to think about naming in terms of bodies, sexualities, and characters.

    Bodies

    It’s useful to have labels which describe particular body shapes, but such labels mustn’t over-reach themselves and try and encompass sexuality and character as well. They denote structural features only.

    Example labels to describe body shapes and physical appearance include:

    • Bear
      • Hairy, average-to-large build, any age
    • Twink
      • Slim-to-skinny build, youthful, little body hair
    • Jock
      • Athletic-to-muscular build, any age
    • Daddy
      • Any build, mature appearance

    Note that where possible, labels to describe physical appearance are age-blind and ignorant of these people’s sexual dynamics and personalities. Such labels, moreover, can refer to any male, gay, straight, bisexual, whatever.

    Sexualities

    Additionally, it can be creative to name different modes of sexuality and those who embody those modes. Labels to denote gay males of varying sexualities are concerned with direction – the direction bears, jocks, twinks etc. take their sexuality.

    Example labels to describe (polar opposite) embodiments of sexualities include:

    • Dom
      • Dominant top, protective (‘Sir’, ‘Man’)
    • Pussyboy
      • Submissive bottom, boyish (‘bumboy’, ‘bitch boy’, ‘boi’)

    It follows, therefore, that there can be Dom twinks, pussyboy bears, and Dom Daddies etc. This considerably revises the way we usually think of such labels.

    What I’m trying to steer away from is the widespread tendency to equate physical build and appearance with a particular sexuality.

    Don’t get me wrong, though. Sometimes we are attracted to particular physical builds because of distinct sexual arousal connected with how they look. A Dom Daddy might be attracted to a slim twink because of the implied power dynamics. But such dynamics are built up through encounter and relationship; they are not inherent in particular body types. They are also connected to personality, of course.

    Characters

    Adjectives to describe character concern the ways personality traits enliven our physical presence and sexuality.

    Example labels to describe character traits include:

    • Artsy
      • Cultured, creative, intellectual
    • Manly
      • Virile, noble, strapping
    • Effeminate
      • Graceful, expressive, dainty

    These adjectives are not automatically associated with any body type, but they are associated with particular sexualities: manly Dom, artsy pussyboy, etc.

    The key is to play around with different combinations and to begin using this language in more specific ways.

    Example combinations include:

    • Manly Dom twink
    • Artsy pussyboy jock
    • Manly Dom Daddy
    • Effeminate pussyboy twink

    Some combinations will seem strange because we are so used to associating physical shapes with sexualities and personalities. I’m not saying that our physical build and appearance are irrelevant; far from it. But when we do associate skinny twinks with being effeminate submissive bottoms and big muscular Daddies with being dominant tops, this is because these dynamics occur through encounter and desire and the stories we tell about each other. As long as we recognise that, then we’re OK.

     

    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.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Strangers on a Train, Sheffield Lyceum

    Strangers on a Train | ★★☆☆☆

    During a chance encounter on a whiskey-soaked train journey, two strangers, Guy Haines, a respected architect and Charles Bruno, a drunken playboy, jokingly plot to commit a murder to assist the other in moving on in their lives. Bruno proposes that Haines kill Bruno’s overbearing father, whilst Bruno himself will kill Haines’ adulterous wife. But what starts out as a drunken joke becomes something more sinister, as Bruno keeps up his end of the bargain and expects Haines to do the same.

    Based on the novel by Particia Highsmith, the narrative of the piece starts promisingly enough, with sufficient threads of the story put forward to generate interest, but the early promise simply isn’t sustained, as the play draws itself out into something over long and turgid, leading to an incredibly dry second act which never even begins to gather momentum.

    Feeding into the dryness of the piece are the performances from the cast which were truly terrible across the board. Jack Ashton is suitably dashing and fares best of the bunch with a rather flat portrayal of Haines, but never comes close to depicting a man whose life is in turmoil as a result of the relentless harassment by Bruno, the murder of his wife or his harboured dark secrets. Chris Harper is just plain irritating rather than menacing, with a pantomime-villain portrayal of Bruno, being more akin to an annoying drunken work colleague at the office party than a scheming manipulator and calculating killer; and Helen Anderson’s over the top histrionics as Elsie Bruno were sharply juxtaposed with the stiff, wooden delivery of Hannah Toiton as Haines’ new wife.

    Anthony Banks’ direction is sadly lacking, and manages to produce a play with no drama, no tension, no menace and no pace. The set, comprising of a series of sliding panels, projections and micro-sets looked lavish and generally worked well, which was the saving grace of the production; but sadly a flashy set design is not enough to prevent this thrill-less thriller from coming off the rails.

    Strangers On A Train is currently at Sheffield Lyceum before continuing on its national tour until 31 March 2018; calling in at Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Woking, Richmond, Cambridge, York, Aylesbury and Cardiff.

  • Courtney waxes Andrew’s bum

    Courtney de-fluffs Andrew’s arse…

    And she really goes for it.

    In tonight’s episode of Celebrity Big Brother, Andrew Brady gets his arse waxed by Courtney Act – Take one straight lad, one drag queen, add some wax strips and you’ve got yourself probably the most homoerotic moment of the series.

    First off, Andrew’s jeans are lowered – and he actually presents… We were quite moved…

    Courtney places the strips and presses down hard

    She really gets in there.

    Andrew gets ready for the rip.

    OUCH!

    If you’re wondering what it’s like to get your arse waxed by a perfect stranger, check out this article.

  • Daily Mail returns to Virgin trains after outcry

    Virgin boss Richard Branson on Monday said he would resume offering the right-wing tabloid the Daily Mail on his trains after a decision not to stock them sparked accusations of censorship last week … (more…)

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