Speaking on a Hall H panel at San Diego Comic Con on 25 July, Euphoria actress Schafer shared her experience of shooting the miniseries, which is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on 25 November.

“I got to try action on some of my other sets, but it was nothing compared to this,” she began, as reported by Vulture.

“But it’s my favourite, I love action. Also to be able to do it with one of the literal best was nothing short of an honour,” she continued, gesturing to Yeoh, who was sitting beside her. “It was also just really useful too, to learn a lot from you.”

Yeoh is well known for her work in martial arts films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Yes, Madam!, Wing Chun and, more recently, Everything Everywhere All At Once.

The actress won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the latter in 2023, making her the first Asian woman to do so in the category.

“I’ve never seen a more fearless action hero,” Yeoh was quick to add about Schafer. “I mean, she really literally dove in. She would do the tumbles, the falls, like, ‘Hunter, where are your pads?’”

“She got me a baby helmet,” Schafer added to laughs from the audience.

“What? You got a concussion! I had to protect my baby, okay?” Yeoh responded. “I was like, ‘Here, wear this,’ so I bought her a baby helmet.”

Blade Runner 2099 takes place in Los Angeles, 50 years after the events of Blade Runner 2049 following a Replicant uprising.

Olwen (Yeoh), a Replicant Blade Runner, is in her final days of life and teams up with her partner Cora (Schafer), a human masquerading as a Replicant, to attempt to hunt down a gang of rogue Replicants.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Michelle Yeoh praises Blade Runner 2099 co-star Hunter Schafer as an ‘action hero’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Carlos Gu has shown off a dramatic drag-style transformation for Asian Pride UK, complete with a towering beehive wig and full-on glam.

The images were shared on Instagram by make-up artist Jessie O’Leary, who captioned the post: “Guess Who @gkx_carlos for @asianprideuk. Makeup @jessieefromtheblock.”

Gu, 33, was styled in a black beehive wig and a plunging black dress. The look was finished with a smoky eye, sharply defined black winged eyeliner and full lashes.

Fans quickly filled the comments with praise. One wrote: “Wow his make-up is stunning x.” Another added: “That is insane, he looks so good,” while others told him: “You look incredible,” and “Looking fa-bu-loussss.”

Gu’s Strictly co-stars also got involved, with Lauren Oakley writing: “Actually stunning.” Amy Dowden added: “Incredible. Proud of you always my Gu.”

Strictly success and camp glamour

Gu is a Chinese dancer and choreographer who became a professional on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in the mid-2020s.

He is known for high-energy choreography and a playful on-screen persona, and the show has long been embraced for its camp spectacle and costume drama.

The makeover follows a huge year for Gu on the show. He lifted the Glitterball trophy alongside Karen Carney after winning the public vote last year. Gu said at the time: “I can’t believe it, thank you so much.”

He is set to return as a pro again this year. The celebrity line-up is slowly being confirmed, with names including Jaime Winstone and Will Best announced so far.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Strictly favourite Carlos Gu wows with dramatic drag makeover for Asian Pride UK appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Rosie O’Donnell has said her decades-long feud with Donald Trump has felt like “post-traumatic stress disorder”, adding that stepping away from constant coverage of him has helped her “reclaim” who she was before it began.

In a People interview, the comedian and actor described the toll of being repeatedly singled out by the US president. “It’s like a post-traumatic stress disorder for me, considering it’s been 20 years of him using me as a punchline,” she said.

O’Donnell also reflected on the surreal nature of the dynamic. “If you had written this as a movie, a stand-up comic makes fun of a reality show host who is a bloviating idiot, and he ends up being the president, and then he doesn’t shut up about her for 20 years, it would be unbelievable. And the fact that it’s my life is very trippy.”

She said distance from the relentless news cycle has changed her day-to-day life. “I am softer I think as a result of being there, of the welcome that we got, and as a result of me not being constantly bombarded by news about the current president,” she said, adding that it “has allowed me to reclaim myself, who I was before all that went down, even though it’s very strange to have supposedly the most powerful man in the word be your arch nemesis”.

O’Donnell and Trump’s feud

The public clash dates back to 2006. O’Donnell criticised Trump’s “moral compass”, after which he called her a “woman out of control”.

Since, he has spoken regularly about her and even claimed he was “giving serious thought” to revoking her US citizenship – even though the 14th amendment of the US constitution would not allow him to.

O’Donnell came out publicly in 2002 and has long been a prominent LGBTQ+ figure in US entertainment, and has been outspoken on progressive politics and LGBTQ+ rights, including marriage equality and anti-bullying advocacy.

She has described returning to the US from Ireland as “scary” after having moved to Ireland in January 2025 at the start of Trump’s second term.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Rosie O’Donnell says Donald Trump feud is like ‘post-traumatic stress disorder’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The Correspondents’ Dinner took place in Washington DC on 24 July, and was intended to recognise achievements in journalism and award scholarships.

The first LGBTQ+ journalist to be hit by Trump’s speech was gay reporter Anderson Cooper. “I like Anderson actually because he’s covered me well for many years, and he went bad as soon as I went for politics,” he said.

Cooper served as a correspondent on CBS News program 60 Minutes for almost two decades before he stepped down in February. However, he continued as the anchor for his CNN show Anderson Cooper 360°, which he has hosted since 2003.

“But for years he loved the interview. I did so many interviews with him, and he was great, but he’s got a little different persuasion than me in many ways actually,” Trump continued, seemingly referencing the fact that Cooper is gay.

The second LGBTQ+ figure slighted by Trump was CNN anchor and independent journalist Don Lemon. Lemon made headlines himself earlier this year after he live-streamed a report where protesters interrupted a Sunday church service in Minnesota over the presence of ICE agents in the state, and more recently said he was thinking about running for president, adding that he’d do a better job than Trump.

Right-wing musician Nicki Minaj called Lemon a homophobic slur following his coverage, and Lemon fired back, calling her a “homophobic bigot”.

“We had a contest for who had the lowest ratings and the lowest IQ on television, and that was actually Don Lemon, I think,” Trump said in his speech.

“When I said that he’s the dumbest man on television, I said, when you say some things, you never make a comeback. It’s not like, ‘Oh, gee, hey Don, let’s have dinner some night.’”

Trump then made comments about trans influencer and actress Dylan Mulvaney. He honed in on Mulvaney while addressing CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins, who he called a “young, attractive woman” who “never smiles”.

“I thought Kaitlan had really made it big with a major new sponsorship, but then I informed her that it wasn’t her on the Bud Light can, it was Dylan Mulvaney,” he said.

“Dylan Mulvaney cost Bud Light $35billion in market cap. I wouldn’t want to hire Dylan anytime soon. Think of it, they hired Dylan Mulvaney and their market cap has gone down by $35 billion”.

He called the ad “the worst commercial ever made”.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Trump targets Dylan Mulvaney and more LGBTQ+ figures in White House speech appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The march began near the BBC’s headquarters in central London. It ended in Trafalgar Square, where crowds gathered to hear speeches celebrating the trans community and urging political leaders to take action.

As reported by ITVNews, Lewis G Burton, a founding member of London Trans+ Pride, said at the event that the record turnout sent a clear message: “Every single person who marched today is proof that we are not going anywhere, that our joy is louder than their hate, and that London Trans+ Pride will keep fighting, keep loving and keep growing until every trans person is safe, seen, and free.”

Protesters also criticised the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s updated guidance on single-sex spaces, which followed the UK Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act refer to biological sex.

Among those addressing the crowd was Caroline Litman, whose daughter, Alice, died by suicide in 2022 after waiting more than 1,000 days for gender-affirming healthcare. Litman spoke to the Press Association, warning that “more children are going to die” unless Prime Minister Andy Burnham works to reverse what she described as anti-trans policies,

“Things have got so much worse, and it’s just so disappointing because my family chose to go public with (Alice’s) inquest in an effort to raise awareness of the terrible wait lists and to really bring about change, and it’s just got worse and worse and worse since that happened, and it’s just so disappointing,” Litman said.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post London Trans+ Pride 2026 makes history with record-breaking number of attendees appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The 25 July march took place in Oradea, a city in western Romania with a population of around 180,000 people.

Ark Oradea, the event’s organisers, reportedly submitted more than 100 potential routes for the march to take, but the city’s municipality rejected all of them and declined to grant permission for the fourth year in a row.

On Saturday, the gendarmes, Oradea’s military police, issued fines before the march even set off. According to Digi 24, many of the marchers began chanting: “I don’t care, I love it,” in response.

Nicu Ştefănuţă, the Vice President of the European Parliament, criticised the gendarmes for their response to the matter.

“It is shameful for the Romanian state of the European unfreedoms what is happening now in Oradea. People from all over Europe and at least eight European embassies are marching. This shame won’t wash away easily,” he wrote on 25 July.

“Romania has started to ban, fine, threaten people who protest peacefully. It seems that from the lesson of Hungary the Romanian state learned exactly the opposite: that he has to tighten the knot so that today’s bankrupt parties can keep power.”

He went on to say that “it’s not just the mayor of the town” of Oradea to blame. “The whole political class in Parliament and Government is to blame, which passively witnesses something that puts a black stain on the map of Europe.”

Ştefănuţă concluded: “These young people are not ‘some LGBT’, they are not ‘a minority’, they are exactly your children, the future of this state.”

Ahead of the march, Ark Oradeo president and co-founder Iulian Dițiu told the Guardian: “Every year the local authorities have managed to find legal or technical excuses to ban Oradea Pride events.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Romanian Pride goes ahead despite fourth consecutive ban appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Berlin police shot dead Abdul Ballout, the main suspect in a van-ramming attack during Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride celebrations that killed one person and injured 29, after police said he charged officers with a bladed weapon.

Police said Ballout was located in Spandau at around 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT/UTC) following a search lasting nearly 24 hours. “Around 6 p.m. (1600 GMT), the suspect involved in yesterday’s attack in Tiergarten was located at an allotment garden complex in Spandau,” Berlin police wrote on social media.

“According to initial findings, he ran towards officers while armed with a bladed weapon; police … subsequently opened fire. Despite immediate resuscitation efforts by the Berlin Fire Department, he died at the scene.”

Officials also said all indications pointed to an “Islamic terror attack”. A Berlin prosecutor’s office statement has been published as the investigation continues.

What happened at Berlin CSD

The attack happened on Saturday evening, shortly after 10 p.m., when a van drove into a crowd in the Tiergarten area during the closing event of CSD Pride celebrations near the Brandenburg Gate.

After the attack, hundreds of people gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to pay respects, holding a minute of silence and laying flowers, according to updates on the manhunt and political reaction.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the incident, saying: “This act is an attack on our open society, on our way of life and on our ability to live together,” adding he was “shaken and outraged.”

Federal prosecutors to take over

Justice minister Stefanie Hubig said Germany’s federal public prosecutor’s office will take over the investigation. “The Interior Minister has already announced that this is an Islamist attack. The Federal Public Prosecutor General will take over the investigation,” she said. “Naturally, we will pursue those responsible with the utmost severity and then bring them to trial.”

Ballout was a German citizen with Lebanese roots, police said. Judicial authorities said he had made multiple failed attempts to leave Germany and join the so-called Islamic State (IS) group, and that he returned to Germany in November 2025.

Vice chancellor Lars Klingbeil said: “Christopher Street Day stands for the right of every person to live freely,” adding: “We will defend that.”

The post Berlin Pride suspect Abdul Ballout shot dead after police say he charged officers with a bladed weapon appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

German authorities have issued a wanted notice for a 21-year-old suspect after a van rammed people near Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride celebrations, killing one woman and injuring at least 16 others. The notice warns the public to avoid “direct contact” with the suspect because he may be armed and dangerous.

Police and prosecutors identified the suspect as Abdul B. Police said he is believed to have injured several people with a moving vehicle late on Saturday evening, and that “one or more people are believed to have subsequently fled the vehicle,” in a police statement. The same statement added: “Furthermore, several people are reported to have been injured with stabbing weapons.”

Police spokesperson Florian Nath said: “The suspect is known to police. He is known to us as a member of Islamic circles here in Berlin, and our search for this person is proceeding at full speed,” adding that investigators had no information on “his specific motives.”

The Pride event next to the Brandenburg Gate was called off around 10:15 p.m., and a band’s performance on stage was interrupted.

What police say happened

Police said a white van drove into the Tiergarten park around 10 p.m., hit several people, then collided with a tree. Berlin’s fire service said three people sustained life-threatening injuries, eight were seriously injured and five had slight injuries. Other reports have claimed that one person died in the attack.

The closing party for CSD was taking place nearby after a parade earlier in the day featuring some 80 trucks. In the early hours of Sunday, police searched an apartment in Berlin’s Schöneberg district but found no one there.

Julian Miethig, who had attended the festival nearby, said: “It’s a dark day for the community.”

Berlin CSD and the ongoing manhunt

CSD is the name used for Pride events across German-speaking countries, referencing New York’s Christopher Street and the Stonewall uprising. Berlin CSD is among Europe’s largest Pride celebrations, combining a parade with political messaging, community groups and corporate participation.

Police have appealed for public help to locate the suspect as the manhunt continues, following the incident that led to the celebrations being halted.

The post Berlin Pride van attack – police name 21-year old suspect Abdul B with alleged ties to ‘Islamist scene’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride parade was called off on Saturday night after police said a vehicle entered the Tiergarten park near the march route and hit several people, leaving multiple injuries. So far, there has been one reported death, with several people sustaining life-threatening injuries.

A major incident was declared in the German capital after reports that a car crashed into a crowd close to the parade route through the city.

In a message shared by police, officers said: “We believe that a vehicle entered the Tiergarten park and hit several people and injured them,” adding that they were actively seeking those responsible.

Berlin Police also said in a statement: “We are currently deployed with numerous police forces as well as rescue units from the Berlin Fire Department in the Großer Tiergarten. It is presumed that a vehicle has driven into the Tiergarten here, has struck and injured several people. The injured are currently being treated by rescue personnel. We are conducting an intensive manhunt for suspects.”

Organisers urged people to leave the area safely, writing: “Please leave the premises calmly and in an orderly manner. Please avoid the Victory Column and the Tiergarten. Leave the premises in the direction of the main train station.”

What police and organisers have said

A Berlin police spokesman, Florian Nath, said “numerous” people were injured, including several with life-threatening injuries. He also said a white vehicle was driven into the Tiergarten and hit several people along the Ahornsteig, a road through the park.

Police did not give a confirmed number of injured people in their initial public updates, and said they were searching for one or more suspects.

One German outlet has reportedly said one person died and 14 others were receiving medical treatment, citing police for the figures.

What Christopher Street Day is

Christopher Street Day (CSD) is the name used for Pride events across Germany, commemorating the Stonewall uprising on New York’s Christopher Street. Berlin’s CSD typically draws large crowds and is a flagship LGBTQ+ visibility event in Germany, combining protest roots with celebration.

Pride events around the world in recent years have faced heightened security planning due to threats, counter-protests, and occasional violence, with safety messaging often central to organising, including after two people were shot near the Stonewall Inn following New York Pride.

The CSD board told crowds from the stage: “Unfortunately, we have to end the event prematurely due to a difficult situation.”

The post One dead, multiple injured as Berlin Pride parade cancelled after vehicle hits crowd appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The 23rd Commonwealth Games is being held in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 2 August. This year, the program features just 10 sports, cutting the usual program in half.

This means a smaller outing for Team LGBTQ+. However, there are still plenty of queer athletes competing in the 2026 Commonwealth Games…

Amy Atwell

Amy Atwell is a star on the Perth Lynx and the Australian national basketball team. The 28-year-old holds an impressive career record with a bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics and also a silver at this year’s FIBA 3×3 World Cup.

Atwell will be making her Commonwealth debut this year as part of the Australian 3×3 team. Furthermore, she is in a long-term relationship with fellow basketball player and teammate Alex ‘Ally’ Wilson.

Julie Charlton

Julie Charlton made her Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham in 2022. The 27-year-old Australian competes in the Shot Put Para-Sport. She finished 9th in the women’s shot put F57. This marked the first time that shot put for athletes with a disability had appeared on the program since 2010.

Alongside competing, Charlton is a disability, mental health and queer advocate. She is also a member of the Disability Council of NSW under the NSW Government.

Gabriela DeBues-Stafford

Canadian middle- and long-distance runner Gabriela DeBues-Stafford is a star on the track. The 30-year-old, two-time Olympian, competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She was set to compete at the 2022 Games, but had to end her season prematurely because of injury.

DeBues-Stafford is a bisexual athlete. In 2021, she dyed her hair rainbow colours to visibly showcase their relationship to the LGBTQ+ community. Also, she’s married to a man and used herself as an example of bisexual erasure and straight-passing assumptions.

Seamus Derbyshire

26-year-old British track and field athlete Seamus Derbyshire competes in the 400m hurdles. 2026 will be his Commonwealth debut, though he did win silver at the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2017. 

Derbyshire is gay and has been celebrated online for his pre-race introductions. Additionally, at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Derbyshire imitated Glinda from Wicked’s “toss toss” hair flick and blowing kisses to the audience. He hopes to inspire other gay athletes by being himself in the sport.

Robyn Love

Scottish wheelchair basketball player Robyn Love has represented Great Britain at the 2016 and 2024 Paralympic Games. After playing in the 2022 Games, Love will compete in wheelchair 3×3 basketball at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The 35-year-old is a lesbian and engaged to fellow wheelchair basketball player and teammate Laurie Williams. They have a child together. Love is also an ambassador for the British Elite Athletes Association (BEAA) and Athlete Ally.

Lowri Thomas

British and Welsh track cyclist Lowri Thomas was part of the team sprint that came in third at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Since then, the 27-year-old has been steadily rising up the ranks.

At the 2025 UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup and also the 2026 European Championships, Thomas won silver. Thomas has shared that she is part of the LGBTQ+ community via her Instagram. 

Marena Whittle

Marena Whittle has been selected for the Australian 3×3 basketball team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. As part of the national team, she won gold at the 2024 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup and was also selected in Australia’s first 3×3 Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Then, after the Olympics, Whittle got engaged to fellow professional basketball player Anneli Maley. Together, Maley and Whittle are formidable on the court and making a mark for LGBTQ+ representation more widely. 

Michaela Walsh

Michaela Walsh is a Northern Ireland boxing star who fights in the featherweight division. She has a host of medals to her name, including two silver and one gold Commonwealth Games medals. For the 2026 Games, she’s looking to secure another gold.

“This sport has transformed so much and if you’d told to me 10-15 years ago that there would be an equal number (of medals) I’d have said ‘there’s not a hope in hell’ it would happen, so it really shows how much women’s boxing has grown,” she said ahead of the Glasgow Games.

Though these athletes are taking part in this year’s Games, there are plenty of notable LGBTQ athletes who have competed in the past…

Michelle-Lee Ahye: Trinidadian track athlete who won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Ashleigh Brazill: Won gold at the 2022 Games as part of Australia’s netball team.

Tom Bosworth: British two-time Olympic race walker who holds three World bests and a silver Commonwealth medal.

Hannah Cozens: A Welsh hockey player at the 2022 Games.

Tom Daley: One of England’s most famous gay athletes, the diver holds five Commonwealth medals, four gold and one silver.

Stacey Francis-Bayman: A member of the England netball team that won bronze medals at the 2010 Games.

Kirsty Gilmour: The first-ever European champion in badminton from Scotland; Gilmour is a lesbian and one of very few LGBTQ+ professional badminton players.

Amy Jones: The English cricketer competed at the 2022 Games. Also, she is married to Australian cricketer Piepa Cleary.

Osian Jones: A retired Welsh Athletics hammer thrower, Jones set a record in 2017 and came out publicly in 2022.

Sarah-Jane Perry: The squash player has two silver and one bronze Commonwealth medal. She married her partner in 2024, with whom she has two children.

Natalie Powell: She became the first female British judoka to be ranked number one in the world and won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Katherine Sciver-Brunt: The former cricketer, married to teammate Nat Sciver-Brunt, played in England’s first fixture of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Nat Sciver-Brunt: The English cricketer, married to fellow England cricketer Katherine Brunt, was vice-captain at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Mark Tewksbury: Legendary Canadian swimmer who holds four gold Commonwealth medals. He came out in 1998, after retiring from the sport.

Ciara Torrance: The Scottish badminton player, who uses she/they pronouns, competed at the 2022 Games.

Delmi Tucker: South African cricketer who competed at the 2022 Games.

Lorraine Ugen: The English long jumper has a gold medal from the 2018 Games.

Leah Wilkinson: The Welsh defensive hockey player has played at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Sharni Williams: The Australian rugby player has a silver and gold Commonwealth medal; Williams is a lesbian who married her partner in 2023.

The post The LGBTQ+ athletes to cheer on at the 2026 Commonwealth Games appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Taylor, 24, seemingly revealed she is dating Colorado-based content creator and barber Kelsie Chesser, after being spotted in the comments of one of Chesser’s TikTok videos.

In the clip, posted on 21 July, Chesser lip-synced to a viral Beyoncé audio over the text: “When I slid into my girlfriend’s DMs just hoping she was into girls.” She captioned it: “Thankful she was #wlw #girlfriend.”

Taylor left a one-word comment underneath, “Folded”, which fans quickly took as confirmation the video was about her.

Followers also noted that Chesser has the same flower and snake hand tattoos as the mystery woman who appeared in Taylor’s relationship “soft launch” earlier this month.

Chesser owns a barbershop in Golden, Colorado, and has more than 40,000 followers on TikTok, where she shares lifestyle content.

The apparent confirmation comes weeks after Taylor came out as bisexual on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, revealing she had known about her attraction to women since she was “little” but had long struggled to share it publicly.

“I just feel like I’m finally in the era that I’m over not being truly myself,” she said. “I’m very proud now to be out.”

Taylor joined the hit reality series in its first season as a newly divorced single mother of two. She was previously married to Clayton Wessel, with whom she shares sons Oliver and Maxwell, and has since dated co-star Cameron Jolly and Mason McWhorter on the show.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Layla Taylor seems to confirm girlfriend appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Warning: spoilers ahead of the ending of Tip Toe.

The five-part Channel 4 miniseries chronicled the growing tension and hostility between warring Manchester neighbours Leo (Alan Cumming) and Clive (David Morrissey).

The Queer as Folk and It’s a Sin creator concluded the LGBTQ+ show with a devastating finale. 

Clive and a group of hooligans brutally murder Leo and leave his body hanging from a lamppost after he’s wrongly accused of being a paedophile.

The deeply shocking moment and imagery stunned viewers with its powerful message about the rise of hatred and bigotry in the UK.

Speaking about shooting this deeply harrowing sequence, Davies told the Independent that the ending took three days to film.

‘We had Alan Cumming, a stuntman, and a dummy’

“We had to be very careful with it,” Davies shared of the scene. “There was a school nearby that broke up at 3.30pm, so we had to stop at that point every single day.

“We were next to quite a major A road, so we had to erect huge screens to block off the set, otherwise cars driving along would have seen a man hanging, and we could have caused an accident.

“It was all very complicated and meticulously planned – we had to build that lamppost. We had Alan Cumming, a stuntman, and a dummy.

“When the crew first hoisted the dummy up into the air, absolute silence fell over the entire street. Everyone stopped what they were doing and just stood there, as the enormity of it hit us.”

Davies added that while the scene is disturbing on the screen, the cast of hooligans were “the loveliest boys”.

Davies also noted that the hanging scene was shot before the shoot’s one-week break. “Everyone could let go of it and shake it off,” he explained. “It gave people time to recover from something that was genuinely traumatic.

“For Alan, filming it, he had to be at the centre of a lot of hostility. Even though it’s acting, you still have to be held back and have a rope put around your neck, and so he was absolutely delighted it was over.”

Davies also revealed that Channel 4’s Compliance department were worried about broadcasting the scene. 

“There were a lot of warnings said on screen before it was transmitted. And there were lots of conversations about how to get the scene right,” he explained.

“Channel 4 is there to be edgy and bold and radical, to cause debate and to be controversial. But we didn’t linger on his face after he was hanged. I just think that would be torturous, and kind of obscene.”

Tip Toe is available to watch now on Channel 4 in the UK.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Russell T Davies on Tip Toe’s horrifyingly violent ending: ‘Delighted it was over’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Speaking in Thursday’s (23 July) episode of Finding Fire Island, the Pink Flamingos and Hairspray director reflected on turning 80 in April, his place within the LGBTQ+ community, and the queer history that younger generations may never fully experience.

“The younger people understand me and my films,” Waters said, as per HuffPost, “because they know my films and everything, it’s a very different world for me in the gay community.”

Waters also joked that, even in his younger years, he never fit the mould of the stereotypical hyper-muscular gay man.

“Even at the height of when I looked the best, I never was a ‘Muscle Mary,'” he said. “It’s a culture that I know about… but to me, the hippie gay thing, ‘The Cockettes’ and all that, was more radical and to my liking than, say, clones.”

The filmmaker then turned to a more sobering subject: the HIV/AIDS epidemic that devastated the LGBTQ+ community in the 1980s and 1990s. “That’s the main thing: If you’re older, you remember that, and you can never convey what that was like to young people,” Waters said.

Finding Fire Island host Jess Rothschild, a New York journalist, said she was especially drawn to Waters because of how he has always embraced being different, even within queer spaces. “John Waters represents the idea that what society calls ‘too much’ can become a source of creativity, humour and power,” she said.

“I love how he speaks to being an outsider even within the gay community and relishing it,” she continued. “The traits that make you feel out of place can become the foundation of your identity, your art and your community rather than something to hide.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post John Waters embraces being an ‘old-school gay’: ‘Never was a Muscle Mary’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

During a 16 June Clay County School Board workshop, published to YouTube, district leaders openly discussed “nuclear options” for dealing with the constant flood of book challenges, including closing high school libraries altogether or stripping them down to nonfiction only while they carefully review books for content deemed unsuitable for students.

“There doesn’t seem to be an effective moderate option,” the district’s chief academic officer, Rodger Dailey, told board members. “The options on the table are kind of nuclear options like, ‘Close the library. Take all the fiction books out, just leave the nonfiction.’ Things that would – to people who aren’t abreast of this, right? Would be shocking to them.”

The discussion comes after Florida’s HB 1069 made it possible for any county resident to challenge books in school libraries. In Clay County, a single individual filed more than 400 challenges, resulting in 287 books being removed in one school year, including classics like The Handmaid’s Tale, Slaughterhouse-Five, and The Color Purple, as reported by local news outlet News4Jax.

Notably, district officials weren’t arguing that books shouldn’t be removed; rather, they were debating how to remove them faster and with less administrative burden.

Dailey suggested flipping the current process entirely by removing books first and only returning them after they’ve been individually vetted. “You would take the books out and then put them back on once you have vetted them, as opposed to trying to comb through and find a needle in a stack of needles,” he said.

He also floated banning entire authors based on previous removals, saying: “This author has had three, four, five books removed… maybe we say that author – we’ve had too many problems to look for the one good book that author has.”

School board member Beth Clark went even further, asking: “I don’t understand why we can’t sue for providing pornography to our children. It’s that simple,” while discussing the possibility of using AI to screen books.

If libraries were eliminated, Dailey suggested replacing those spaces with research centres, computer labs, or school stores due to the low checkout rate at the senior high school, claiming that older kids are primarily consuming their information digitally instead of through print.

More than 60 studies spanning five decades were reviewed by the Center for American Progress in 2024. It found that well-resourced school libraries with certified librarians are associated with stronger academic outcomes, with the greatest benefits seen among low-income students, students of colour, and students with disabilities.

While part of HB 1069 was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge in 2025, the decision is currently being appealed, and the law remains in effect while the case moves through the courts.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Florida book ban forces libraries to weigh up ‘nuclear option’ of removing fiction appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Avatar: Seven Havens is a sequel show to The Legend of Korra, which in itself was a sequel of the much-loved animation Avatar: The Last Airbender.

The new series takes place after the death of Avatar Korra, with young Earthbender Pavi discovering she is the next Avatar. She finds her long lost twin Nisha, and goes on a mission to save the Seven Havens after an apocalyptic event. However, while the Avatar has previously been celebrated as the saviour of humanity, they are thought of as a destroyer in Avatar: Seven Havens.

The trailer was released on 23 July, ahead of the premiere on Paramount+ on 9 October, 2026.

In it, a character can be heard saying “the Avatar let us down”, as an image of Korra in the Avatar State appears.

Fans rushed to defend the beloved character, who is confirmed as bisexual thanks to her romance with Asami.

One said: “They said the same s*** about Aang for 100 years I’m not moved Korra will be redeemed.” Another wrote: “We gawn die in the fight defending Korra aren’t we.” A third said: “Time to defend Korra as soon as October hits.” Someone else said: “Enough with the anti Korra propaganda.” And another added: “Korra babe they will never make me hate you.”

New Avatar releases

Aside from the Korra discourse, Avatar: Seven Havens has also prompted discussion about the change in animation style.

While Legend of Korra had used a mixture of hand-drawn and digital animation, Seven Havens looks different, with creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko previously explaining it was influenced by artist Jean Giraud and Japanese anime of the 1990s.

Opinions are divided, with some saying the show “already looks better than Korra ever did”, while some have been left unhappy with the change in art style.

And if Avatar: Seven Havens wasn’t enough, a new movie following the original Team Avatar is set to release on 25 July, called Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender.

The trailer was released earlier this year, and fans were left ecstatic as it seemed to confirm that loveable rogue Prince Zuko was, like Korra, bisexual.

Avatar: Seven Havens premiered on Paramount+ on 9 October.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Avatar fans rush to defend bisexual icon Korra as trailer released for Seven Havens appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The exchange unfolded on Threads, where Woah Vicky, real name Victoria Waldrip, posted: “You not gay it’s a demon that’s inside of you.”

Wilson, who goes by the handle “vivllainous”, replied: “Vicky the demons are calling me.”

The comeback is the latest in a long line of witty responses Wilson has fired back at people making homophobic or transphobic comments about her.

When Elon Musk previously posted that his “son” had been “killed by the woke mind virus“, Wilson responded by lip-syncing the RuPaul’s Drag Race line: “I look pretty good for a dead b****.”

She later turned one of his anti-trans phrases into a merchandise line raising money for LGBTQ+ youth charity The Trevor Project.

Wilson came out as transgender at 16 and legally changed her name and gender in 2022, taking the surname of her mother, Justine Wilson. She has said she “no longer wishes to be related to” Musk “in any way, shape or form”, after years of him publicly deadnaming and misgendering her.

She has previously spoken about the importance of pushing back against the framing of queer people as something sinister.

“As queer people, we’re always screaming into this void that we’re not these demons you think we are,” she told Out earlier this year. “It’s exhausting, but it’s incredibly important to lift up the queer community. We can’t stop screaming.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Vivian Wilson claps back at influencer’s ‘demon’ jibe: ‘They’re calling me’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The latest claim is that the Queer Eye star was threatened with firing by a “white executive” in season one, as reported by the Daily Mail. 

The 45-year-old recalled an unnamed executive’s swear-riddled rant during his appearance at ViewerCon, an event celebrating TV, film and pop culture.

“On my show, season one, episode two, I had made the person cry. And it’s now become something part of… People know I’m going deep… get to the core of it. 

“And there was a white executive that came into the trailer in front of like 25 people and said, “If you make one more mother-f****** person cry, you are f****** fired! You are worthless… you ain’t got… don’t you f****** do it! You are f****** nothing!

“I can talk about this… because everyone has confirmed it. They said, ‘Yeah, we were there.’ And he said, ‘If you do this one more time, I promise you, you are f****** never going to work in this town again.’

“And so I said, ‘Well, listen, I got to just do what I do.’ If you think you have that much power to [not have] me work in town, then I’m not in the right business because you don’t ordain my step. So… I gotta do what I do.

“And I went back to set and I did it again. And the person cried and the person cried and they were p*****.”

‘We won Emmys off of this idea that we can get to the heart’

Brown continued to allege that executives were telling him to stop taking the show to an emotional place. However, that became the branding for the second season.

Brown said: “After being told not to make people cry, after them trying to cut it out, season two came out and the billboards all read, ‘We’re not crying, you are.’ And then from season two on, every network conversation was, ‘How do we get this to be more emotional? How do we get to the heart?’

“We won Emmys off of this idea that we can get to the heart. Which is what they fought against every day publicly, not just privately, me not doing.

“That breaks you down because… even though you’re trying to be strong, you have people trying to tell you to question yourself. That’s what hurt so much because I knew that I was doing right, I knew I was being true but then I had people telling me that I was not worth it.”

The Fab Five came crashing down at the start of 2026. Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, and Jeremiah Brent went on a promotional circuit for the final season of the Netflix show – but Brown was absent.

He had been due to join them on CBS Mornings but pulled out, sharing a statement saying: “I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is to focus on and to protect their mental health/peace from people … who seek to destroy it.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Karamo Brown claims Queer Eye exec threatened to fire him in season one appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Out gay actor Michael Johnston has said he wants his next project to be a “really intentional queer role” with a “really meaningful” story, adding: “I don’t know, maybe I’ll write it myself.”

The Obsession star made the comments on the I’ve Never Said This Before podcast, as he reflected on reaching a point in his career where he can “choose what I want to do”.

Johnston also shared how he thinks about sexuality in storytelling. “My whole thing has been that what the character’s sexuality is doesn’t matter to me,” he said. “It’s just another part of who they are, and that’s how I am. It’s just a part of who I am.”

He then explained why he still wants a queer story with weight behind it. “But that being said, growing up in the Bible Belt can be problematic for a gay boy,” Johnston said, describing it as “a whole kind of experience”.

Teen Wolf and coming out

Johnston also looked back on playing Corey Bryant on MTV’s Teen Wolf from 2015 to 2017. He said that during that period he “still wasn’t comfortable with [his] sexuality at the time”, and only later understood the effect the role had on viewers.

“I got thousands of messages from people thanking me and telling me how they feel better about themselves. They were able to come out to their parents,” he said.

Life after Obsession

Johnston’s comments arrive after his breakout performance as Bear in Obsession, a character described as a “toxically hopeless romantic”. The film has become Focus Features’ highest-grossing title ever, surpassing $300million globally last month.

For Johnston, the combination of career momentum and personal experience appears to be shaping what he wants to do next and how he does it.

And, honestly, we’re here for more meaningful queer stories – so let’s go, Michael!

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Obsession’s Michael Johnston wants ‘meaningful’ queer role: ‘I’ll write it myself’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

In a series of recent comments, Cunningham seemingly doubled down on her view and declared she wants to “protect women’s sports”. The topic has been the centre of debate with President Donald Trump’s continued effort to block trans women and girls from female sports teams.

In a recent wide-ranging interview with ESPN, Cunningham shared that she feels qualified to speak on the topic of trans athletes as she’s a professional in the world of sports. The 29-year-old plays in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a guard for the team Indiana Fever, nicknamed “MAGA Barbie”.

“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” she told the outlet.

“I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. 

“I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”

The next day, speaking to reporters ahead of a game against Connecticut Sun, Cunningham addressed her ESPN comments. 

“I think it’s kind of common sense. I think I’ll always believe in that.” She also remarked: “I think it’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls who are also involved in that category. And so I’ll stand on what I said, and I’ll always believe that.”

‘I’ll never falter in my beliefs’

Despite her comments, she said that “there is room for absolutely everyone here”, adding: “I think there is room to love everyone.”

“I truly think when you get people in the same room and you have conversations, you actually have a lot in common with a lot of people. And so I’m there to love.

“But I’m also there to love biological women, and I think that there are rights that need to be protected. I’m gonna stand true to that. I’ll never falter in my beliefs in that. But I have never once said that I hated the trans community. Like I said, I think there’s space for everyone.”

A day after the match, Cunningham seemingly stood by her comments. She posted a series of images of herself on Instagram with the caption: “I said what I said.”

Cunningham’s team, the Indiana Fever, issued a statement saying: “Our players are thoughtful adults with their own perspectives and voices, and those views are their own.”

On Wednesday, ex-Fever player and vocal trans ally Brianna Turner seemingly responded to Cunningham’s recent comments and defended trans athletes.

She recently retweeted her posts from 2025, which read: “Trans inclusion is not some big issue in women’s sports as society makes it out to be.

“It’s a political rage bait point meant to target a handful of athletes. And people keep falling for it. The debate is harmful to cis and trans women athletes alike and much of the concern about the safety of women and girls in sports has to do with CIS men not TRANS women.

“So many imaginative stories of things that have literally never happened. ‘What if this and that’ no. There’s actual evidence of the harm cis men have had on women’s sports.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post WNBA star Sophie Cunningham wants to ‘protect young girls’ in trans athlete debate appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Arnaud, who plays Scott Hunter in the gay hockey drama, has been announced as Under Armour’s new global brand ambassador. He is fronting the new campaign, called “For When It’s Hot”, which spotlights the brand’s HeatGear products.

The Canadian actor appeared in a temperature-raising video for the sportswear brand, working out in his Under Armour gear, getting all sweaty and showing off his bulging biceps before he strips off.

The star, who is bisexual, catches the eye of both a male and a female passerby – and it’s not surprising why.

Fans ate it up, with one commenting: “This is the most bisexual ad I’ve ever seen.” Another said: “Bisexuals we won in ways never seen before.”

Someone else said: “Everyone say thank you Under Armour.” A fourth added: “I need to hydrate after this.”

However, as one fan said: “Robbie saw François’ Under Armour ad and said ‘hold my six-pack’.”

That’s because Robbie GK – full name Robbie Graham-Kuntz – uploaded his own shirtless shot in a new Instagram carousel.

In the photo, he could be seen showing off his ripped abs and hairy chest as he smiled in front of a mirror.

Robbie GK plays Kip Grady in Heated Rivalry, the love interest of Arnaud’s Scott Hunter. Referencing that, one fan joked: “I think this was meant to be shared to Hunter and Hunter only.”

Another said: “Sneaking slide five in like a little surprise.” A third commented: “Happy international abs day!”

Someone else added: “Just out of curiosity, why do your abs have abs?” As another begged: “Don’t ever wear a shirt again, please.”

Filming for Heated Rivalry season two is set to start imminently, after it was previously revealed that it was set to get going in July.

Arnaud and GK are both set to reprise their roles, after Scott came out publicly by kissing Kip on the rink in front of the world’s cameras.

Their storyline in season one is taken from the first book in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novel series, Game Changer. However their story is continued as a secondary plot in the fourth book, Common Goal.

In Common Goal, Scott’s friend and teammate Eric Bennett is dealing with a divorce and coming to terms with his sexuality, when he meets bartender Kyle, one of Kip’s friends.

The story takes readers through a rollercoaster of emotions, mainly due to the fact that the two men have quite an age gap.

The character of Kyle has already appeared in the TV show, played by Matthew Finlan, however a leaked casting call for Heated Rivalry season two revealed Eric was yet to be cast.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Heated Rivalry’s François Arnaud and Robbie GK have an ab-off in sizzling new pics appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The 33-year-old “Von dutch” hitmaker’s new album arrives just two years after her viral, era-defining Brat took over the world.

While Brat was an electropop dance album, Music, Fashion, Film sees the singer move towards rock music while still maintaining her pop-oriented style. Her seventh album sees her reunite with longtime collaborators A. G. Cook and Finn Keane, who also worked on Brat.

“Rock Music” was the lead single, followed by “SS26”, “Wink Wink” and “Camera.” But now the full 11-track album is out, fans have weighed in on their listening experience.

“Charli XCX is such a good lyricist,” one fan wrote about the new album. 

“All of her songwriting LOOKS like it’s so bad and breaks all the ‘rules’ that songwriters tend to abide by, but the soundscapes she can construct around her writing makes it so it always works out in the end. Really great artistry at play.”

Another posted that Music, Fashion, Film is “fabulous.” They continued: “So lucid and messy and wonderful.”

One fan also noted: “’Persona’ is my fav song on the new Charli joint as of right now but the last 43 seconds of ‘Card Declined’ is my favourite moment on the album because I really loved ‘I Keep Thinking Bout You Every Single Day and Night’. Overall lots of distortion and weird voices. Fun!!!!!”

There was some hesitancy to Charli’s new music after her declaration on “Rock Music”: “The dance floor is dead. Now we’re making rock music.”

‘Really great artistry at play’

The album cover artwork features John Cale, Marc Jacobs and Martin Scorsese as representations of music, fashion and film, respectively

Following the album’s release, fans declared: “Anyone hating on the new Charli XCX album, you don’t know ball and you’re just not tapped in.”

Others announced: “The Strokes and Charli XCX having the same album release date is like ‘Barbenheimer’ for bisexual people.”

However, the early critical reception of Music, Fashion, Film has been mixed.

Rolling Stone gave the album four stars, citing it as a “a brilliant, catchy and often very funny 30-minute treatise on the machinery of fame.”

However, other outlets were less taken with Charli’s new music. The Telegraph wrote the singer’s “artistic reinvention is smothered by grating production and empty, self-conscious songs.”

Music, Fashion, Film is out now.

The post Charli XCX’s Music, Fashion, Film branded ‘messy and wonderful’ in first reactions appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Taking to the studio stage on 23 July, the Academy Award-nominated actor spoke about Musk’s plans to use his AI platform Grok to make a more “historically accurate” version of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.

“I don’t wanna get technical, but you can’t make a historically accurate version of something that is totally made the f*** up,” Colman said, to laughter and applause from the audience.

“I mean, The Odyssey is fiction. You know, like The Hunger Games! Or the president’s cognitive exams. I mean, come on, doesn’t Elon Musk have better things to do? Wasn’t this b**** supposed to be on Mars by now?”

He continued: “But maybe we should show a little compassion for Elon. This is a tough time for him. Helen of Troy is a beautiful Black woman. And this week, Jimmy Kimmel is a beautiful Black man.”

On 22 July, Musk shared a post to his X profile that featured a three-minute clip of Homer’s Odyssey generated on Grok Imagine.

Musk claimed the film would be “historically accurate and true to the art of Homer”, despite the ancient poem being a fictitious tale featuring gods, monsters, and mythical beings.

The tech billionaire has repeatedly objected to Nolan’s creative choices in his blockbuster, amplifying racist and transphobic criticism of casting actors Lupita Nyong’o and Elliot Page.

Musk claimed Nolan brought Nyong’o on board because “he wants the awards” in a 13 May post to his X profile, and called Page’s casting “one of the dumbest and twisted things [he’s] ever heard” in a post shared on 11 May.

He has also suggested he would be “down” to bankroll a live-action version directed by Mel Gibson after an X user wrote: “I want Elon Musk to give Mel Gibson $100million to film an Odyssey adaptation with painstakingly historically accurate ships, armour, weapons, and casting, with all dialogue taken straight from the original poem and delivered in Homeric Greek.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Colman Domingo reads Elon Musk for filth over plans for AI The Odyssey remake appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The song, taken from their upcoming third EP Wild, due out on 14 August, sees the members take a pause from their “Gnarly”, “Internet Girl” or “Pinky Up” vibe, returning to a style more similar to “Gabriela”, their most streamed song on Spotify by a mile.

Now, I love “Gnarly”, “Internet Girl” and “Pinky Up” – though “Gabriela” is my favourite release from Katseye (so far) – but many fans have been begging them to, well… sing.

In “Animal”, the girls don’t just sing. They SIIIIING! There are no repeated two-word choruses, or verses that feel created purely for TikTok. There are real lyrics, real vocals, less noise to distract from the group’s talents.

It brings a flirtatious vibe – and not in a subtle way, either, with lyrics such as “your body gets twisted and tangled in mine” – adding an almost vintage sound, encouraging listeners to embrace their wild side.

“Animal” is co-written by Ed Sheeran, and looks at the way you present yourself to the world versus how you act “behind closed doors”.

The members’ – Sophia, Daniela, Yoonchae, and Lara and Megan, who are both LGBTQ+ – really have a chance to shine and prove why they were selected for the group in the first place.

Even before the full track released, fans were excited that their calls had been heard from just the teasers.

“Now THIS is the Katseye I know,” one wrote on Instagram. Another added: “This about to be the next ‘Gabriela’.”

A third wrote: “They’re singing omg I’m sat.” And someone else added: “Vocals are being showcased!”

As for the music video, like “Gabriela”, there’s more of a story, with the members shifting between masculine and feminine images of themselves, with boundaries beginning to blur.

Of course, there’s the choreography we’ve all come to expect from Katseye, as well as the incredible styling (as was teased earlier this week on Instagram).

There’s even a cameo from THE Demi Moore. Yes, Oscar-nominated actress, star of The Substance and all round icon.

Check out Katseye’s “Animal” music video.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Katseye’s new single ‘Animal’ gives fans what they’ve been begging for appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The BBC staple returns to iPlayer and BBC One in September with presenter Emma Willis, professional dancer Johannes Radebe and comedian Josh Widdicombe as the new hosts. 

The judging panel remains the same – Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Head Judge Shirley Ballas – to offer their expert opinions and scores of the dancing celebs and their professional partners.

There has also been a shake-up with the pro dancer line-up. Fan favourites Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, Karen Hauer, Michelle Tsiakkas and Gorka Márquez have departed. Meanwhile, Neil Jones and Nancy Xu will be without a partner for this series.

Here are the confirmed celebs for this year’s Strictly:

Jaime Winstone

Stage and screen actress Jaime Winstone was announced on 23 July as the eighth confirmed celebrity contestant.

During her career, she has appeared in films like Made in Dagenham and Tomb Raider, television series such as Dead Set and Poirot, and even played EastEnders legend Barbara Windsor in BBC biopic Babs, also appearing as her character Peggy Mitchell in a flashback special of the soap.

She says: “I am so excited to announce that I will be joining the Strictly Come Dancing cast this year. I am no stranger to a dance floor, but the ballroom is a whole new world for me. I love a challenge though, so can’t wait to enter my showgirl era and get super sparkly!! Let’s get physical – see you on the dance floor!”

Dame Sarah Storey

Paralympic legend Dame Sarah Storey was the seventh celebrity contestant to be announced, on 17 July.

After a career of 19 Paralympic gold medals, making her the most successful British Paralympian ever, Storey is swapping the podium for the dance floor.

She says: “Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting. I have always loved watching Strictly and my daughter Louisa is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world, is incredibly motivating! I can’t wait to get started!”

Will Best

Big Brother host Will Best was announced on 14 July, and looks set to be one of the main sources of eye-candy for the mums (and gay fans, obv).

Best, who also presents Hits Radio’s Breakfast Show, said: “I can’t quite believe it… I’m doing Strictly! What an absolute dream. Albeit a pretty terrifying one.

“I’ve been lucky to do lots of live telly before, but absolutely nothing like this. And I cannot wait!”

The TV star, who has amassed a legion of gay fans thanks to his often minimal clothing on Big Brother and Instagram, added: “I have no idea if I can actually dance, but bring on the sequins, bring on the quicksteps, bring on the dance floor! I’m going to try to enjoy every minute of it.”

Cach Mercer

Love Island 2025 winner Cach Mercer was confirmed for the show on 9 July, less than a year after taking the crown on the dating show alongside then-girlfriend Toni Laites.

Coming from a dancing background, and having more than 50million views on TikTok, Mercer is sure to be one to watch on the dance floor later this year.

He says: “I have grown up watching the show with my family and am so excited to now be part of the cast. Dancing is a huge passion of mine and I can’t wait to learn Ballroom and do the Foxtrot for the first time!”

Chris Appleton 

World-renowned hair stylist Chris Appleton was the first man announced for this year’s Strictly line-up.

The 43-year-old has styled some of the biggest names in the entertainment world, including Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande and Katy Perry.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience,” he shared about his casting.

“I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new. I may know my way around a salon floor, but the dance floor is a whole different story – and I can’t wait to get started.

Lacey Turner

EastEnders star Lacey Turner, who has played Stacey Slater on the soap since 2004, was the first contestant announced. Her performance has won her numerous accolades, including several British Soap Awards and National Television Awards. 

Now, the 38-year-old actor is swapping the film set for the dance floor.

In a statement about her appearance, Turner shared: “I am so excited to being making my way to the dance floor this year to be a part of Strictly Come Dancing!

“I am a huge fan and can’t quite believe I will be taking part and not watching at home this year! I look forward to meeting everyone and learning a new skill!

Dani Dyer

Former Love Island contestant Dani Dyer was part of the Strictly 2025 cast. However, her time on the show was just one week long before she was forced to withdraw due to an ankle fracture.

Dyer, the 29-year-old daughter of actor Danny Dyer, was originally partnered with Nikita Kuzmin, but it’s unclear whether they’ll be paired up this year. 

“I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September!” Dyer said of her second chance on Strictly.

“I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one! I’m just over the moon and cannot wait to find out who else is doing it!”

Delta Goodrem

Australian singer and actor Delta Goodrem will be bringing her Australian charm to the Strictly dance floor.

Goodreem represented Australia at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, finishing fourth, and previously starred on the beloved soap opera Neighbours.

The 41-year-old has also been a judge on The Voice Australia; time will tell if adding dancing will make her a triple threat.

“I’ve been incredibly honoured to perform on many different stages throughout my career – from TV, theatre, film sets, to touring my own shows around the world, there is however one stage I’ve never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor!” she shared.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can’t wait to get started!”

These are all the names confirmed so far. But, as is always the case, there are plenty of rumours about who else will be joining the cast.

X Factor contestant Jake Quickenden is said to be joining the confirmed 2026 celeb line-up.

Also, Paralympian cyclist Dame Sarah Storey is tipped to join this year’s pool of Strictly stars.

Further news about Strictly will be revealed throughout the summer.

The brand-new series of Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be getting underway on BBC One and iPlayer this September.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Strictly Come Dancing 2026 celebrity line-up as Tomb Raider star joins appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The group, which wants to distance lesbians, gay men and bisexual people from people who identify as trans or queer, released a report, titled “Don’t Call Me Queer”.

While the post on X promoting the report had huge claims of 94% of lesbian, gay and bisexual people feeling “uncomfortable being categorised under the LGBTQ+ umbrella” and 87% feeling “uncomfortable being categorised as ‘queer'”, they left out some key details that are available in the full report.

The report explains that 7,021 people who were subscribed to the LGB Alliance newsletter, had attended at least one LGB Alliance event or donated to the charity were sent a survey.

It received 2,133 responses, however after two screening questions (to check if the respondent was a supporter of LGB Alliance, and then if they were LGB), they were left with a sample size of 1,709.

Of those 1,709 lesbian, gay or bisexual supporters of the LGB Alliance, 94% were either “quite uncomfortable” or “very uncomfortable”, while 2% were “quite comfortable” or “very comfortable”, and the rest didn’t feel strongly either way.

Supporters were also given the opportunity to write their own responses.

One claimed the LGBTQ+ umbrella “negatively impacts on [his] rights as a gay man”. Another said: “I still believe that LGB folk have still to fight for equality and recognition. The umbrella subsumes us and the movement seems to now be totally focused on the TQI community. I support their rights, but their fight is different from mine. It feels like they jumped on our coattails but somehow managed to grab the steering wheel.”

Another claimed: “Q+ has been hijacked by people who are likely heterosexual but want to be seen as ‘different’.”

A number of X users have called out the survey and promotion of it.

One person said: “‘We asked people who paid money to us if they have the same views as us. SHockingly they all said yes!'”

Another wrote: “You’ve gotta laugh. Read the small print and you’ll discover that the LGB Alliance only came to these figures because they deliberately screened out any gays, lesbians and bisexuals who weren’t supporters of the LGB Alliance. What were they scared of?”

Someone else said: “You surveyed members of your own group, and are being intentionally misleading by not including that key piece of information in your post.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post LGB Alliance’s claim ‘94% of LGB unhappy with LGBTQ+ label’ isn’t what it seems appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Mace displayed photographs of Kandy Muse and Joey Jay during a House hearing on the Smithsonian, claiming that children seeing drag “sexualises them and makes them more vulnerable to people that want to rape them or abuse them”, according to posts shared widely on X.

Both performers, who competed on season 13 of Drag Race, hit back publicly. Reposting an image of the moment, Kandy Muse wrote simply: “can I sue?” Joey Jay added: “I’m talking with my lawyer, I’ll let you know what he says.”

Republicans attack LGBTQ+ history Smithsonian exhibit
Neither has confirmed any formal legal action.

At Wednesday’s House hearing, Republican congresswoman Mary Miller grilled Anthea Hartig, director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, over “Illegal to Be You: Gay History Beyond Stonewall”, a temporary exhibit that closed in 2021.

Miller and other GOP members held up images from the display, objecting in particular to a leather harness among the artefacts.

“Can you tell us what a crotch harness is? We brought a picture,” Miller said, accusing Hartig of exposing children to “sexually explicit material” and describing the exhibit as “the fetish attire of a very small subset of Americans with weird srxual proclivities”.

Hartig defended the museum, noting all under-18s must be accompanied by an adult, and that during the exhibit’s run “no one complained”.

The display explored the criminalisation and persecution of LGBTQ+ people in the US and the long fight for equality.

The post Drag Race stars Kandy Muse and Joey Jay hit back after Nancy Mace uses their photos in anti-drag hearing appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

In a 22 July post pinned to his X profile that featured a 3-minute clip of Homer’s Odyssey generated on Grok Imagine, Musk claimed the film would be “historically accurate and true to the art of Homer”, despite the ancient poem featuring gods, monsters, and mythical beings.

Musk has repeatedly objected to Nolan’s creative choices in his The Odyssey blockbuster, amplifying racist and transphobic criticism of casting actors Lupita Nyong’o and Elliot Page.

Musk claimed Nolan brought Nyong’o on board because “he wants the awards” in a 13 May post to his X profile, also calling Page’s casting “one of the dumbest and twisted things I’ve ever heard” in a 11 May post.

Musk has also suggested he would be “down” to bankroll a live-action version directed by Mel Gibson after an X user wrote: “I want Elon Musk to give Mel Gibson $100 million to film an Odyssey adaptation with painstakingly historically accurate ships, armour, weapons, and casting, with all dialogue taken straight from the original poem and delivered in Homeric Greek”.

Christopher Nolan’s criticism of AI

Nolan has been an outspoken critic of generative AI in filmmaking, arguing that younger audiences are quick to recognise and reject “AI slop” in a 19 July interview with The Telegraph.

Nolan also mused that cinema is moving back toward more practical forms of storytelling rather than fully AI-generated productions, saying: “After years of driving towards heavily virtual environments, we’re seeing a renewed interest in more tactile, more real forms of storytelling.”

The post Elon Musk threatens to make ‘historically accurate’ version of The Odyssey with Grok appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Hailey Glassman is one of three new stars joining the series of season 16. In a drama-filled new trailer for the upcoming episode, she reveals details about her non-traditional love life. 

“I’m in a lavender marriage,” Glassman says. “I sleep with women intimately as well.”

“Your husband is okay with that?” asks returning castmate Sai De Silva. 

What is a lavender marriage?

A ‘lavender marriage’ is typically a marriage of convenience between a man and a woman, where one or both of the partners are members of LGBTQ+ community. 

The term originated during a time where same-sex marriages were illegal and queer relationships were taboo. Lavender marriages were usually used to conceal someone’s queer identity, avoid social stigma, maintain social status or protect professional careers. 

From the clip, it is unclear whether Glassman is the only queer person in her marriage, but she has also never publicly revealed the identity of her husband. 

Glassman is joining the Real Housewives of New York franchise alongside returning castmembers Carole Radziwill, Erin Lichy, Jessel Taank and Sai De Silva, and fellow newbies Erika Hammond and Daisy Toye.

Who is Hailey Glassman?

In her Deadline introduction for the show, Glassman is described as “no stranger to the spotlight,” thanks to her career as a publicist which saw her grace many a tabloid cover in the 2000s. 

“With her offbeat humor and unconventional personality, Hailey is an instant hit within the group, but she finds herself struggling to come to terms with her past and find her voice when her friends start questioning the pillars of her identity,” Deadline’s intro continues.

Glassman joins a short list of LGBTQ+ housewives to receive their RHONY apples. Creative director Jenna Lyons became the show’s first lesbian cast member in season 14, and model and art curator Racquel Chevremont became its first Black queer housewife the following season. 

Real Housewives of New York season 16 is set to premiere on Bravo on 8 September. 

The post Real Housewives of New York season 16 star Hailey Glassman says she’s in a ‘lavender marriage’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The newly released photos, revealed by Entertainment Weekly ahead of the show’s appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, offer the first glimpse of Williams alongside The Matrix star Carrie-Anne Moss and Schitt’s Creek‘s Noah Reid.

Williams plays Henry Park, the young heir to a powerful fishery whose disappearance sets the story in motion.

The series follows private investigator Rapp (Reid) as he arrives in a small coastal town to investigate, finding himself caught between an apprehensive local detective (Clark Backo), a charismatic university professor “with a taste for younger men” (Moss), and a web of secrets and ancient magic.

The role marks a notable next step for Williams, who became one of the breakout stars of Heated Rivalry, the hit queer hockey romance that became a global sensation after HBO Max picked it up in the US. Yaga also keeps him within the Crave family, the Canadian streamer behind that show.

Created by playwright Kat Sandler, who serves as writer and showrunner, Yaga is based on her acclaimed stage play and reframes the classic witch myth as a feminist thriller.

“Yaga has evolved from myth to stage to my first greenlit series, reclaiming the wicked witch and reshaping her as an incendiary feminist antihero for our time,” Sandler said, describing it as “dark, funny, and unapologetically bold”.

The eight-episode series does not yet have a premiere date, but will stream on Crave in Canada, AMC+ in the US, and Sky in the UK and Ireland.

A first teaser trailer is set to debut at San Diego Comic-Con this week

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post First look at Hudson Williams in new witchy thriller ‘Yaga’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Reed Birney has said he “wasn’t prepared for the divisiveness” around his lead performance in Blue Film, describing it as “the best film work [he’s] ever done”.

Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, the 71-year-old actor also described an unexpected side effect of the film’s rollout: some viewers “are not able to separate the performance from the character”.

Birney stars as Hank Grant, a former teacher who was sent to prison for an attempted sexual assault of a student. In the film, Hank hires adult sex worker, Aaron Eagle (played by Kieron Moore), who is revealed to be Alex, a former student of Hank’s. Over the course of one night, Hank tries to explain himself and confront what he says he felt at the time.

Birney said he did not anticipate how polarising the film would be. “I guess I’m not as smart as I think I am, but I wasn’t prepared for the divisiveness, honestly,” he said. “I never for a second thought it would be controversial. I never for a second thought of Hank as a monster. I never thought of him as a manipulator or a groomer. Isn’t that weird? I mean, I guess it’s true, but I never thought of it. I just thought he was a sad and broken man.”

Why audiences are ‘confusing’ actor and character

Birney said the reaction has been complicated by the fact that many people are encountering him for the first time through Blue Film. “Because I’m not famous and this feels like a fair amount of people’s first exposure to me, they’re not able to separate the performance from the character … which in a weird way is a compliment, I guess, that I was able to accomplish something in that I am in fact acting,” he said.

Of course, if you’ve watched the likes of American Horror Story, Succession, The Handmaid’s Tale, House of Cards, or Gossip Girl, you will have seen Birney’s face. However he had minor roles for most of his television work, so fans may not remember him.

He added that he has seen sharply different responses, including people saying the movie shouldn’t have been made, or that it is irresponsible to tell that specific story.

Blue Film controversy

Blue Film, Elliot Tuttle’s debut feature, was made on a budget under $100,000. It was shot in 2024, before premiering to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Film Festival last summer.

The film later struggled to secure a buyer, before being picked up earlier this year by Obscured Releasing.

It was released in select theatres in May and is now available to rent or buy on digital platforms, with a UK release date being announced for September 25.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Blue Film’s Reed Birney says it’s ‘best work he’s done’ despite major backlash appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.