Emergency services were called to St Nicholas Street in the early hours of 24 April, where a man in his 30s was found unconscious with serious facial injuries.

He was taken to the hospital, but his condition later deteriorated. Police say he is now in a critical but stable condition.

Avon and Somerset Police are treating the incident as a hate crime and are searching for a group of three or four men believed to be responsible. The suspects reportedly fled on foot before leaving the area in a car.

A second man sustained minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment. His account helped officers identify a possible homophobic motive.

Neighbourhood chief inspector Keith Smith said police are “treating this incident seriously” and are working with local LGBTQ+ and equality groups as enquiries continue.

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Police have said the fire that tore through Milton Keynes LGBTQ+ nightclub Pink Punters was accidental, after a man was released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of arson.

Thames Valley Police said a joint investigation with Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service concluded the blaze was not deliberate. Chief Superintendent Emma Baillie said, as per BBC News: “Following a thorough joint investigation with Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, we have found no evidence of any criminality.” She added: “The fire is believed to have been accidental in nature, and thankfully no one was injured.”

The fire broke out at the venue on Watling Street in the early hours of Sunday, 26 April. Emergency services arrived shortly after 2am, with staff, customers and nearby residents safely evacuated. No injuries were reported.

A 51-year-old man from Milton Keynes had been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, but has since been eliminated from enquiries.

Police and fire service findings

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service said its specialist fire investigation team supported police in the investigation and confirmed the fire was accidental.

Baillie also praised venue staff for their swift response, saying it ensured everyone was able to leave the building safely.

What Pink Punters means to the community

Pink Punters is a long-running LGBTQ+ nightclub in Milton Keynes of more than 20 years. It is widely known as one of the UK’s best-known LGBTQ+ nightlife venues outside London, with a reputation for drag nights and weekend club events.

Owner Frank McMahon said he was “profoundly relieved” investigators had ruled out arson and confirmed the fire was not a deliberate attack or a hate crime.

“The building was lost, but lives were protected, and that remains the most important fact of all,” he said, praising staff for their response during the emergency. Pink Punters has said it plans to return in the future.

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This direct push back against a policy introduced under Donald Trump comes as part of a class action lawsuit filed by two transgender women currently incarcerated in Oregon.

US Magistrate Judge Mark D. Clarke issued a preliminary injunction requiring the state to move away from the default placement of trans women in men’s facilities and instead carry out individualised safety assessments for each of the transgender women in custody, as reported by The Oregonian.

Clarke emphasised that housing decisions must begin with the presumption that trans women should be placed according to their gender identity, unless a specific case review determines otherwise.

“It is undisputed in the record before the Court that this default presumption, and their overwhelming placement in men’s prisons, has exposed transgender women inmates to a high risk of violence and sexual assault.

“The undisputed facts additionally show that ODOC has systemically failed to appropriately address this exposure,” Clarke wrote in his ruling.

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The posts, which referred to Minaj as a “beast of a lady” over past comments about trans children, quickly circulated online.

Petras and Minaj previously collaborated on the track ‘Alone’ from Petras’ 2023 album ‘Feed the Beast’.

In a statement to People, a representative for Petras said the messages were not written by the singer.

“Kim Petras launched a new chat feature on her website yesterday where her name was meant to be user-protected, however earlier today someone other than Kim was able to use the name and type things without her knowledge or approval,” the statement read.

Following the incident, the chat feature was disabled.

Petras also posted on X about it, saying: “Website was hacked, nothing in that chat room came from me. You’ve lost your chat room privileges.”

Fans in the replies were quick to respond. One said: “OMG good cause that chat was just straight evil.” Another said: “This is why we can’t have nice things… stay strong, we know it wans’t you!” A third added: “People always ruining it for us.”

Meanwhile, some joked the message was reminiscent of Rita Ora’s infamous 2014 post on what was then Twitter.

A tweet appeared on Ora’s account which read: “Dropping my new song Monday if this gets 100,000 retweets.”

Not long after, and when the post was nowhere near that number, she tweeted: “By the way my Twitter got hacked somebody is threatening to release new music I’ve worked really hard on. Nothing comes out until I’m ready.”

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The vote, which took place on 29 April, is now being sent to the European Commission, the EU’s main executive body that can introduce the legislation.

The issue was discussed following a petition from the European Citizens’ Initiative. The petition in question featured more than 1.2million signatures, which have been collected since 2024, in support of a conversion therapy ban.

Ahead of the vote, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a debate on the topic earlier this week. The debate resulted in the committee calling for stronger enforcement of the European Union’s LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026-2030, as well as an EU-wide ban on conversion therapy.

In a statement published on 29 April, EESC president Séamus Boland said: “These so-called conversion practices or therapies are not only harmful, they are a profound violation of human dignity and fundamental rights.”

He continued: “Let us be absolutely clear: there is nothing to fix or cure. What needs to change is not people, but the systems, attitudes, and structures that deny them their dignity.”

Conversion therapy is a broad term which refers to several practices that attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Research suggests that conversion therapy takes place all across the world, and can range from forms of “talk therapy” to physical abuse or “aversion therapy”.

Conversion therapy is already banned in seven EU countries, including France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Greece and Malta. The latter was the first to ban the practice in 2016.

Most medical organisations view conversion therapy as a pseudoscientific and damaging practice. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has described it as “harmful” and has instructed its members to “refrain from attempts” to change a person’s sexual orientation.

Studies have found that those who are subjected to conversion therapy have an increased risk of suicidal ideation.

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The contribution, made through the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, was highlighted by former NFL player Carl Nassib, who came out as gay in 2021 while playing for the Las Vegas Raiders and has since worked closely with the organisation.

“I am incredibly grateful to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation for their extraordinary $1million donation to The Trevor Project and everyone at the Atlanta Falcons for their heartfelt support,” Nassib wrote in a 30 April LinkedIn post.

“This donation helps fund counsellor training, enhance volunteer services and ensure our critical programs reach LGBTQ+ youth in their most vulnerable moments. Thank you again to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, this gift will save lives,” Nassib concluded.

Laurette M., who oversees The Trevor Project’s relationships with “major donors” also posted a message thanking the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, writing: “It’s always powerful to see an organisation invest not only in the communities around it, but also in the culture it builds internally.

“Creating space for learning, reflection, and connection like this matters more than people often realise.”

The move marks a notable show of allyship in a league that has historically struggled with LGBTQ+ inclusion.

With no active NFL players publicly coming out in the five years since Nassib, high-profile backing like this signals a shift that could help foster a more supportive culture both on and off the field.

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Days of Our Lives has recast gay character Javi Hernandez, with out actor Jacob Martinez set to take over the role.

Peacock has shared a first-look Instagram video teasing Martinez in Salem ahead of his debut on 30 June, after Deadline announced the news.

Martinez, 28, replaces Al Calderon, 32, who announced his exit from the soap in August 2025. The show films around 10 months in advance, meaning Calderon is still appearing as Javi and his final episodes are expected to air sometime in May.

Calderon also welcomed the new Javi in the comments, writing: “LET’S GO BOYYYYY.”

A break is expected before Martinez’s episodes begin. It’s reported that Javi will temporarily move away amid his marriage to Leo Stark, played by out Daytime Emmy-winning actor Greg Rikaart, according to Soap Opera Network.

Reacting to the casting news, Martinez wrote in a thank-you post: “THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART to each and every person who continues to pour into me and encourage me to chase my dreams,” adding: “I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am. I already feel beyond blessed, supported, and loved. See you all in Salem.”

What we know about the on-screen handover

With Calderon’s final episodes expected in May and Martinez arriving on 30 June, viewers are likely to see a short gap between the two actors’ runs as Javi.

The first-look clip offers an early glimpse of Martinez in the role as the show prepares to bring the character back into Salem.

Who is Jacob Martinez?

Martinez is a US actor and musical theatre performer. He graduated from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in 2018 and recently starred in In Pieces: The Musical at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater in Manhattan.

He previously reflected on reconciling being queer with his Christian faith in a January 2020 Instagram post. In another caption about attending Pride, he wrote: “Fear, pain, self hate, confusion. All these emotions I’m far too familiar with,” adding: “This was my first pride since officially coming out, and who would have thought that in doing so, I would draw closer to the God who FREES me from those unwanted thoughts and feelings.”

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According to The Times, Ali told local candidates who were dismissed over alleged antisemitism to seek “serious legal advice”, adding they should put the “party on notice straight away”.

In leaked recordings from a Greens for Palestine meeting, Ali allegedly said: “What we need to do is we need to get some serious legal advice. We need to make sure that we are putting the party on notice straight away, and we need to start with some class action. Because it won’t be the end. They’re coming after more and more people.”

While party leader Zack Polanski has said he has a 99 per cent confidence in his candidates after a stringent vetting process, Ali himself has caused controversy among some groups of voters because of his lack of clarity over LGBTQ+ issues. Meanwhile, Polanski, who is gay, has made his stance on LGBTQ+ issues – and specifically trans rights – very clear.

Mothin Ali’s LGBTQ+ stance

During his campaign in 2025 for the deputy leadership position, Mothin Ali was criticised by members of the Greens for not showing clear support for LGBTQ+ issues.

As per the LGBTIQA+ Greens, Ali did not respond to any of the 10 pledges they put forward.

The pledges included: “To acknowledge wholeheartedly that fighting for LGBTIQA+ liberation goes hand in hand with fighting the climate crisis”, “To fight for reform of the Gender Recognition Act to provide a kinder and less bureaucratic process for recognising trans people’s gender in law”, and “to stand in solidarity with LGBTIQA+ communities worldwide by working with international Green parties to oppose anti-LGBTIQA+ legislation and to promote global human rights and liberation”, among others.

In comparison, the eight other candidates answered all 10 of the questions positively.

‘Pledges can turn allyship into performance politics’

Ali explained in a post on X why he did not sign any pledges from “special interest and liberation groups”.

“Not because I don’t support their causes, but because I wanted my messages to come directly from me, ideally sitting down in conversation, and not via third parties,” he said.

He went on: “Pledges can create pressure, turn allyship into performance politics, and even exclude those who are already doing the work. For me, solidarity is proven through trust, dialogue, and showing up – not ticking boxes.”

In an interview with councillor Jenny Knight, chair of the Trans Greens, when asked if he thinks that trans women are women, he launched into a long speech about “Black and Brown people, Muslims, LGBT people and trans people” showing solidarity together, and being “respectful” regardless of his faith-based beliefs. He did not answer the question Knight put to him.

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She was asked by TMZ if she thought there would be a female or gay president first, when she said: “We don’t know if we’ve already had a gay president. I think there are chances that maybe we have, but I don’t know.”

When pushed on the question, with the suggestion that some voters were hesitant to elect a woman, she said: “I think anything can happen. I don’t really buy into the scepticism. A man has lost almost every presidential election as well, so when it comes to women I think it’s more about what we’re actually fighting for, as opposed to the body that we’re in.

“So I think it’s about not taking big money, fixing campaign finance reform and trying to fight for people, raise wages, help people make a living. I think if we have someone who fights for the right things and speaks to the right people, then maybe we can overcome the gender gap and be able to make history.

There have been 45 presidents to date over 47 presidencies – and according to official doctrine, all of them have supposedly been heterosexual. This includes Trump, who is married to his third wife Melania.

But given at least 43 presidents were serving at a time when homosexuality was still oppressed, there has long been speculation of a few gay trysts flying under the radar.

We count down seven other leaders who have been dogged by rumours.

1. James Buchanan (in office 1857-1861)

Buchanan was the 15th President of the United States, serving just one term from 1857 to 1861.

Considered one of the most ineffective Presidents, the lifelong bachelor has faced speculation about his sexuality.

Many have raised questions about Buchanan’s close and intimate relationship with future Vice President William Rufus King – having lived together for more than a decade.

King described the pair’s relationship as a “communion”, and they were rarely seen apart. Many commentators at the time remarked on the pair’s closeness, with Andrew Jackson referring to them as “Miss Nancy” and “Aunt Fancy”.

2. John F Kennedy (1961-1963)

From the influential Catholic Kennedy family, John F Kennedy, served as the 35th President of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in November 1963.

Despite his Catholic upbringing, Kennedy was inseparable from his friend Kirk LeMoyne ‘Lem’ Billings, after the pair first met in prep school.

The pair were inseparable, with Mr Billings helping run Kennedy’s Presidential campaign and serving as an usher at his wedding – and even getting his own bedroom in the White House.

Though their relationship was considered platonic at the time, author Jerry Oppenheimer claims the pair had more than just a friendship, with “Jack always on the receiving end”.

3. Barack Obama (2009-2017)

Not every rumour about a President’s private life is credible. The 44th President is a strong supporter of LGBT equality – and his emphatic support has sparked speculation among homophobes.

Conspiracy theorist Wayne Marsden claimed previously that Obama “used basketball pick-up games to pick up men”, and had “homosexual trysts with Representative Artur Davis, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Senate majority leader Bill Frist”.

The late Joan Rivers added fuel to the conspiracy theory fire, when she joked of a gay President: “We already have it with Obama… you know Michelle is a t*****.”

Alex Jones of Info Wars took the joke to heart – as did Pastor James David Manning, who prophesied that Vladimir Putin would ‘out’ Obama.

4. Lyndon B Johnson (1963-1969)

Lyndon B Johnson served as the 37th President from 1963 to 1969 – amid showdowns over government persecutions of gay people.

However, he dodged scandals himself when his close personal friend and de-facto Chief of Staff Walter Jenkins was outed.

Ahead of the 1964 Presidential election, Jenkins was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct with another man in a public YMCA restroom in Washington DC – forcing him to resign.

Johnson insisted he had no idea about Jackson’s personal life, saying: “I couldn’t have been more shocked about Walter Jenkins if I’d heard that Lady Bird had tried to kill the Pope.”

However, opponents made much mileage out of suggestive innuendo – with bumper stickers joking: “All the way with LBJ, but don’t go near the YMCA.”

5. Alexander Hamilton

As fans of musical Hamilton know, founding father Alexander Hamilton never got to be President – after scandal about his tumultuous personal life.

As well as his affair with a woman, doubt has also been cast over his relationships with men.

During the American Revolution, his letters to close friends John Laurens and Marquis de Lafayette grew more affectionate and flowery – while many accounts describe Hamilton as “feminine”.

In one letter, Hamilton described himself as a “jealous lover” over Laurens failing to reply, adding: “Like a jealous lover, when I thought you slighted my caresses, my affection was alarmed and my vanity piqued.”

He wrote in another letter, after the departure of Laurens: “I wish, my Dear Laurens, it might be in my power, by action rather than words to convince you that I love you. I shall only tell you that ’til you bade us Adieu, I hardly knew the value you had taught my heart to set upon you.

He added: “You should not have taken advantage of my sensibility to steal into my affections without my consent.”

However, historians do not agree as to the nature of the letters – with some insisting they are purely platonic.

6. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)

One of America’s most iconic Presidents, Abe’ also spent a large portion of his life spooning with men.

In his early adulthood, the President shared a bed with Joshua Speed – who later became a Congressman. Not forgetting his roots, Lincoln several times offered Speed a government appointment – only to be rejected every time.

Linclon also shared a narrow bed with companion Billy Greene in his ’20s.

Greene remarked of their cosy living situation: “When one turned over the other had to do likewise… his thighs were as perfect as a human being could be.”

7. Bill (and Hillary) Clinton (1993-2001)

Many rumours have been circulated, and much gossip made, of the unconventional marriage between 42nd President Bill Clinton and former First Lady Hillary Clinton.

President Clinton the First famously admitted infidelity with secretary Monica Lewinsky in 1998 – but the definitive power-couple have both been the subject of rumours of dalliances with both genders.

Right-wing pundit Ann Coulter famously accused Bill Clinton of being a “latent homosexual”, adding: “I think that sort of rampant promiscuity does show some level of latent homosexuality.”

David Letterman joked: “While the former President admits he once told Coulter that he’s gay, it was simply a polite excuse to explain why he wasn’t hitting on her bony ass.”

The relationship between Kevin Spacey’s House of Cards character Frank Underwood and his wife has consistently been rumoured to be based on the Clintons.

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Britney Spears has been charged in Ventura County, California, with one misdemeanour count of driving under the influence of alcohol and at least one drug.

According to reports, prosecutors may offer her a “wet reckless” resolution at her arraignment on Monday.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office said the 44-year-old is not required to appear in court because it is a misdemeanour charge, and her attorney can appear for her. In a statement, the district attorney’s office said: “Whether or not Ms. Spears will appear at the hearing will be a decision made between her and her attorney,” adding that she is not required to attend, as per NBC News.

Spears voluntarily checked into a substance abuse treatment facility weeks after the arrest.

After the arrest, a representative for Spears said (via Sky News): “This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable.”

What a ‘wet reckless’ deal could mean

Prosecutors said Spears will be offered what is commonly known as a “wet reckless” deal, which can involve a guilty plea to reckless driving involving alcohol and/or drugs.

The district attorney’s office said: “This law allows a defendant to plead guilty to reckless driving involving alcohol and/or drugs,” and outlined that it can include 12 months’ probation, a required DUI class, and state-mandated fines and fees.

What led to the charge

The California Highway Patrol said Spears was arrested on 4 March after being stopped while driving her black BMW erratically on US 101 near her home.

Authorities alleged she looked to be impaired, undertook a number of field sobriety tests, and was then taken to a Ventura County jail after her arrest. She was released on bail the following day, and police ended their investigation and presented it to prosecutors on 23 March.

The criminal complaint does not specify the kind of drugs, or what amount, Spears is accused of having used.

Spears’ 2008 to 2021 conservatorship and the #FreeBritney movement became a global flashpoint about autonomy and celebrity control. She released the memoir The Woman in Me in 2023, made headlines recently after she sold her entire music catalogue, which some fans celebrated after she lived a number of years without control of her own life.

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A 51-year-old man arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after a fire destroyed Milton Keynes LGBTQ+ nightclub Pink Punters has been released on conditional bail while enquiries continue.

Emergency services arrived at the venue around 2am following reports of a fire, with customers and nearby residents evacuated. No injuries were reported.

After the fire was put out, chief superintendent Emma Baillie said: “This was a significant fire in which a large number of people had to be evacuated.” She added: “At this time it would be too early to comment on any particular motivation for this incident and we would respectfully ask for people not to speculate.”

Pink Punters owner Frank McMahon said the impact on the venue was devastating, but that everyone got out safely. “Whilst I am devastated to say that the building itself has been completely destroyed, I am deeply relieved, grateful and proud to confirm that no staff or customers were harmed, and everybody went home safely,” he said.

McMahon said the nightclub intends to reopen.

Pink Punters is widely known as a long-running LGBTQ+ nightlife venue serving Milton Keynes and surrounding areas, and has operated for more than 20 years.

The Fire Brigades Union’s LGBTQ+ network shared a message of support in an Instagram post: “Standing in solidarity with the Milton Keynes LGBT+ community after the fire at Pink Punters. A venue lost, but a community that remains strong, connected and proud. We stand with you.”

Police investigation continues

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said, as per BBC News: “At the moment we are keeping an open mind and investigating the incidents in conjunction with each other due to proximity in location and time.”

Police are investigating the fire at Pink Punters alongside another fire at a nearby church due to the proximity in location and time.

Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said it sent up to 12 fire engines at the height of the blaze.

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Speaking at a Westminster event on Monday (27 April), she described how quickly opportunities disappeared after her 2023 remarks, claiming venues dropped bookings, collaborators distanced themselves, and pressure mounted for her to apologise.

“Being cancelled is hard,” she said. “The world goes very dark very quickly. Everyone and anyone who is ever going to disappoint you does so all at once. Networks of interwoven friendship and career that took years to grow collapse overnight. All the hypocrisy, frailty and hidden disloyalty gets exposed at once. It’s bewildering and it’s a bitter pill,” Murphy continued, as reported by The Times.

Murphy argued that artists who speak on “radioactive issues” are often met with condemnation rather than debate, and criticised what she described as online “social media enforcers” shaping public reactions.

Murphy first sparked backlash after criticising the use of puberty blockers for young people in a 2023 Facebook post. “Puberty blockers are f*****, absolutely desolate, Big Pharma laughing all the way to the bank. Little mixed-up kids are vulnerable and need to be protected, that’s just true,” she wrote.

Last October, Murphy reignited the controversy by sharing a chart showcasing data from Tufts University’s Cooperative Election Study, which portrayed a decline of young people identifying as non-binary or trans.

“It was never real. Terribly sad though. Absolute havoc wreaked on children, families, and society,” Murphy wrote under the screenshot on her X account. The statistics from Tufts that she shared have been disputed for their scope and accuracy.

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The signatories, including TransActual and Mermaids, have written a letter to Streeting and NHS England medical director with responsibility for gender care James Palmer to lift the restrictions on gender-affirming care for young people. They also ask that the NHS provides timely, holistic care to all trans people, based on informed consent.

It comes after Streeting paused the PATHWAYS puberty blockers trial, and the NHS stopping new prescriptions of gender-affirming hormones for 16 and 17-year-olds. Guidance for GPs was also updated that restricts access to those treatments.

The letter is also signed by The International LGBTQI Youth and Student Organisation (IGLYO), The Kite Trust, Gendered Intelligence, Proud2Be, FFLAG, SAGE Staffordshire, The Proud Trust, and Mosaic LGBT+ Young Person’s Trust.

In it, they write: “As organisations that work with and support trans young people, we are deeply concerned about the impact of your approach.

“We can work together to prevent further harm by taking a more careful, compassionate, and supportive approach. But the extreme lack of caution being shown by the Government and NHS England through its continued assault on the availability of gender-affirming care risks causing serious long-term damage to a generation of trans youth.”

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A LOOKOUT and Uncloseted Media investigation has found that millions of dollars from various state motor vehicle departments are being funnelled into far-right groups that use that money to lobby lawmakers and fund litigation that defeat equity measures for millions of people across the country, including for women, people of colour and, more specifically, LGBTQ people. And it’s all being done through what’s on the back of people’s cars.

In a nationwide sampling of state specialty license plate financial data since 2020, more than $7million has gone to groups that have helped champion anti-LGBTQ legislation, funded litigation that struck down conversion therapy bans, and promoted Christian nationalist values that have direct ties to nationally recognised anti-queer groups.

The findings of the newsrooms include:

• Many specialty state license plates fund organisations that have indirect ties to extremist groups, although Uncloseted Media and LOOKOUT’s investigation found that four states give money to Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate groups, including the American Family Association (AFA) and members of the Family Policy Alliance. Those states are: Arizona, Montana, Florida and Mississippi.
• Since 2019, Arizona’s “In God We Trust” license plate has given more than $1.4million to Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). The group is most well known for supporting legislation that bans trans youth from gender-affirming care and access to gender-aligned bathrooms and youth sports, and for recently winning their case in the U.S. Supreme Court, striking down Colorado’s conversion therapy ban.
• A majority of states in the U.S. have a specialty license plate that has brought in tens of millions of dollars for the Choose Life movement, a Christian conservative anti-abortion campaign that has been supported by ADF.

To be clear, specialty license plates are different from popular “vanity” license plates. Those license plates – celebrating status as a “RCKDRMR” or boasting being “2KEWL4U” – have specific rules that prevent duplication or offensive terms. (Though there have been arguments over what is considered “offensive.”)

But every state also has a series of specialty license plates that are used as fundraisers for special causes or groups: California has license plates for coastal protection access and firefighters; New York has a plate for Lupus Awareness and Autism Awareness.

For these plates, fees paid to the state are redirected to organisations that have applied to have the license plate made and met the qualifications.

In Arizona, for example, groups that want to create a specialty license plate must get a lawmaker to sponsor legislation establishing the license plate into the state register, raise $32,000 for setup fees and have the design approved by the state Motor Vehicle Division. Not every group achieves that goal. If they’re successful – and with the governor’s signature – $17 of every plate purchase goes to the organisation.

A similar process exists in Montana, where any qualifying nonprofit can launch a plate with a $4,000 deposit, and there are few mechanisms to revoke it beyond low circulation or failure to meet broad “public welfare” criteria.

But in states across the nation, that apolitical process is now a cash-grab for anti-LGBTQ groups.

In Montana, for example, the Montana Family Foundation earns $25 from each “In God We Trust” specialty license plate – raising more than $400,000 since 2019 – while advancing laws that define sex as binary, restrict gender-affirming care for minors and limit trans people’s access to restrooms.

Down in Florida, two specialty license plates have given over $450,000 to Florida Family Voice, a group that publicly supports the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.

And in Mississippi, the AFA – which operates media outlets like American Family Radio and American Family News, formerly known as OneNewsNow, and has a long record of promoting anti-LGBTQ rhetoric – launched a specialty plate that nets the group $24 per plate and has already generated more than $8,000 since rolling out this year.

But politicians have taken notice: In Arizona, for example, Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill recently that would have allowed a state license plate’s funds to go to Turning Point USA. She argued that license plates “should remain nonpartisan.”

But there’s the rub: License plates have been funding partisan political projects for more than a decade.

A National Campaign

It’s unclear where the first “In God We Trust” specialty plate appeared. What is known is that the version in Arizona has been arguably the most successful. Between 2012 and 2019, ADF’s “In God We Trust” license plate flew under the radar and only came under scrutiny in 2019 when an Arizona Department of Transportation spokesperson said the organisation had collected $827,000 in five years.

Originally approved in 2008, ADF started gathering money through the license plate when it was officially rolled out in 2012. But the idea gained popularity in 2016 under the banner of the Project Blitz campaign, a national coalition of Christian organisations that aimed to get “In God We Trust” on as many public surfaces as possible, including cars, claiming it was the national motto for the country.

The campaign continued. In 2017, the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation – one of the main organisations behind Project Blitz – had proposed model legislation that would have continued the success of ADF’s campaign by pursuing a “National Motto Display Act” that would display “In God We Trust,” in public buildings and on license plates across the U.S.

The caucus has also proposed model legislation that banned gender-affirming care for all transgender Americans as far back as 2016. It also promoted legislation that favored heterosexual relationships and marriages.

According to the secular group Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, ADF has aligned itself with Project Blitz and has filed amicus briefs alongside the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation in religious freedom cases.

ADF has been using Arizona as its home base for its conservative Christian, anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ positions since it was founded in 1994. The organisation was created by 35 Christians, including Alan Sears, who co-authored the 2003 book “The Homosexual Agenda: Exposing the Principal Threat to Religious Freedom Today.”

The nonprofit has drafted gender-affirming care bans across the country and helped write Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which limits classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity.

Since 2019, Arizona’s open records website shows ADF has received $1.4 million in disbursements from specialty plates.

LOOKOUT and Uncloseted Media reached out through email to ADF seeking clarification on how much money they’ve brought in total with their specialty plates, and how they’ve used that money. They did not respond.

“This is money that was, and continues to be, used to weaponise religion against vulnerable people,” Nick Fish, the president of American Atheists, told LOOKOUT and Uncloseted Media.

State Sen. Juan Mendez (D-Tempe) sponsored a bill to remove the plate in 2019. The bill died in committee.

In Montana, Florida and Mississippi We Trust

The strategy itself is not new.

The anti-abortion group Choose Life, Inc. first introduced their specialty license plates in Florida in 1998. Today, “Choose Life” plates are available in 33 states and Washington, D.C., often marketed as supporting adoption while directing funds to anti-abortion organisations, including affiliates of Choose Life America Inc. and the Family Policy Alliance, a coalition of conservative Christian organisations in 39 states that opposes marriage equality, transgender rights, sex consent education and bans on conversion therapy.

As of 2019, Choose Life America, Inc. reported raising $28million nationwide. And – with the help of ADF – they have fought for their ability to have plates in multiple states, including Arizona, New York and New Jersey. ADF also defended North Carolina’s plate from a legal challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union.

And while states have been slow – or altogether unconcerned – in stopping political groups’ manoeuvrings using specialty license plate funds to pay for lobbying or lawsuits, groups have accelerated their push into the cash cow for their own political gains.

In similar fashion to ADF, the Montana Family Foundation is collecting $25 for every license plate sold that features a waving flag and an image of the Liberty Bell with the phrase “In God We Trust.”

Since the organisation launched in 2002, they have helped pass or promote state laws that define sex as binary; that criminalise gender-affirming care to anyone under 16 years old; and that ban trans people from their gender-aligned restrooms. The organisation is allied with the Family Policy Alliance.

Since Montana Family Foundation began making money from the license plates in 2019, they have raised over $400,000.

Montana has a much simpler process for introducing new specialty plates than Arizona: Any 501(c)(3) can submit an application to the Department of Justice’s Motor Vehicles Division along with a $4,120 deposit and fees. So long as they meet a small list of requirements, including that “the primary purpose of the organisation … is service to the community through specific programs that promote improving public health, education, or general welfare,” they will likely be approved. Currently, state law only allows for existing plates to be revoked if they either violate these requirements or drop below 400 total plates in circulation.

In Mississippi, meanwhile, all standard license plates previously read “In God We Trust.” But that changed in 2023 after a lawsuit brought by American Atheists. In response, the AFA last year launched a new specialty plate bearing the slogan, which gives them $24 per purchase.

The AFA owns and operates conservative media organisations which frequently promote anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and misinformation. In a 2015 article, their vice president declared that “homosexuality is a sin” and that “the LGBTQ agenda imposes sexual anarchy.” And in 2019, they published an article about “the inescapable link between homosexuality and pedophilia.”

Already, the group has gained over $8,000 in plate sales in less than five months of receipts, according to publicly available data.

Florida has two license plates that fund Florida Family Voice (FFV) – a state-level affiliate of the Family Policy Alliance.

According to the group’s website, proceeds from the state’s “In God We Trust” and “America the Beautiful” specialty plates fund scholarships for young people to participate in Patriot Academy, a right-wing educational program that aims to “train citizens to understand and influence government policy with a Biblical worldview.” FFV has also hosted a summit in collaboration with Project 2025 authors The Heritage Foundation on “empowering parents to protect children” from “transgender ideology,” and they were strong supporters of the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

The funds for the two plates – more than $3.8million combined – go to the In God We Trust Foundation and America The Beautiful Fund, both nonprofits led by Christian activist couple Martin C. and Janet Boire. Since 2017, the two groups have together donated over $453,000 to FFV, as well as $154,000 to TPUSA, according to their tax filings.

The newsrooms reached out to the Family Policy Alliance, Montana Family Foundation and American Family Association on questions about their anti-LGBTQ work and the money brought in from their specialty plates. They did not respond.

Other States

LOOKOUT and Uncloseted Media also identified license plates in other states that fund groups that tangentially support anti-LGBTQ advocacy.

In Alabama, a specialty license plate emblazoned with the “Don’t Tread on Me,” or Gadsden Flag, donates more than $40 of its proceeds to the Foundation for Moral Law, a Christian conservative nonprofit that advocates against marriage equality. They’ve also filed amicus briefs supporting several ADF cases, including the one that overturned Colorado’s conversion therapy ban, as well as others pushing for states to out LGBTQ kids to their parents and grant foster care licenses to couples who refuse to accept trans identities.

The group was founded by former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who was suspended from his position for violating the Supreme Court’s legalisation of gay marriage and later fell into political irrelevancy after several women and girls accused him of sexual assault or harassment.

Uncloseted Media and LOOKOUT were unable to identify contact information for Roy Moore, but reached out to his wife, Foundation for Moral Law president Kayla Moore, via email, and received no response.

Like Montana, specialty plates in Alabama are approved by a simple application process, though they notably claim that they do not consider applications from “political organisations.”

The Christian Home School Association of Pennsylvania (CHAP), a state affiliate of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), also has a specialty plate. Co-founded by former ADF CEO Michael Farris, HSLDA advocates for Christian home schooling and has fought for the parental right to spank children with an instrument. CHAP’s website states that they oppose gay marriage and gay sex.

Advocacy groups aren’t the only ones raking in funds. Virginia also sells license plates that fund Liberty University, a private evangelical college with strong connections to the anti-LGBTQ right.

Students at the college are required to agree to a code of conduct called The Liberty Way, which bans “statements and behaviors that are associated with LGBT states of mind,” including holding hands with a person of the same gender or using pronouns different from those assigned at birth.

The university has especially strong ties with Liberty Counsel, the Christian legal group that petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn gay marriage last year.

A Legal Precedent

States have taken racist license plates off the road in the past.

In 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that Texas could refuse a request by the Sons of Confederate Veterans to release a specialty license plate in the state featuring the Confederate battle flag.

The ruling allowed Maryland and Virginia to rescind and recall similar Confederate flag plates in their own states, creating a legal precedent for the removal of plates that didn’t align with state values.

“Public funds should promote the public good,” said R.G. Cravens, senior research analyst with the SPLC. “As budgets tighten everywhere, states should prioritise support for inclusive civil society and democratic institutions, not subsidising anti-LGBTQ+ extremists.”

And not everyone who is deeply religious or conservative is on board. One Arizona woman, Roxanne Grona, who describes herself as a conservative Christian, said she wouldn’t want to give money to groups that use religion as a cudgel to do harm against queer people:

“I had an incident with a great-grandchild that has chosen a different way of life than I would have chosen,” she said. “In no way, if I bought an ‘In God We Trust’ license plate, would I want any money to do anything to harm that child or anyone else’s child.”

Additional data reporting by Joseph Darius Jaafari.

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Friday April 30, 1999 was supposed to be the start of a glorious bank holiday weekend. The sun was shining, workers had clocked off in their masses and, as is their wont, headed straight for the pub to meet with friends.

There was a certain weight in the air, as in the weeks prior, two nail bombs had targeted vulnerable communities around London. But in the Admiral Duncan, at the end of Old Compton Street, Soho, it was mostly business as usual – until somebody spotted an unattended holdall. Moments later, at about 6.30pm, it exploded.

Andrea Dykes was 27 and pregnant. She was visiting the pub with her friend Nick Moore, 31, and her husband’s best man John Light, 32. All three were killed in the blast.

Another 79 were injured. Among those who survived were Thomas Douglas, who was stood at the bar talking to Dykes when the blast occurred and ended up losing both his legs. Also injured was pub manager David Morley, known to friends as Sinders.

Both men have since passed away – Douglas died in 2017, while Morley was fatally attacked by a group of teenagers in 2004.

Admiral Duncan bombing was the third attack in two weeks

The Admiral Duncan attack was the third bombing in two weeks targeting vulnerable minority communities in the capital.

On April 17, a nail bomb targeting London’s Black community exploded in Brixton, injuring 47 people. Another blast took place in Brick Lane, the centre of the city’s Bangladeshi community, on April 24, harming six people.

Westminster councillor Ian Adams had gone out to Soho the evening of the attack, approaching Old Compton Street a few minutes after the bomb exploded shortly after 6.30pm.

“There was a lot of disruption of the roads and some of the roads were closed and there was police tape towards the end of Old Compton Street. There was a certain eeriness about the place. There was no panic and there were a lot of people milling around,” he told PinkNews in 2019.

“I think the community was just there together as one and wanting to provide reassurance to one another that people were alright,” he said.

“This is a very extreme case of hatred being played out on our streets. But I’m very, very conscious that today, hate crime is just a heartbeat away.”

All three nail bombs were the work of confessed racist and homophobe David Copeland, who was 22 at the time. His brutal actions devastated the capital, leaving communities confused, scared and feeling under siege.

Days after the Admiral Duncan bombing, Copeland was arrested. During his trial, it emerged that he considered himself a neo-Nazi and was obsessed with Hitler and bombs. Psychiatrists diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia. He was found guilty and handed six concurrent life sentences.

In October 2015, he pleaded guilty to wounding with in intent after attacking an inmate at HM Prison Belmarsh, and was sentenced to three more years, though he will serve just 18 months.

Admiral Duncan memorial in 2026

Guests are invited to remember the three people who lost their lives, and the 79 who were injured, at the venue today, 30 April 2026, from 5pm.

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In the queer military drama, Heizer played closeted lead character Cameron Cope. O’Brien appeared as the chaotic Thaddeus Beau Stirling Hicks.

Sharing photos to his Instagram Story, O’Brien revealed that he was spending time with Heizer, who he previously described as his “soulmate”.

In one photo, the actors – both out as gay – could be seen in a gym. Posing with their shirts off, the boys’ proudly showed off their sculpted bodies.

The double thirst trap made its way to X, and it’s safe to say fans were not calm about it.

One said: “I still don’t get how dude’s abs are so sculpted and bulging.” Another wrote: “And this didn’t get a second season for what reason?”

Someone else wrote: “I think I’m pregnant. I’m a man.” A fourth added: “Gawd d*** what a beautiful day to have eyes.”

‘That’s my best friend in the entire world’

Angus O’Brien previously opened up on the bond he’d made with Miles Heizer while working on the show together.

He told Out in October 2025: “That’s my best friend in the entire world. I’ve had cast friends before, and I love those kinds of relationships. But if there was anything surprising from the experience of shooting Boots: It was unexpected to meet someone that I do feel like is a complete soulmate of mine.

“I’ve never had that experience on a job before. It made showing up to work every day so much fun. It made the times where we were all nervous, and spiralling, and scared, that much more bearable. We could sort of text each other and rely on each other.”

Why was Boots cancelled?

Sadly, Boots was cancelled by Netflix after just one season.

After the streaming giant caught some backlash for the decision, CEO Ted Sarandos was forced to deny it was axed because The Pentagon had branded it “woke garbage”.

He told Variety in February 2026: “These are all business decisions based on audience relative to the cost of the show. Do the people who push play watch it ‘til the end? Do they give it a couple thumbs up? Does it keep growing? All those things. That decision is made every day.”

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

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After the line-up of 18 queens returning for another chance at the crown was confirmed, the famous faces set to make an appearance have been revealed in a new trailer.

It has now been revealed that some huge names, including gay icons, of course, will be taking their seat on the judging panel to spill the tea on the queens’ efforts.

They include singers Latoya Jackson and Reneé Rapp, actresses Kate Hudson, Juno Temple, Christina Ricci, Gina Gershon and Janelle James, actors Brian Tyree Henry, Cooper Koch and Evan Mulrooney, Real Housewives star Bronwyn Newport, and choreographer Jamal Sims.

Fans are buzzing over the guest judge line-up. One said on X: “Janelle James we cheered.” Another said: “Christina Ricci oh my God my queen.” A third wrote: “Reneé and Janelle? We won!”

The trailer also revealed a big twist for this season of All Stars.

Like All Stars 10, the returning queens will compete in three brackets, with only some from each group advancing to the next stage.

In All Stars 10, the top three queens from each group at the end of their three-episode bracket moved forward to the semifinals, as well as the judges’ wild card.

However, in the All Stars 11 trailer, Ru reveals just two from each group will go forward.

We can’t wait to see how this turns out…

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

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The performers, alongside their CEO, Mitski Avalox, originally sued the city in 2023 after being denied a permit to host an all-ages drag show in a city-owned public park.

They argued that St. George’s denial violated their rights to free speech and equal protection.

Backed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, the group said the denial was part of a broader pattern of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.

“This is the latest offense in a larger pattern of attacks discriminating against gender-diverse and LGBTQ+ people and their rights in Utah and throughout the country,” said ACLU attorney Emerson Sykes, via AP.

While the city claimed it was simply enforcing event regulations, the court ultimately sided with the performers, and a 2025 settlement included both compensation and a public apology.

The latest ruling confirms that the city must also cover the substantial legal costs associated with the case.

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The ruling adds to an earlier Federal Court decision that deemed the same post defamatory, with Latham already ordered to cover Greenwich’s $140,000 legal costs. The tribunal described Latham’s original comment as so extreme that most media outlets refused to repeat it, signalling a clear breach of acceptable public discourse.

The case stems from a heated exchange between the two politicians in 2023, after violent protests outside a church in Sydney where Latham was giving a speech at the time.

After Latham’s offensive post, Greenwich’s office was inundated with abuse, including threats and hate messages. Evidence presented to the tribunal showed the impact was severe, with a psychologist confirming Greenwich met the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Mr Latham’s comments sought to reduce my identity to a sex act and then imply I am a danger to children,” Greenwich said as a part of evidence in the tribunal.

“Mr Latham’s comments have impacted my ability to attend large gatherings out of fear that people will ask me questions about Mr Latham or engage in violence against me,” he continued, as per Daily Mail.

The tribunal rejected Latham’s argument that he was not responsible for the backlash, ruling that his comments directly fuelledthe surge in hostility.

Greenwich welcomed the decision as a landmark moment for LGBTQ+ protections, emphasising that public figures cannot use online platforms to spread harmful rhetoric without consequences. Latham, meanwhile, has shown no sign of backing down, criticising the ruling and indicating he plans to appeal.

The tribunal also ordered him to remove any further vilifying content and refrain from making similar statements in the future.

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In a post on Instagram, Fowlie gave details about the case surrounding his sister, who went missing four months ago. He said that, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Downer is no longer alive.

He explained that it appears that Downer’s phone and social media were “compromised” a few weeks before she went missing. According to Fowlie, the person who took her phone then used it to hide his sister’s disappearance and to ask people for money via social media. The phone was also used to create the narrative that Downer was going “off the grid”.

Fowlie asked his followers to share his Instagram post in the hopes that it will prompt anyone with information about Downer’s disappearance to come forward and share it with the LAPD. He wrote: “Our prayers for her to be found safely have transformed into prayers for the truth to be revealed and for those responsible to be held accountable.”

As well as information about the ongoing case, Fowlie’s Instagram post included childhood and recent photos of his sister. He also wrote that he wants “to amplify her story in the only way I know how and to express that she was a beautiful person who matters in this world, especially to me.”

Fowlie has previously posted about his sister’s disappearance on Instagram, with a post shared in December, saying that she was last seen in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles. In this post, he wrote: “I heard from her on Nov 26th. She was active on social media up to Dec 15th.”

Christina Lynn Downer is a 38-year-old woman, approximately 120 pounds and 5’11” inches tall. She has dark brown hair and eyes.

Anyone with information relating to the case should contact the LAPD.

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The married couple, whose relationship was documented on Made in Chelsea, recently welcomed their first child Ziggy. They tied the knot in 2023, but have been plagued with accusations that Laing is gay and Habboo is his beard.

Speaking on Olivia Attwood’s podcast Olivia’s House, they got stuck in with the claims.

“Is it exhausting being his beard?” Attwood asked Habboo, who laughed: “It really is. Guys, my back is aching!”

Candy Kittens boss Laing quickly added: “Can I just say… I’m not gay.”

Habboo replied: “I would say today is the most gay you’ve appeared. You’re just flamboyant on another level today.”

Attwood went on to explain for listeners who might have missed it. “For back reference, we’re not outing Jamie on this podcast, this is the Daily Mail comments,” she said. “This is the Daily Mail commenters. They basically say, ‘There’s something off about this relationship. This man is gay.’ How does that make you feel, on a serious note?”

Habboo said: “Are they all gunning for the lavender marriage? I’m like down for that. I thought they were saying we have a lovely, flowery, gorgeous marriage, not calling me a f****** beard!”

Laing jumped in with a funny story which showed it wasn’t just online trolls who thought he was gay.

“When I started my Radio 1 show with Vick Hope, who’s married to Calvin Harris, at the beginning, we’d just done the BRITS, and she said: ‘You’ll never guess what my husband said.’ And I was like, ‘Calvin Harris? What did he say?’

“She was like, ‘He saw a picture of you in the Mail and I was like, that’s my co-host,’ and Calvin Harris was like, ‘Who’s that with him?’ And Vick said: ‘That’s his wife.’ And he went: ‘Oh, I thought he was gay.’

“So it’s like, spread. Which, by the way, I think it’s a compliment. I’m in for it.”

Clearly taking it on the chin, Habboo added: “You love a heel. You love dying your hair. You love Botox. He went and got laser last night.”

What is a lavendar marriage?

Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo aren’t the only famous faces linked to a “lavender marriage”. Wicked Cynthia Erivo joked on Instagram that she and her gay co-star Jonathan Bailey were in one too.

A lavender marriage is a term that describes a wedding, usually between a man and a woman, in which one or both partners are LGBTQ+, with the entire relationship only existing to conceal their sexual orientation.

They were particularly common in the early to mid 20th-century, when being openly gay could destroy a celebrity’s career. For example, in Hollywood’s “golden era” of the 1940s and 1950s, publicists often arranged lavender marriages to maintain a male star’s “marketable image” as a heartthrob, but queer people who weren’t in the public eye often formed lavender marriages too, for safety, security and a veneer of respectability.

Gay actor Rock Hudson’s 1955 wedding to Phyllis Gates is widely believed to have been a studio-driven attempt to quell speculation about his sexuality, and another often-referenced example is Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli. Several Hollywood historians and biographers have written that Minnelli had relationships with men, particularly before he became a major director at MGM.

Also, actress Rita Hayworth’s marriage to director Orson Welles and the union between actor Cary Grant and heiress Barbara Hutton are sometimes included in discussions of potential lavender marriage.

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

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The 68-year-old is seeking up to £100,000 in damages, after filing a personal injury claim against CogX Festival Ltd and the creative agency Blonstein Events Ltd.

The Celebrity Traitors star, who had been booked to give a talk on AI, detailed his injuries in December 2023, during a chat with Claudia Winkleman on BBC Radio 2.

He said: “I did my bow after delivering this lecture, turned to go off stage and didn’t realise that I was walking off the part of the stage where there was nothing – just a 6ft drop on to concrete.

“So I broke my right leg in a couple of places and my hip and pelvis in four places and a bunch of ribs.”

He also said he had “praised [his] lucky stars” that his skull or spine were not injured as a result.

According to BBC News, the court documents say: “The incident was caused by the negligence and/or breach of statutory duty of the Defendants, its servants or agents, in failing to ensure that the stage and backstage area were safe, adequately lit and properly protected to prevent a fall from height.”

Fry’s lawyer Keith Barrett said: “It’s very unfortunate that court proceedings were necessary, but the Defendants do not accept Sir Stephen’s account of events, and we have had to ask the court to determine who is responsible for his injury and losses.”

CogX Festival Ltd’s response

A spokesperson for CogX Festival Ltd said: “We are unable to comment while the legal process is ongoing, but we were all deeply concerned when Stephen had the accident after giving his incredible speech on the Impact of AI, and we continue to send him our best wishes for a full recovery.”

Meanwhile, BBC News reports that Blonstein Events Ltd, which is also listed as a defendant, has not yet been formally notified of the lawsuit.

“No court proceedings have been served by Sir Stephen Fry, nor those representing him,” the company said in a statement.

“If court proceedings are served both we and our insurers are confident that our defence will be successful as we were in no way responsible for this incident.”

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On Wednesday (29 April), she posted a photo to her X account, saying: “Girl I’m in body jail,” adding the hashtag “hell on Earth”.

In the photo, Katya – real name Brian McCook – could be seen lying on a hospital bed in a blue gown, with tubes hooked up to her nose. She posed with a thumb up.

Over the top of the image, the TV drag queen wrote: “Body jail.”

While she did not elaborate on what she was going through, she wrote a separate post after which read: “Everyone gets sick. (Almost) everybody gets old. And every one dies.”

‘Escape the body prison now!’

Fans have been sending positive thoughts to Katya in the replies – well, in the way Drag Race fans do, at least.

One said: “Don’t die b**** we need you.” Another commented: “What organs do you need? I WILL find them.”

A third said: “Katya no. Escape the body prison now!” Someone else wrote: “Brian what is this! Don’t you dare!”

Of course, others were slightly less extreme. One said: “Oh no! Hope you get better really soon.” Another added: “Oh no! Sending lots of love and positive recovery vibes.”

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

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On 29 April, Deadline confirmed that production company A24 UK has optioned the TV rights to it.

The 2020 novel follows Luc O’Donnelly, son of two rock stars from the 1980s, and his unlikely romance with barrister Oliver Blackwood. It is the first in the London’s Calling series, with Husband Material following in 2022, and Father Material completing the trilogy this June.

After its initial release, it grew popular on the “BookTok” side of TikTok.

Of course, it can take quite a while between a book being optioned and it making it to the screen.

Red, White & Royal Blue went into production at Amazon Studios in 2019, the same year it was published, and was then released in 2023. A sequel is currently in production, with a release date not yet confirmed.

Similarly, Jacob Tierney reached out to Game Changers author Rachel Reid in August 2023 about creating a TV show based on her novels. Heated Rivalry eventually made it to screens in late 2025.

Boyfriend Material fan cast

With the news that Boyfriend Material is being made into a television series, fans will no doubt be running wild with their dream castings for the roles.

In fact, some have already had their say on who should play Luc and Oliver.

On My Cast, Louis Partridge is a popular choice for Luc, while Richard Madden is backed to play Oliver.

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

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The OfS attempted to impose a fine of £585,000 on the university for its policies surrounding trans and non-binary inclusion. The fine was the largest ever levied by the OfS and raised concerns for universities across the country.

The university, located in East Sussex, had a Trans and Non-Binary Equality Policy Statement which required staff and students to “positively represent trans people”, with transphobia “not tolerated” at the institution.

In March last year, the OfS ruled the university’s trans inclusive policy could lead to a “chilling effect” and self-censorship of opposing gender-critical perspectives. The OfS began an investigation into the policy after Kathleen Stock left her job as a professor of philosophy at the institution.

Stock, who believes biological sex is more important than gender, resigned from her post after police advised her to stay away from campus when a series of protests over her views broke out.

The watchdog set out in its decision that Stock, who is regularly given a public platform for her views, became “more cautious” about expressing her beliefs due to the policy.

On 29 April, High Court judge Mrs Justice Lieven looked into how the fine from the OfS was issued as opposed to the circumstances surrounding Stock’s departure from the University of Sussex.

The court case concluded with the High Court rejecting the claims that Sussex University had breached free speech regulations and with the judge saying that the Office for Students had “closed its mind” to any other outcome for the investigation.

She also noted that the OfS had interviewed Stock as part of the investigation, but failed to interview anyone from the university, despite receiving requests from the university itself to do so.

Following the ruling, vice-chancellor of the University of Sussex, Sasha Roseneil, said: “I am delighted that Sussex’s foundational commitments to academic freedom and freedom of speech have been recognised by the high court, and that the OfS’s egregious decision against the university, and the fine it sought to impose, have been overturned.”

She continued: “The University of Sussex has a proud history of being the place where the most contentious issues of the day are aired – where independent-minded, critical thinkers develop their ideas, and where lively and engaged students work out how they understand the world.

“We will continue to focus on creating an open, inclusive and respectful campus culture in which differences of opinion can be expressed and explored, and in which students and staff of all backgrounds, beliefs and identities are able to flourish.”

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The 39-year-old gay reality star told fans previously that he had gone under the knife and shared photos of his bandaged face.

He showed off his newly tightened face on This Morning on 29 April, with hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard.

Norris, who found fame on reality show TOWIE in 2012, said: “I had no option but to get a facelift as I had overstretched my face from fillers.

“I was really abusing fillers and for a 10-year window I was going every 12 weeks.

“I removed all my fillers, so I had to have a facelift.”

He added: “I’m almost correcting my stupidity with the facelift.”

The Essex chap explained: “I knew I’d always do my face in my 40s because I’d been told, you can have some of these facials, it’s only gonna do so much. I just thought, I’m waiting for my 40s for that, but tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Do what makes you feel better.

“I’m just always honest about it. For me, documenting my journey, I think some people look at surgery and being in the public eye and think it’s like Stars in their Eyes, you walk through the door and then you come out somewhere different, but it’s not that.

“It’s not I’m gonna have a facelift on Monday, by Friday I’m gonna go down the Sugar Hut. It’s surgery.”

He said: “My pain relied was brilliant. It’s more a discomfort. It’s not a weekend at Champney’s, let’s have it right, it’s surgery. We’re not gonna jazz it up, I’m not gonna sit here and lie.”

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.

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Human rights campaigner Tatchell was arrested on 31 January at a march, after carrying a placard which read: “Globalise the intifada. Non-violent resistance. End Israel’s occupation of Gaza & West Bank.”

The 74-year-old was bailed on the condition that he would not attend any other pro-Palestine demonstrations.

He has since been granted unconditional bail, after a magistrate found that the conditions set were “unreasonable and disproportionate”, he saud.

Speaking on 29 April, Tatchell said: “The police claimed that my use of the word intifada was a racially and religiously aggravated offence under Section 5 of the Public Order Act. Not true. My placard did not mention anyone’s race or religion. Many Jewish & Israeli people also non-violently oppose Netanyahu & his mass killing of Palestinian civilians. Police are not enforcing the law; they are fabricating interpretations of it. 

“My arrest was an attack on free speech. The police claim the word intifada is unlawful. But it is not a crime in law. The police are interpreting public order legislation in ways never intended by parliament. They are undermining the right to protest and engaging in overreach by making expression of the word intifada an arrestable offence.

“This is part of a dangerous trend to increasingly restrict and criminalise peaceful protests.”

 He continued: “The Arab word intifada means uprising, rebellion or resistance against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. It does not mean violence and is not antisemitic. It is against the Israeli regime and its war crimes, not against Jewish people. 

“By ‘non-violent resistance’ I was advocating boycott, sanction and divestment – the same tactics that helped bring down the apartheid regime in South Africa. 

‘My arrest was an attack on free speech’

“’Globalise the intifada’ means create a worldwide campaign in support of Palestinian rights, similar to the anti-apartheid movement. 

“The police are misguided to conflate support for Palestinian resistance to oppression with hatred and attacks on Jews.

“I have a long history of defending Jewish people against the antisemitism of the far right and Islamist extremists. I joined the March Against Antisemitism, with the Chief Rabbi and thousands of Jewish people, on 26 November 2023, after the 7 October massacre.”

Tatchell is now consulting his solicitors about a civil action against the police for wrongful arrest, 12 hours in detention and the ban on him attending Palestine protests.

It was his 104th arrest or detention by the police in the 59 years he has been campaigning for human rights.

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And while from the outside it looks to be a dark story of a love affair between a highly religious woman and a mysterious outside, it actually includes a big, gay secret.

Spoilers for Unchosen are ahead, so keep that in mind if you continue to read…

The psychological thriller is set in a religious sect in the UK, and stars the likes of Asa Butterfield, Molly Windsor, Christopher Eccleston, Siobhan Finnernan, and Fra Fee (who is gay in real life, which isn’t the secret we’re talking about).

It follows Rosie (Molly Windsor) as she tries to get away from her abusive husband Adam (Asa Butterfield) and the constraints of the extremely religious group.

She meets mysterious outsider Sam (Fra Fee) when he saves her young daughter from drowning. It’s eventually revealed that Sam is a double murderer and on the run from prison, and he soon infiltrates his way into the group.

While Sam and Rosie do have an illicit affair, and he seems dangerously obsessed with her, the Netflix series also features an important gay storyline between Sam and Adam.

Who is gay in Unchosen?

In the show, viewers meet controlling, abusive Adam, who is eventually promoted to Elder within the religious group.

It’s clear that having sex with his wife, Rosie, is a chore for him rather than something he enjoys, and at one point he even rapes her as a punishment after he decides she’s broken a rule of the group.

However it soon becomes apparent that it isn’t just that he doesn’t enjoy sex with Rosie – he’s hiding the fact that he is gay, which would see him excommunicated from the group.

Viewers learn that Mr and Mrs Phillips’ (Christopher Eccleston and Siobhan Finneran) son was kicked out of the group, and is living with his male partner and their child.

Adam struggles with his secret when attractive Sam arrives, and the scheming convict uses that to his advantage.

At one point, he manipulates a struggling Adam into performing a sex act on him. Taking things one step further, he secretly films the encounter on his phone.

Later in the series, Sam uses the video to blackmail Adam in the finale and it’s revealed in the closing moments that Sam becomes the leader of the group.

Who is Fra Fee?

Sam is very obviously attracted to women – given his romp with Rosie and the fact he murdered his ex-girlfriend because she wanted to end things – so it isn’t clear whether the character is bisexual or just twisted enough to use sex as a way of gaining power. Given what we see of him during the series, the latter seems a very real possibility.

However in real life, the actor behind the character – Fra Fee – is gay. He has appeared in queer roles in the likes of Lost Boys and Fairies, and Prime Target.

The Irish star confirmed he was gay in a 2020 post on X about RuPaul’s Drag Race.

He has been married to EastEnders actor and singer Declan Bennett since 2024.

Unchosen is available to stream on Netflix.

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The post Netflix’s cult thriller series Unchosen features a big gay secret appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Speaking in a Get Ready With Me-style video posted to her social media channels on 24 April, the actress shared what it’s like to be cast in a long-running Broadway musical as a trans person.

Mulvaney has been starring as Anne Boleyn in historical pop concert show Six the Musical, which tells the story of each of Henry VIII’s six wives, for the last two months.

The announcement regarding her casting was met with significant backlash, largely from right-wing groups, with many people calling the casting decision “woke” and others saying that the role of Anne Boleyn should have gone to someone assigned female at birth.

In the video, Mulvaney said that she is “having the time of [her] life” starring in the show.

“I’m filming this today from a place of abundance and not scarcity because some days I do not feel so great about myself but I’ve had some really good shows lately,” she continued.

“Little by little, I think the industry is realising that when you make an effort to include someone with a different life experience it can give a character such a fresh and nuanced perspective,” she said, adding that she hopes she is doing that with Anne Boleyn.

She went on to explain that “the biggest hurdle for trans people in musicals is changing the keys”, and that she sings the majority of the songs for Six in the original key except for her solo, “Don’t Lose Your Head”.

“Lucy [Moss] and Toby [Marlow] who wrote Six made it very clear that these were songs that could be sung by many different voice types. As long as the story was being told, it shouldn’t matter what key it was in,” she said.

“I want to give them their flowers, because we really need more writers giving their blessing to casting trans people.”

Mulvaney also shared some of the criticism she received earlier on in the show’s run, specifically around a small moment in the show where she sings a snippet of “Don’t Lose Your Head” in the original key as part of a larger reprise performance with the rest of the cast.

“When I started in February I was seeing comments from our first night where people were saying very unkind things about my singing and it took me a long time to realise that those people weren’t actually seeing me in the show,” she explained.

“They were basing their opinions on a very small clip on the internet and they made me really hate that moment in the show,” Mulvaney said, referencing the reprise at the end of the show.

“I’m really glad to have taken back my power and I’m not really interested in criticism unless it’s coming from someone who is sitting in that theatre, seeing the show in its entirety and not just from a 16-second bootleg on TikTok.”

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Becca Good filed a motion on Friday (24 April) seeking access to the vehicle, her 2014 Honda Pilot, which has remained sealed and unexamined since the January shooting during an immigration protest in Minneapolis. The Department of Justice decided against investigating the incident earlier this year.

Becca Good’s motion states that since that decision, the federal government has repeatedly ignored requests from the family to turn over evidence, including the SUV. Both the Good family and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension have been blocked from access.

Good’s family attorney, Antonio Romanucci, said in a statement to MPR News on 27 April: “The federal government cannot at once declare that it will not investigate the shooting death of Renee Good by a federal agent and at the same time withhold key evidence from those seeking the truth.”

“Very likely, there are either some bullet fragments or bullets themselves that are inside the vehicle. There may be shell casings that wound up inside the vehicle. There may be other pieces of evidence inside that vehicle… Pursuing a civil rights investigation would contradict the president’s false claims that Renée ‘violently, willfully and viciously’ ran over the ICE officer who killed her,” Romanucci continued.

Renée Good was shot by Jonathan Ross as she attempted to drive away, with officials claiming the officer acted in self-defence.

But video footage reportedly shows her turning away before accelerating down the street and crashing into a parked car.

Her final words, recorded on Ross’s phone, were: “That’s fine, dude, I’m not mad at you.”

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