Way back in 2012, Kim Kardashian’s BFF Jonathan Cheban had his sexuality questioned on TV.
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ANGIE BOWIE: Winston McKenzie Can Suck My Big One
A homophobic storm has hit the Big Brother house after Winston McKenzie tries to explain his beliefs about gay couples adopting children.
An explosive feud between Angie Bowie and controversial politician and London Mayor wannabe Winston McKenzie is brewing after McKenzie tried to explain his belief that adoption of children by gay couples is akin to child abuse.
McKenzie was nominated by the LGBT charity Stonewall as Bigot Of The Year in 2013 for the comment.
In tonight’s episode during a task where the celebs have to see how well they know each other, Winston is correctly identified as having described adoption by gay couples as child abuse, debate sparks.
McKenzie tried to explain,
“How can I? I’m a Christian. How can I go against my beliefs? No I’m not homophobic, no I don’t hate gays, people live their lives as according to how they want to live.”
Later that evening David Gest is talking to Angie Bowie about what had gone down earlier with Winston.
Angie tells David“I didn’t do 45 years fighting for gay rights for f*cking nothing. I’m not tolerating that c*ap. If he comes within 10 feet of me it’s over. My f*cking eyes nearly popped out of my head. I knew it was him, it’s not like anyone else would have said such a stupid thing. And if he didn’t say it, he didn’t prove to me that he didn’t.
David says,
“I love you and I love everything you stand for.”
Angie then continues,
“Well thank you but at the moment I only stand for being an absolute pratt for having trusted him, for having said nice things about him. What was he all the time? A little mincing, f*cking, stereotypical straight a*sshole hiding behind that it’s a Christian belief. Suck my big one. And when you’re done with that do it again, on your f*cking knees. Piece of cr*p.
CBB continues tonight on Channel 5 at 9PM
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THEATRE REVIEW: St Petersberg Classic Ballet – Sheffield Theatres & National Tour
Formed in 1996, the St Petersberg Classic Ballet is currently in the midst of their first ever UK tour, bringing an abundance of classically presented ballet and a trio of traditional tales; The Nutcracker, Giselle and Swan Lake. ★★★
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COMMENT: Could Therapy Save Your Life?
As a psychotherapist, the current news around suicide, immigration, and HIV transmission, troubles me greatly.
It is only a matter of months since we heard that Vikki Thompson, despite being known to be at serious risk in custody, was sent to a male prison anyway, resulting in her making the upsetting decision to end her life. The reverberations around the country have been vast – people are now engaging in dialogue about suicide, considering the fate of transgender men and women in the prison estate, alongside considering the wider concerns around the risk of suicide to the LGBTF community. For those of us who are part of this community, the concerns are real, and significant.
But what are, roughly, the facts?
In terms of stats, you are all probably aware that the majority of suicides are male (of the 6,233 reported suicides in the UK during 2013, 4,858 of those were men, and 1,375 were women (Samaritans’ Report, 2015). Males – and usually white males – between the ages of 49 and 65 were particularly at risk, especially professionals such as doctors, social workers, and solicitors. In addition, suicide amongst the LGBT youth is notable, with LGBT teens and young adults having one of the highest rates of suicide attempts in comparison with the rest of the population. The situation is truly disturbing for us, our families, and our friends. For those left behind when someone ends their life, recovery can be arduous at best. Even more sadly, the lack of a therapist who shares the same sexual identity can significantly impact the quality of the therapeutic relationship from developing at all. But what can we do about it?
The statutory services are often less than helpful. Without casting ‘shade’ on my Health colleagues, who work hard under very difficult circumstances, waiting lists remain high, the quick fix agenda is still rampant, and getting a therapy which will actually do what it sets out to do is rarely available, despite promises otherwise. Rather unconventionally, in a country where we expect to be treated for everything for free, my humble suggestion would be for anyone with a need for some emotional support, is to consider paying for the therapy yourself. Here are some things to think about in order to help your decision:
There are often no waiting lists in private practice.
Choice actually means something. If your therapeutic alliance is not working, find someone else.
An hour’s therapy costs the equivalent of a meal out, or a pair of jeans. Your happiness is priceless.
Therapy can take as long as you need it to, not just six sessions.Many therapies are available online, i.e. Skype, meaning you don’t even need to go out of your home.
Confidentiality is more meaningful, as there will be no trace on your health record. At all.The thing is, research supports the idea that therapy can be really helpful. For myself (yes, therapists are required to complete their own therapy) the therapy was life-changing. Therapy can help alleviate difficult feelings to the point where, for example, with depression, the impact can rival anti-depressants, and the effects can be felt for much longer afterwards. Some people report that therapy has been profound, with many people wishing they’d made the decision much earlier. Isn’t it about time you considered trying therapy for yourself?
About Andrew Smith:
Andrew is the clinical director of TherAppUK Ltd, an organisation based in Greater Manchester that provides a range of therapeutic solutions to individuals, families, and groups. He is also a doctoral researcher at the University of Huddersfield, and lives in the Calder Valley with his partner, Nigel, their son, a neurotic Chihuahua called Chicky, and two cats. If you have any urgent concerns about your own or someone else’s emotional health, please call 999 or NHS Direct. If this is a matter that can wait until one of our therapists can call you back, please email Andrew on andrew.smith@therapp.org
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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.
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CAR REVIEW | Volvo V60
★★★★ | Volvo V60
Estates have taken a bit of a battering in the last few years.
It seems that these days the default choice for those needing more room for cargo, dogs or dead bodies is a chunky crossover rather than a long-roofed car. All is not lost though, Volvo (who else?) is now offering a dash of off-road appeal to its V60 estate with this Cross Country model.
So what does it take to make the Cross Country variant? First, the suspension is jacked up by 65mm, not a vast amount but enough to give a noticeably loftier viewpoint on the world. Next, Volvo add silver skidplate effect bumpers front and rear with matching side skirts. Finally, you get chunky mud and snow tyres beneath plastic wheel arch extensions. All-wheel drive is an option but only on the most powerful engine.
While those changes may not sound like much, they do toughen up the V60 by a significant amount giving it a little more presence on the road. That the normal V60 is a pretty handsome thing doesn’t hurt at all. Inside feels very well put together and is attractive in a sober, Swedish kind of way. It may not immediately appeal but it proved to be a wonderfully calming, well-made environment in which to clock up the miles. This was helped by excellent seats with plenty of adjustment, clear instrumentation (especially with the optional TFT dials) and easy to follow sat-nav.
Our test car came with keyless entry and start. As long as the key was on you, you could unlock the car with a tug of the door handle and fire up the engine with the push of a button. You could even lock it again without the key fob in your hand. Nice. Once I was inside and ready to set off, I did notice the gearstick seemed a little bit too far back in the cabin with the cupholders unhelpfully beneath your arm as you changed gear.
On the road, the gearchange action itself was long but not unpleasant. Not that you had to stir the stick much, even with the lowest power engine the V60 CC proved surprisingly rapid. The 150hp unit may have been a little loud (although easily masked by a quality sound system) but had plenty of grunt; it always seemed faster than the 9.1 second sprint to 62mph suggested. Unfortunately thanks to those chunky tyres, there was a bit of torque steer and a fair amount of wheelspin even in second gear.
Pushing the V60 CC around bends highlighted the issues with putting a car on stilts. Turning the car into a bend over a crest could unsettle the rear while it did float a little over bumps too. The steering was well weighted but lacking any real feedback. To be fair though, it’s unlikely you’d buy one of these for its handling prowess. In a relaxed cruise it proved effortlessly comfortable, refined and pretty economical too. Over my usual mixed route, I was averaging around 44mpg. It’s just a shame that rough road surfaces did make things get a little jiggly. Yes, you can call it that.
I was also a little disappointed with the load space, or rather the lack of it. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty more than something like a Ford Focus hatchback but not anywhere near as much as you’d think for a car of this size. Unfortunately in giving the V60 its svelte shape at the rear, boot space has been sacrificed. At least the cargo bay is a decent shape with no lip. On the subject of negative points, while the V60 CC range starts at £30,000, you’re looking at around £35,000 for an AWD model.
In summary, there’s a lot to like about the V60 Cross Country. The driving experience and high-quality interior combine to offer a relaxing experience while real world economy is more than acceptable. While you could argue that not offering AWD with all engines is a bit of an oversight, most people will buy these for the looks rather than for any off-road ability. Rivals may be cheaper but I doubt they’d feel quite this plush. Is it worth the premium? I think for many the answer will be yes.
Loves
Relaxing to drive
Performance
Looks
Loathes
Boot smaller than expected
Lack of traction
The Lowdown
Car – Volvo V60 Cross Country D3 SE Nav
Price – £30,995 (£35,545)
Power – 150hp
0-62mph – 9.1 seconds
Top Speed – 127mph
Co2 – 111g/km
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11 Things You Won’t Miss By Quitting Booze
I drive a Prius, I’m a vegetarian and I voted Liberal. I am your worst smug nightmare. I thought that life as I knew it would end, the parties, the laughter the falling over in the ditch… but it hasn’t and in fact, I can still outstay my welcome, be the last to leave a party and fall over at any time as required. It wasn’t the booze after all. Here are the 11 things you won’t miss if you go sober.
1) White wine guilt.
You know the feeling when you wake up after a heavy night and you think back to the conversations you had the night before and then it hits you, you started calling everyone a c**t for no particular reason, except for, at the time, you were passionate about particular cause and it seemed like the only word that fully explained the cause – and then you realise that “everybody” included your boss, mother, local vicar and the street cleaner.
2) Lengthy debates about shit that doesn’t matter
I like to debate and I’ll happily argue a point, even if I don’t agree with the point that I’m debating. If the person opposite is a good sparring partner I’ll even argue that Trump is the planet’s saviour. Being sober, of course, I’ve realised that I don’t need to take the debate to its natural conclusion of a 5AM-we’ve-drunk-everything-let’s-start-on-the-Archers-cause-there’s-nothing-left, drunken dribbling train wreck. I can just leave it now.
3) Saying too much.
I was a bit of an over-sharer – I still am to a certain extent. And it surprises me how much people, especially in business will give away when they’re drinking. Secrets and inside info are traded away for another glass of Blossom Hill. Next time you’re out on a do with a client, just ask a few probing questions, they’ll open up about all sorts of stuff that ultimately, sober, they’d never tell and you know what, it all leads to point 1.
4) Having spent the best part of a week’s wages on one tragic Saturday night.
Dear god when I look back at how much money I spent buying rounds over the years, I could have bought a house, a yacht and a reasonably sized pony. Now a Diet Coke (£2) and I’m anyone’s (not really). What did spending all that money get me? Nowhere. And in the morning when I wake and I look into my wallet, I don’t feel point 1.
5) Grey saggy skin.
Honestly, I’ve not aged. People always assume I’m still in my twenties and I’m happy about that. I don’t get Champagne face anymore. That look as though you’ve stood with your face too close to a Corby Trouser Press for too long.
6) Repeating myself, repeating myself.
Have you ever notice how dumb people who drink sound. First off we’d get irate about something and then we’d bulldoze our beef into any conversation and repeat, repeat and repeat until we pass out. We never listen to advice and we just keep on repeating…
7) Night buses
I take my smug car everywhere – I never have to endure a chip stinky N91 night bus ever again. Sure I’m missing all the dramz, the light petting and Camden, but I can get all of that on LBC on the wireless.
8) Spending a fortune on cabs
I no longer have to spend a mortgage on a cab getting back to wilds of north London. Are you hating me a little now, I would I’m sounding really self-righteous.
9) Piling on the pounds
Before, when I was drinking, I just couldn’t seem to lose weight. Pounds just seem to be constantly piling on, no matter how much I ran, went to the gym or ate less cheese. I’ve lost over a stone and excitingly the weight hasn’t crept on again. When you consider a bottle of wine has 600+calories in it and you drink maybe 3-4 in a week – you’re looking at 1800-2400 extra calories a week – a full day’s worth of calories extra. Over a year that’s 93600 -124,800 extra calories that you’re probably not burning off.
10) Apathy
Come wine o’clock – which could be from 5:30 PM in our office, I just wouldn’t get anything else done. My mind would literally shut off after the first sip and then after a glass, I’d become something of a less evil Jabba the hut crossed with an average British voter (completely apathetic). Goodbye, no energy and goodbye to the excuse monster.
11) Depression
For me, the greatest thing about not drinking anymore is less anxiety and general depression. I couldn’t work it out. Every few days, I would get an uncontrollable bout of depression. Really deep and out of nowhere. It wasn’t until I released that it was always 2 days after a bender of a night that I realised my anxiety and depression was being brought on and exacerbated by alcohol. In the year that I’ve stopped, I have two, manageable down days – as opposed to two a week.
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John Partridge Doing Big Brother To Pay For Sick Mother’s Care
John Partridge has opened up about his reasons for taking part in this year’s Celebrity Big Brother.
John Partridge, the openly gay EastEnders’ actor, has opened up about the reasons why he’s taking part in Big Brother – and it’s for his mother. His mother suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.
She was diagnosed in 2010 and John was along with his husband Jon Tsouras, up until March, his mother’s primary carer. Since March however, his mother was moved to a care home as John felt he could no longer meet her health needs.
Speaking about the care the ex-EastEnders’ actor said,
“My mum has Alzheimer’s, I pay for her care and it is expensive. The honest answer is I’m here to pay her bill.
“Unfortunately she only lived in a two-up, two-down, in a Northern town, so the money doesn’t go very far.
“That’s why I’m here. I’m not ashamed of it. I don’t care what people think – people say all sorts of things when you want to do a program like this: ‘you’re washed up’, ‘they’re scraping the bottom of the barrel.’ I unashamedly say, ‘You can say what you want, but no one takes cares of my bills other than me and that is what I am here to do.”
CBB continues tonight from 9PM on Channel 5
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Chad Michael Murray Gets Naked For New Film
Hollywood hunk Chad Michael Murray shows off his assets.
Chad Michael Murray bears all in his new movie Other People’s Children. Although there’s no UK release date yet it hasn’t stopped screengrabs from the film making their way onto the internet.
NSFW Looking more rugged that usual, Chad plays a “rugged, sexy street dweller”. If you want to see more click here.
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Winston McKenzie “Homophobia” Sparks 350 Complaints To Ofcom
Winston McKenzie’s anti-gay slur has racked up over 350 complaints.
Over 350 complaints have been formally lodged to Ofcom after Channel 5 broadcast an anti-gay jibe by London Mayoral hopeful and ex-UKIP politician Winston McKenzie.Winston McKenzie entered the Big Brother house on Tuesday night to a wave of boos after revealing that he would have to keep his back to the wall if there were any gay people in the house.During his VT before his entry McKenzie said,“I could cope with a homosexual in the house – as long as he keeps his back to the wall.”
The controversial ex-boxer has in the past likened same-sex adoption of children akin to child abuse – a comment for which he was nominated by Stonewall for Bigot Of The Year in 2013.
Ofcom revealed that 352 complaints had been made and a spokesperson for the regulator said,
“We will assess these complaints before deciding whether to investigate or not.”
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12 Things You Did Not Know About John Partridge
John Partridge, currently starring in Celebrity Big Brother made his name as an actor playing the openly gay character Christian in EastEnders. Here are 12 things you probably didn’t know about him…
1) John Partridge is openly gay and he is in a civil partnership with his husband Jon Tsouras. They partnered in September 2011.
2) He was with Jon for 8 years before they married in front of family and friends in the Trafalgar Tavern pub in Greenwich, South East London.
3) He was, up until March, his mother’s primary career as she suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. She was diagnosed in 2010. However, she’s now in a care home, because he felt he couldn’t “meet her needs”. John has cited his mother’s illness as one of the main reasons why he wouldn’t be returning to EastEnders.
4) In 2010 He won Stonewall’s Entertainer of the Year Award.
5) He has appeared in no less than 7 original cast recording of musicals from Starlight Express to Cats.
6) In Eastenders, he played Christian Clarke who became the first gay couple to celebrate a civil partnership. At the time it caused quite a bit of controversy. See our top ten gayest moments of EastEnders.
7) He joined Twitter in 2012 and has over 84,000 followers.
8) John and his partner have a pet dog called Winnie and she’s the cutest thing…
9) He’s doing Celebrity Big Brother to pay for the care for his mother. In an interview before he went into the house he said, “My mum has Alzheimer’s, I pay for her care and it is expensive. The honest answer is I’m here to pay her bill.”
10) Apparently, he’s a good cook, with risotto being his signature dish.
11) His husband keeps his feet on the ground warning him to “count to ten”, before opening his mouth. He said, “think about it again and then if it really compels you, then you’re allowed to speak.”
12) He’s a morning person… Up and At Them…
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Another Gay Porn Star, 21, Dies Unexpectedly
A third young gay porn star has died in just over a month. Jasper Robinson has died at the age of 21.
The porn industry is in shock as young gay porn star Jasper Robinson has died at the age of 21. He is the third porn star to have died with in a month, following the deaths of Zac Stevens and Dimitri Kane.
His death, which was over a month ago has only just been made public. Robinson had modelled for Helix, Cockyboys, Nextdoor Studios and Boycrush.Although no cause of death has been released, the website Str8UpGayPorn (NSFW) discovered that Robinson had a heart condition which may have caused his death.
Speaking about his best friend, Philip Ashton said on Twitter,
“I lost my best friend Jasper Robinson. I’m still in shock and can’t believe he’s gone.
“I love you Jasper and my(sic) you be at peace.”
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