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  • The best naughty 2018 Calendars

    It’s that time of year when we look to the year ahead…

    52 Naked Rugby players await you in the official Naked Rugby Players’ Calendar 2018

    And what will be hanging on our walls.

    People, we present the hottest calendars that need to be in your life for 2018

    Red Hot 2018

    Go follow @chrisjammer Mr July in our Red Hot British Boys calendar. Out next Wednesday 25th Oct ?Pre-Order now from www.redhot100.com/shop A few tickets left for launch party available – link in bio ⚡️

    A post shared by RED HOT (@redhot100) on

    There’s two version of this calendar, the truly naked one and the more SFW one… Shot by Red Hot photographer Thomas Knights and art director Elliott James Frieze, the calendar raises money for the Movember Foundation’s Testicular Cancer Awareness.

    Available for £20.00

    The Naked Rugby Players 2018

    Get your #MondayMotivation with @kxsrfc from www.TheNakedRugbyPlayers.com #nakedrugby #gay #charity #mondays #balls #rugby

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    52 guys got completely starkers to raise money and awareness for Balls to Cancer and inclusive rugby… Shot by THEGAYUK’s very own photographer, Monty McKinnen. Available to buy from their website TheNakedRugbyPlayers.com from £10.00

     

    The Dreamboys

    Bring the world-famous Dreamboys in your home with this stunning calendar, just £13.26 on Amazon

    The Farmers Calendar

    I’ve got a brand new Combinharverter… Available on Amazon from £9.99

    Dieux du Stade

    Our second Rugby player calendar of the year, who could not fall for these ridiculously hot guys in the world famous, Calendrier Dieux du stade. Available on Amazon  from £22.30

    Meat Magazine

    Described as a f**k you to body shaming, the Meat Calendar promises to deliver page after page of guys of all shapes and sizes. The calendar’s cover star Fernando, a hunky, down-to-earth HR professional in London’s busy Mayfair, said, “It wasn’t an easy decision to pose naked for meat but, now I’m absolutely proud of myself for doing it. I thought I would never be picked because of my body shape and I wanted to prove that you can be hairy and have a belly and it can be sexy.” Available from Amazon for £19.62

    Steve Grand

    I am now selling 2 Limited Edition, Photo Calendars on my web store so you can pick from either the First Edition, the Second Edition, or get both for a discounted rate so you don’t have to choose! 😀 Order now: Shop.SteveGrand.com�� We got so many amazing shots, I just had to make 2 Calendars worth of images. So yes, both calendars have their own unique set of photos, although all the photos came from the same photoshoot. ��13 full resolution, never-before-seen full color photo prints make up each limited edition, spiral bound 8.5″ x 11″ 2018 monthly calendar. Autographed and Personalized Options available! �These photos were taken by the very talented Zack Zerbe this past summer while I was living and performing in Ptown.� The photos in the images are a sample of some of the photos that will be included in the calendars There will be 13 pages of photos total for each calendar. Enjoy! :D

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    Australian Firefighters Calendar

    This doesn’t really need any comment, introduction or further push to buy…

     

  • HOTEL REVIEW | The Seven Hotel & Wellness, Gran Canaria

    I shelved travelling to Gran Canaria for many years because I had horrors of being surrounded by youngsters on their first holiday along with every other restaurant serving a full English Breakfast.

    I would have probably been close to that dread if it wasn’t for the tranquillity of The Seven Hotel & Wellness – Gay Only. After a comfortable 4 hour flight from London to Las Palmas airport (LPA), it was a smooth 25-minute drive to the area of Maspalomas.

    When I arrived, I began to ponder the undeveloped surrounding areas and wondered where the ocean was hiding. All the rubble from the airport journey was left behind and forgotten about as soon as I walked through the resort doors and confronted with the dramatic backdrop of the island’s impressive mountains, endorsed by deep blue clear skies. This gay resort in Gran Canaria has perfectly set itself in a surprising picturesque landscape. You might find it a struggle to leave the grounds especially when you’re spoilt by attentive staff, spacious raindrop showers, 24hr access to the sauna, heated outdoor Jacuzzi, loungers inside the pool and of course temperatures reaching a steep 25 degrees (Nov ‘ 17).

    kasabubu / Pixabay

    With a somewhat struggle, I managed to pull myself away from the resort and took a 5-minute drive to the ever so talked about Yumbo Centre. The Yumbo Centre is not an area, it’s not a village, it’s not an attraction, it’s an exasperated outdoor shopping centre that looks as though it can’t be bothered. Don’t go searching for authentic Spanish food at Yumbo (or anywhere in the area), having spoken to some of the locals the general consensus is that they don’t have to improve Yumbo or renew the area as tourists settle for the wreck and continue to flock in and out each week. I wonder how many gay tourists would return to Yumbo Centre after leaving the island? So when it comes to choosing where to spend a few precious days on a winter break, food is almost as high in my priorities as sunshine. Not in a Michelin restaurant sort of way – but with local restaurants more in mind. Where can I eat well – and affordably?


    After seeing what was on offer at Yumbo, I was extremely content with my dining option at Abora Restaurant a Dégustation experience every night in the good company of the staff, guests and the mountains all without the high prices that such an experience can fetch. The oceanfront lined restaurants in Meloneras was an eye opener for not settling on Yumbo as a gay hotspot Gran Canaria. The word of mouth – Restaurante Borneo was a high point of my trip, home cooked food with care and attention also where else in the world can you get kisses and hugs from the fantastic Chef.

    All the gay bars are in the Yumbo Centre and opened every day with the majority of them starting to peak evidence of life past midnight. Many of the gay guests at The Seven Hotel opted to socialise at the resort bar, exchanging stories and laughs among gay travellers from Sweden, Italy, Germany, UK, Russia, France and USA.

    Seven Dos:

    1. Accept that this is part of Spain even though it doesn’t feel like it should be
    2. Stay in a Suite at The Seven Hotel & Wellness and opt for half board
    3. Spend half a day in Las Palmas and get an overview from the Sightseeing bus tour
    4. Hire a car (if only to do your airport to hotel transfers – very inexpensive )
    5. Avoid Yumbo Centre and take a long walk on the sand dunes or book a massage
    6. Dine at the word of mouth Restaurante Borneo
    7. Have a glass of something and people watch in the Meloneras area

    For a real understanding of what makes Gran Canaria tick start by deciding if you want to retreat or not – whatever you choose it will be worth the trip and a Grand Canary-On!

     

  • What’s it like to have a doctor check your balls for lumps?

    Oh no; not a third bollock! I had found a lump!

    Nothing significant but it was a lump on my right testicle. I had woken one morning stretching, raking, scratching, checking and there it was. I did nothing, well not precisely nothing I kept checking every day to see if it would just go. It didn’t. After about a week I knew I should see a doctor just to be safe.

    Having recently moved into a new area I had yet to register with a surgery. I lived in an apartment in a large converted Victorian house, halfway up a hill. At the foot of the hill was the nearest clinic. Registering as a new patient seemed to be a good idea, so I filled in the form when I went to ask to see a doctor. There were no appointments, but I could sit and wait to see the duty doctor. I was told the duty doctor for today was the GP I had just registered for and I would be his first patient on his first day.

    It was the summer of 1992, a hot August day. I sat in the waiting room, worried about sweating in the heat and wondering if this was the best time to be here. How long would I have to wait? Long enough to be considered of dubious personal hygiene? I hoped not. I wanted to be cool and calm, but I just felt hot and sweaty.

    Surrounded by seniors, some with quiet dignity, an old lady with her head to one side. “Earache,” the old man accompanying her said sharply as he looked across at me. Oops had I been staring? Small children, some running around, others looking very sorry for themselves and clinging to their parents.

    “Tom Driver to Doctor F……..”, the loudspeaker announced. I followed the instructions the receptionist had given me and went up the stairs to the door on the left. I knocked and almost immediately heard back “Come in.”

    Deep breath and in through the door and shocked, absolutely stunned! Sitting in the chair, formally attired, smiling back at me was a young man who was the spitting image of England Rugby Union Captain Will Carling. “Tom isn’t it? Do take a seat.”

    Take a seat? I wanted to run out of the door. This man was wank fantasy material incarnate, and I was going to tell him I had a lump on my right bollock!

    Pleasantries over and I had made my disclosure, while mumbling, looking away and staring at the floor. “Well, we better have a look then. Stand up and drop your trousers and underwear.”

    Mentally I was in agony dreading what would happen if my cock reacted during the examination. In my head, I was watching the Salvation Army marching band and old ladies knitting while reciting “Bromide in the NAAFI tea keeps the cock at half-mast or lower.”

    In the time I had been having these thoughts and thinking of what excuse to offer should he excite me, the doctor had got on his knees in front of me. Oh My God, focus on the matter in hand, IN HAND, he has my balls in his hand fondling squeezing and checking. He reached to his desk and took from it with his right hand the instrument they use to look into mouths and ears (Otoscope). With his torch in his right hand and the lump exposed by his positioning of my testis with his left, he shone the light. I thought; ‘he really wants a good look’. Then he got up, and I heard him say “All done, pull them up.”

    I had to ask, “What were you doing?” He explained to me that he shone the light because cellular tissue is denser than fatty tissue. Having this knowledge and the fact the light shone into and through the lump indicated it was not cellular (potentially cancerous) and was most likely a polyp, a lump of fatty tissue the body would probably reabsorb over time. I was told to keep an eye on it and if it changed, itched or grew to come back. I thanked him and left.

    On the stairs, on the way down I stood back to let an elderly couple pass on their up. It was the old lady with the earache who was his next patient. I smiled, knowing where the instrument he would use to examine her had just been.

     

    If you are concerned about lumps on your testicles, you should make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible.

    THEGAYUK.com has teamed up with The Naked Rugby Players to help raise money and awareness for testicular cancer with the Balls To Cancer charity, through their Naked Rugby Calendar 2018. To buy a copy click here.

    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 | La Soiree, Aldwych Theatre, London

    ★★★★ | La Soiree, Aldwych Theatre, London

    La Soiree has garnered quite a reputation on the cabaret scene over the past few years.

    They’ve won a couple of Olivier Awards, headlined the circus field at Glastonbury and globe-trotted around in various Spiegeltents and opera houses. Now they’ve gone all upmarket and are inhabiting the lovely old but freshly repainted Aldwych Theatre. Don’t worry though. They might be in the West End but there’s still plenty of filth and subversion to keep you dirty birdies happy. Or not. If you want to take your nan and your nephew there’s a toned down version sans smut called ‘La Petite Soiree’ (aimed at ages 8 and upwards).

    They’ve re-jigged the theatre to make it look like a cabaret venue with on stage seating and rows of in the round stalls seats. You’ve got to have nerves of steel if you’re planning on sitting on stage, by the way. There’s a distinctly ‘cabaret’ atmosphere (i.e. slightly drunken) and it’s a fast-paced frenetic show with little chance to pause for breath. Unlike a lot of cabaret shows there’s no compere and no filler. It’s just back to back acts. If you’ve seen it before you might be looking forward to the pole dancing city gents and their amazing pecs. Sadly, they’re not here this year but don’t fret. There’s plenty of buff male flesh including a comedic set piece with two chaps barely hiding their two old chaps behind skimpy towels.

    It’s the usual mix of comedy, acrobatics, hoola-hooping, puppetry and plain weirdness (a woman spinning around in an aerial display, suspended by her hair? I rest my case M’lud). Perfect for a Christmas night out or for raising you out of a case of the New Year doldrums.

    La Soiree plays until 3rd Feb 2018

  • Jack Maynard: I’ve got lots of gay friends

    *Face Palm*

    Disgraced YouTuber and former, I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here contestant, Jack Maynard has told The Sun that he’s got lots of gay friends… and that he doesn’t have a problem with anyone.

    The YouTuber, left the Aussie jungle, in November, following from revelations that there were racist and homophobic tweets sent from his Twitter account. He sent the tweets before he became famous on the YouTube platform. He also revealed that the person he aimed the homophobic insults at wasn’t gay and that the messages were “careless”.

    Speaking to The Sun, he said,  “I’m straight but don’t have a problem with anyone. I don’t have a problem with any sexuality whatsoever. I’ve got lots of gay friends and absolutely love them.”

    Explaining why he sent the offensive Tweet Jack offered, “Sadly, this was in an argument with someone I knew from back home that just got very out of hand.”

    “The person wasn’t gay; it was just a really careless insult. I wasn’t thinking about what I was saying; I was just retaliating in a really, really horrible way.”

    He added: “It’s a disgusting word and I’m disgusted with myself for even using it. I’d never, ever use that word now to describe someone, to insult someone.”

  • The Government has refused to make “gay cures” illegal

    Making gay cures a criminal offence is not the forward – apparently

    The British Government has affirmed its position on “gay cures” or conversion therapy. It condemns it, but won’t make the practice of it illegal.

    In responding to a petition, created earlier in 2017,  which attracted 11,000 signatories, the Government said that although it condemned the practice of conversion therapy, it did not believe that making the treatment illegal was the “right way forward”.

    The therapy, which has no evidentiary proof of benefit, has been widely criticised by the professional health industry and is seen as incredibly damaging to the LGBT+ community. The therapy is banned on the NHS.

    This is not the first time the Government has refused to make substantive steps towards the banning of so-called “gay cures”, in 2015 it declined to ban them. 

     

    The Government has refused to make "gay cures" illegal

    In its latest response, responding to the petition, the Department of Health said,

    “There is no evidence that this sort of treatment is beneficial, and indeed it may well cause significant harm to some patients. It is incumbent on professionals working in the National Health Service to ensure that treatment and care, including therapy, is provided to every patient without any form of discrimination.

    “This Government is committed to tackling discrimination towards LGBT people. That is why we have already worked with the main registration and accreditation bodies for psychotherapy and counselling practitioners, including the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), to develop first a consensus statement and then a Memorandum of Understanding committing signatory organisations to a range of activities including training and awareness raising amongst their members in relation to this issue.

    “This Government has already taken the necessary steps to prevent the practice of gay conversion therapy in the UK”.

  • Production stops on Bryan Singer’s Queen biopic

    “A personal health matter.”

    CREDIT: ©-S-Buckley-Depositphotos

    Production of the Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody has halted after director,  Bryan Singer took leave to deal with a”health matter”.

    Singer’s spokesperson said that the producer and director had taken leave for  “a personal health matter concerning Bryan and his family”.

    Speaking to the BBC, the film’s studio, 20th Century Fox said, “Twentieth Century Fox Film has temporarily halted production on Bohemian Rhapsody due to the unexpected unavailability of Bryan Singer.”

    Bryan Singer also appears to have taken his Twitter account offline.

    The film has been in production in the UK with Mr Robot actor Rami Malek as the late Freddie Mercury and is due for release in December 2018

    *This article was updated to reflect that the film is a biopic on the band, Queen not just Freddie Mercury.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | ELF: The Musical, Lowry Theatre, Salford

    ★★★★★ | ELF: The Musical

    Tuesday Night was a star-studded affair as the North West’s celebs walked down the red carpet at The Lowry Theatre adorned with a large red sleigh. Everyone from Corrie’s Kym Marsh and Brooke Vincent, Real Housewives of Cheshire Lauren Simon and even X Factor star-turned-gay pin-up Lloyd Daniels (yes, he’s just as gorgeous up close) were in attendance. The reason? ELF: The Musical.

    To sum it up in one word would be an injustice but if had to do it’d be: transcendent. I entered the theatre with slight apprehension that one of my favourite Christmas films would be turned into a mushy pantomime but I am thrilled to say I was wrong. A script scattered with hilarious jokes (though some more New York-based one-liners didn’t quite resonate with a Salford audience) about everything from Donald Trump to the recent news headlines about certain “physical misconduct” were paired with amazing feats of physical comedy.

    The show’s star, Ben Forster, is a tour de force channelling his inner Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf. Everything from his mannerisms to his body movements had all the audience members in hysterics and you couldn’t help but feel his pure joy. Ben remained high energy throughout, hitting you even harder during his low points. Joe McGann is divine as Walter Hobbs, Buddy’s Dad, a workaholic who has no time for Christmas nor his family and is backed up ably by the fantastic Jessica Martin as wife Emily and a confident turn by the young Lochlan White as his son Michael. A personal highlight for me was Liz McClarnon in the role of Jovie, Buddy’s girlfriend. The ex-Atomic Kitten star sounded amazing and watching her turn from jaded New Yorker to a Believer was thrilling at every turn.

    I could also write endlessly about the extremely talented supporting cast and the high energy and very game ensemble but I have to single out Lori Haley Fox as Deb, Walter’s hapless secretary. Rare have I seen such amazing comedy timing. Reminiscent of Julie Walters, Lori’s slapstick movements and characterisation remained high-energy throughout the entire show and was pure comedy from the start. Every appearance she made was met with pure joy from the audience and, deservedly, received huge applause at the end. I felt, in that moment, I was watching a star.

    The songs themselves were not particularly memorable but I enjoyed every single one. Unlike many other musicals, Elf doesn’t seek to impart any larger metaphorical wisdom with its songs instead allowing every number to play a vital part in moving the story along. Highlights include ‘World’s Greatest Dad’ where we get a feel for Buddy’s enthusiasm and desire to have a present and caring Father which makes it even more crushing during the reprise, when Buddy begins to lose hope. Then there’s the call-to-Christmas-arms barnstormer ‘Sparklejollytwinklejingley’ (complete with impossible-to-imitate hand-ography). ‘A Christmas Song’ invites us all to simply sing to get into the Christmas Spirit whilst Act Two’s ‘Never Fall In Love With An Elf’ is a hilarious listicle of why dating an Elf may be a bad idea. However, as much as the choreography and energy of each number was comparable to the best and brightest of Music Theatre, the songs themselves failed to provide any sort of earworm. Shows like Wicked have their anchor numbers like ‘Defying Gravity‘, Elf was missing that big song you can’t get out of your head.

    The show went all out and the investment was clear. The entire cast acted and sang with all their heart and their hard work showed on the stage. It was a balls-to-the-wall feast of glee. The lighting and special effects were world class, complete with in-theatre snow and a flying sleigh. Elf did not leave you feeling that it was missing anything and I defy anyone to watch the show and not be excited for Christmas. The show is also very inclusive, with a diverse ensemble which included two gay characters, one of whom is told by Buddy that you can “never have too many boyfriends”.

    I can not recommend this show enough. Whilst the ticket pricing is a little steep if you’re a larger family, it is worth going if you can or I fear you will risk missing possibly the best musical to come to Manchester to date.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Boys in the Buff, Kings Head Theatre, London

    ★★★ | Boys in the Buff

    The Full Monty. Naked Boys Singing. And put Boys in the Buff in that category.

    Yes, these are shows where the male cast take their clothes off and sing and act (a bit) for the audience. Of course, The Full Monty was the biggest of the bunch (biggest I mean most popular – ahem). Naked Boys Singing was the gayest, and Boys in the Buff is in a category all by itself – the campiest!

    Four good-looking young men and a voluptuous compere entertain us with their flare, razzle-dazzle, and their bits (well not the compere – who is female!) in a show with witty and cute songs and dialogue but perhaps lacking in good taste, and in a couple of cases, passable acting! But singing, and acting, is not what this show is all about – we’re left in anticipation of waiting, and wanting, for the boys to take their clothes off. In the meanwhile, we are treated to really fun songs like ’Size Doesn’t Matter,’ ‘Does My Bum Look Big in This,’ and ‘Let it All Hang Out,’ and dreadful ones that include ‘Dancing in the Semi-Nude’ and ‘My Foreskin and Me.’ There’s also audience participation much to the delight (not) of the audience. But in the intimate confines of the Kings Head Theatre, where the first two rows are so close to the stage it’s almost a crime, the boys really pour out their hearts, and display their bits, for us soldieringly. Adam Mroz is so cute and sexy; you just want to take him home and put him on your bookshelf! Hunky Adam O’Shea, who was in the original production at the Lost Theatre this past summer, brings his muscles with him, – he’s certainly got pecs-appeal! Daniel Timoney is along for the ride, as is Eli Caldwell. But Shani Cantor is just fab fab fab as the hostess with the mostest! All in all, it’s one hour of fun!!!

    Boys in the Buff plays at The Kings Head Theatre until Dec 9th, 2017

     

  • Why is the Red Ribbon used for World AIDS Day and who designed it?

    Why is the Red Ribbon used for World AIDS Day and who designed it?

    The Red Ribbon symbol has become the defining icon for the awareness, fundraising and determination to beat HIV and AIDS. It’s strong, vibrant red, a symbol that has become synonymous with every 1st December, was designed in 1991.

    Why is the Red Ribbon used for World AIDS Day and who designed it?
    ArtsyBee / Pixabay

    A decade after AIDS began its stranglehold, decimating communities, a coalition of 12 artists gathered to devise a plan to raise awareness for Visual Aids, a New York arts organisation which raises awareness of HIV.

    The 12 people consisted of photographers, painters, filmmakers and costume designers. After a short collaboration they came up with the striking, but the simple idea of the red ribbon, inspired by the yellow ribbons tied on trees at the time, to denote support for US military fighting in the Gulf war.

    Pink and rainbow colours were rejected because of their association with the LGBT+ community, and the designers were keen to show that HIV went beyond gay people and could potentially affect everyone.

    The red ribbon logo became recognisable across the globe.

    In our interview with David France, director of How to Survive A Plague told us,  “In one of the worst moments we ever faced we rose above it. We took care of each other. It was extraordinary and beautiful”.

    The ribbon is worn to signify awareness and support for people living with HIV.

    According to WorldAIDsDay.org, “When the artists sat down to work on this project, their aim was to get people talking about HIV. This was at a time where HIV was highly stigmatised and people living with HIV were suffering behind closed doors, some too scared to even tell their loved ones they were living with the virus. The artists wanted to create a visual expression of compassion for people living with, and affected by, HIV.”

    At handmade ribbons where distributed in New York

    Back in 1991 a group of artists created the red ribbon. The first batch were handmade and given out on the streets of New York.

    In the very beginning, the artists made the ribbons themselves and distributed them around New York. “Within weeks of the red ribbon idea being born, world-famous actors starting wearing the red ribbon to high-profile award ceremonies such as the Oscars and talking about why it was important. The media also cottoned on, and within a short space of time the red ribbon symbol became universally recognised.” Explains the website.

  • We certainly didn’t expect THAT body from Apprentice star James White

    Who knew he was hiding that bod under his suit.

    James White, is our new obsession, thanks to some rather gratuitous toplessness in last night’s episode of The Apprentice. The 26-year-old recruitment boss, literally stunned THEGAYUK office into silence, when it was revealed that he was hiding a rock-solid bod under his suit.

    Just take a look!

    Some fans of the show were calling for it to be broadcast in 3D – a notion that we wholeheartedly endorse.

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