Simu Liu has defended actor Hudson Williams after an old photo showing Williams with a swastika drawn on his forehead resurfaced online, warning about “bad actors” and internet hate campaigns in a Threads post.

The image, which appears to show Williams as a teenager, has circulated on social media in recent days. Liu wrote that the backlash brought up his own experiences of being targeted online after he became well known.

“Soo I have this very specific trauma attached to people on the internet fabricating things about me and twisting things into a massive hate campaign when I first broke out,” Liu wrote. “I began to recognize patterns whenever people of colour specifically had a moment of visibility. It happened like clockwork and I see it happening now. The internet is insane. Bad actors are everywhere. If you’re here, be careful. Be smart.”

In a separate Threads post, Liu also criticised BuzzFeed’s coverage, writing: “for an organization that has become synonymous with clickbait to never grow, never evolve, never have a moment of self awareness, and just carry on publishing vile sensationalist bullshit like this is just sad. stop picking on people of colour for absolutely nothing. no wonder your IPO failed so miserably. You’re on par with TMZ at this point”

What’s been said about the photo

Williams has not publicly commented on the photograph.

Claims about the context have been attributed to people close to him. It has been reported that sources close to Williams said he had “no idea” the hate symbol had been drawn on him when the photo was taken.

It has also been reported that the image came from a “campout” tradition in his Canadian hometown where teens would cover each other with Sharpie drawings, and that Williams “knows there’s nothing comical about it”.

A friend of Williams said: “The markings do not and have never reflected Hudson’s beliefs, values, or character.”

Who Simu Liu and Hudson Williams are

Liu is the Canadian actor best known for starring as Shang-Chi in Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and for playing Jung Kim in Kim’s Convenience. He has spoken publicly about racism and representation in entertainment, and published the memoir We Were Dreamers.

Williams’ profile has risen recently following the breakout success of Heated Rivalry. The recently resurfaced photo has caused a storm online in recent days, with further context about Hudson Williams and the photo being shared by people close to him.

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Court filings in Jennifer An’s lawsuit against Kanye West reportedly reference alleged messages from La Roux singer Elly Jackson in which she said she remembered the incident as “horrific”. An has also spoken publicly about her allegation on the BBC’s Fame Under Fire podcast.

An sued West for sexual assault under New York City’s Gender Motivated Violence Protection Act in November 2024. She alleges West choked her and subjected her to “pornographic gagging” during a 2009 shoot for La Roux’s ‘In For The Kill’.

On the BBC podcast, An described the atmosphere on set at Manhattan’s Chelsea Hotel, saying crew members were “running around the Chelsea Hotel, they’re like, ‘Kanye’s coming, Kanye’s coming’.” She said models were lined up in a hallway and that West “came through and chose three girls to be in the scene with him”, including her.

An said she was given little direction before the alleged incident. “I didn’t know what was gonna happen. I was given no direction. I was just told to sit in this chair,” she said. She then alleged: “All of a sudden he just reaches a hand out and starts choking me, and I’m just not sure what’s happening. And then, he pulled his other hand out and starts choking me with both hands, and then starts smearing my makeup all over my face and sticking his hands inside of my mouth.” An said the action “simulated oral sex”. Asked if she tried to stop him, she said: “No, I didn’t because I didn’t know what I was doing… I was more frozen, it’s like ‘I could lose my job.’”

What the lawsuit alleges

According to An, the alleged incident took place during filming at the Chelsea Hotel, where she was working as a background actor. West’s lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing in part that the conduct occurred while producing expressive art and should be protected by free speech, as set out in the motion described in court coverage. The case has not yet gone to trial.

La Roux messages referenced in filings

In a filing in March, An’s lawyers submitted new affidavits to corroborate her claims, including alleged Instagram exchanges attributed to Jackson, via court documents obtained by Rolling Stone. Jackson is quoted as writing: “I could never forget that, it was horrific,” and adding: “I have never seen the footage (thankfully) and obviously I asked for it to never be used or for it to be seen as you were understandably very concerned about anyone or your family seeing it.” She also allegedly wrote: “I’m so sorry it happened”.

An was a finalist on America’s Next Top Model in 2009. La Roux’s music has long been popular in queer nightlife with her newest single being released last month. West has remained a lightning rod for controversy in recent years, and was linked to UK festival headlines after Wireless Festival was cancelled for 2026 as headliner Kanye West was barred from the UK.

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David Harbour has said the public fallout after ex-wife Lily Allen released her album West End Girl triggered a “frightening mental health emergency”, as he returns to the spotlight with HBO’s DTF St. Louis. The 51-year-old spoke in a new Variety interview, published on 10 June.

Harbour plays ASL interpreter Floyd Smernitch in DTF St. Louis. The series was a ratings success when it aired in spring 2026 and has put him in contention for his first Emmy, after two Stranger Things nominations.

Discussing his transformation for the role, Harbour said the production designed a prosthetic belly so he could look “Midwestern-dad pudgy”. “I guess it’s just part of my process,” he said. “I don’t think I could have danced as fun and as free as I did without that belly.”

He also connected the character to wider themes. “It’s a little bit about the landscape of America,” Harbour said. “I’m always thinking of the archetype of the American man and the American dream.”

West End Girl and the mental health crisis

Speaking about the release of Allen’s album, Harbour said, “It was weird. I do believe that it is the privilege of every artist to use their experience to create art, and so I respect her for doing that. I can’t really say that much more because it’s my private life. In spite of the fact that a lot of people don’t allow me a private life — I value it. And I also value the lives of the people that I interact with privately. I just won’t speak about that. Stories are complex and that’s why I say I respect her creation of art to channel her experience. It wasn’t my experience.”

Harbour has long been open about his struggles with bipolar disorder. In October 2025, a month before Stranger Things started airing its final season, Allen released West End Girl, and Harbour said the moment coincided with a “frightening mental health emergency”.

The pair married in 2020 in Las Vegas. Their public profile was amplified by a 2023 Architectural Digest tour of their Brooklyn townhouse, a video that has more than 9 million views.

Allen has described the album as using “artistic license”, adding: “I don’t think I could say it’s all true,” in comments referenced in the interview.

DTF St. Louis and leaving Stranger Things

Harbour said he felt ready to move on by the time Stranger Things ended. “At a certain point,” he said, “you kind of run out of story. We had gone as far with these characters as we could, and we were starting to, in a subtle way, repeat beats.”

Allen, known for hits including “Smile” and “The Fear”, has also acted on stage, including a high-profile run in 2:22 A Ghost Story in the West End. She announced her first tour since 2019 following the album’s release, and recently headlined Mighty Hoopla 2026.

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New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani used his administration’s inaugural Pride Month celebration to pledge protection for trans and queer New Yorkers amid what he described as relentless federal attacks under President Donald Trump, in an interview with The Advocate.

Mamdani invited several hundred people to a New York City courthouse in lower Manhattan on Tuesday evening. “We are so proud of our status as a haven for queer people,” he said, adding that the city is dedicated to “protecting trans and queer New Yorkers from these relentless attacks that we’re facing with the federal administration.”

He said: “We view it as part of a longer-term commitment to safeguarding the rights of queer and trans people across the city, across ages,” pointing to steps taken since he took office in January.

Those include creating the city’s first Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, launching a public awareness campaign around public safety for trans people, and earmarking $15 million for gender-affirming health care in the city’s executive budget. The city’s health department also announced last week that it plans to open its own trans health clinic for adults.

Pride event at a Manhattan courthouse

The celebration mixed politicians, activists, actors and drag artists, with speakers repeatedly returning to the need for organising as anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment grows nationally.

Peppermint, the actress and drag artist serving as NYC Pride grand marshal this year, told the crowd: “Regardless of all of the rhetoric and all of the lies and all of the misinformation, we are going to show them who we are as a community.” She added: “We’re definitely going to show them how New York City does it.”

Taylor Brown, a lawyer and director of the new Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, said support also means focusing on day-to-day stability. “Those are the things that people need, especially LGBTQIA+ people,” Brown said, referring to priorities such as affordability, housing, education and health care. “Those are the things that people need to truly live a self-sustaining, meaningful, and happy life. That’s what I want for everyone.”

What Mamdani says NYC is doing

Mamdani’s rise has been closely watched nationally as part of a broader generational shift in US urban politics. Threats from the Trump administration have reportedly led major New York City health providers to shutter gender-affirming care programmes for youth, and Mount Sinai Health System has reportedly agreed to hand over sensitive records concerning trans patients to the federal government. Mamdani has also drawn attention over the planned clinic’s age scope, with the city’s new transgender care clinic set to serve adults.

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The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has moved away from its Vauxhall office after an attack on the building, with chair Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson telling MPs that fears for staff safety have escalated following a Supreme Court ruling on the Equality Act’s definition of sex.

Giving evidence to the women and equalities select committee on Tuesday, Stephenson said the watchdog had been forced to relocate “because of an attack on the building, vandalism, by a group that had also vandalised conferences and Wes Streeting’s office”.

Stephenson also told MPs the wider public argument around sex and gender had become “increasingly febrile and deeply unpleasant”. She said: “It has been unpleasant for trans people. It has also been very unpleasant for very many numbers of women who were trying to argue what the Supreme Court has now said is the law.”

Independent MP Rosie Duffield, who resigned from Labour in 2024, questioned whether EHRC staff felt safe following demonstrations against the commission’s work.

What Stephenson told the committee

Stephenson argued: “One of the best ways to resolve these sorts of conflicts is through dialogue that recognises the needs of different groups.”

She added: “I think one of the reasons why discussion has become so unpleasant in this area is because for such a long time, that dialogue was prevented from happening.”

Claims have also circulated about who was responsible for the vandalism. A group called Bash Back is reportedly believed to be behind threats to the EHRC. Videos were also said to have circulated on social media last year showing activists spray painting the building and destroying windows.

The group was quoted as saying: “But they demand certain rights be denied from trans people – denied from us specifically. Are we not human?” and “We will not stop until we are free,” in comments attributed to it.

Why the EHRC is under scrutiny

The EHRC is the UK’s statutory equality body, responsible for promoting and enforcing equality and non-discrimination laws and advising on human rights standards. Its interventions and guidance on sex and gender have been politically contentious in recent years, including over updated draft code proposals on single-sex spaces.

Stephenson’s evidence comes amid continued political pressure on the commission’s approach, with more than 100 MPs signing a bid to disapprove its single-sex spaces code.

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Perrie Edwards has said she was “broken” after learning that former Little Mix bandmate Jesy Nelson’s twin daughters were diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy Type 1 (SMA1). Edwards made the comments during a Great Company podcast interview with Jamie Laing.

Reflecting on where they stand now, Edwards said she and Nelson are “not that close anymore” and “we’re not in each other’s lives”, but insisted their shared history still hits hard. “We’ll always have that weird connection. And seeing Jesy go through that, it broke me,” she said.

Edwards added: “Because you wouldn’t wish that on anyone. It’s literally wild.” She continued: “I don’t want to see her hurt and I don’t want to see any of that. It’s heartbreaking.”

Perrie on Jesy and the documentary

Asked whether there was a way back to friendship, Edwards suggested she pulled back further after Nelson’s documentary Life After Little Mix. “If I’m being completely transparent, part of me wanted to until the documentary. And then part of me withdrew again,” she said.

Edwards also said she does not have “the capacity” for a relationship with Nelson anymore, adding: “There’s personal things, there’s public things, there’s everything. I don’t have the capacity for somebody like that in my life anymore. And that might make me sound like a bitch, but I just don’t have the energy for it.”

In the same conversation, Edwards said she was upset that Nelson, in her view, did not take accountability for her actions during the final months of Little Mix.

Little Mix context

Nelson left Little Mix in December 2020 after saying the pressure had taken a toll on her mental health. The remaining members later announced they were taking a hiatus in 2022.

Little Mix have long been embraced by LGBTQ+ audiences, with a strong presence at Pride events and in queer nightlife playlists. Edwards has previously spoken about the pressures of fame and tabloid scrutiny, including Little Mix weighing the risks of flying a Pride flag in Dubai.

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Trans advocates in Ohio have condemned a federal settlement that the US Department of Justice announced on 6 June, saying Cleveland Clinic will put $2 million into no-cost “detransition” services and actively publicise them while continuing to refuse gender-affirming care for minors.

Dara Adkison, executive director of TransOhio, criticised the health system’s decision to comply with the settlement, saying: “Cleveland Clinic, once a highly respected medical institution, continues to show that maintaining medical integrity is no longer their priority by jumping to the front of the line to comply not with science and medicine, but with cruelty and anti-trans hate.”

Under the settlement, Cleveland Clinic must provide detransitioning medical care including hormonal treatment, surgical reconstruction, fertility restoration, psychological support, and insurance coordination. The agreement also requires the hospital to publicise the services via a dedicated website, phone number, and care coordinator, plus direct outreach to three entities that provide non-medical services to people seeking detransition.

What Cleveland Clinic must do

In its statement, the DOJ said Cleveland Clinic will “provide essential medical care for individuals living with the harmful consequences of such misguided medical interventions performed on them as children and adolescents,” adding: “These historic commitments pair the cessation of these dangerous practices masquerading as medical treatment with substantial investments in remediating the destruction they cause and restoring the health of the victims,”

The DOJ also said the settlement requires Cleveland Clinic to pay $308,000 to resolve allegations it falsely billed insurers for childhood gender-affirming care by passing it off as endocrine disorder treatment.

TransOhio backlash and a wider trend

Adkison argued that “Detransition services were always a part of gender affirming care,” adding that “there continues to be no increased need”, and describing the promotion of such services as “a bigoted, sad performative farce the Clinic is choosing to promote.”

The Cleveland Clinic agreement is the second major health system deal of its kind in recent weeks, following a May settlement involving Texas Children’s Hospital. That settlement included a $10 million payment to Texas Medicaid and a promise to establish a detransition clinic, and the hospital said it was settling “to protect our resources from endless and costly litigation,” adding: “We stand proud knowing we will always put our purpose over politics and that we have and will continue to follow the law.”

Cleveland Clinic is a large, internationally recognised non-profit academic medical centre headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, and its policy shifts can affect regional access to specialist care and shape wider institutional norms. The DOJ has also pursued other high-profile actions touching on trans youth, including a case in which a judge blocked the Trump DOJ from obtaining trans youth patient records in Rhode Island.

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New York City health officials plan to open and run a gender-affirming care clinic in Corona, Queens, stepping in directly as federal pressure tightens and providers pull back from trans healthcare. However, the clinic will not provide care to trans people under the age of 19.

The plan was discussed at a New York City Council budget hearing on Friday. City Health Commissioner Alister Martin told councillors that opening the new clinic marks “one of the first times that the public health department has ever taken that step”.

Access for young people was a central concern at the hearing. Two major New York City health networks, NYU Langone Health and the Mount Sinai Hospital System, have closed their gender-affirming care programmes to minors and have not publicly disclosed when they plan to reopen them.

Martin said the city wanted to support young people, while warning about potential federal retaliation. “We are committed to this issue and want to make sure we provide the services and resources for youth,” he said. Still, “we don’t [want to] expose ourselves to clawbacks from the federal government, which disrupt the rest of the care that we can give.”

Councilmember Tiffany Cabán, who represents Astoria in Queens, said families were already feeling the impact. “I’m talking to parents all the time, and they don’t know where to take their children,” she said.

In a statement, a spokesperson for NYC’s health service said: “Transgender, gender-nonconfirming, and non-binary New Yorkers deserve age-appropriate health care that is affirming, respectful, and considerate of all their needs.

“That’s why, for the first time later this summer, the NYC Health Department will be expanding services to provide gender affirming hormone therapy to adults 19 years of age and older at our Corona Sexual Health Clinic. As with the other clinic services, gender-affirming hormone therapy will be offered at no to low cost and regardless of immigration status. We look forward to sharing more details upon launching the pilot.”

Federal pressure and patient records

The clinic proposal comes as the Trump administration has intensified actions around gender-affirming care, including seeking access to private medical records for trans youth. NYU Langone was issued a subpoena last month and was later sued by patients seeking to stop the possible release of records.

What a city-run clinic signals

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is responsible for public health programmes and health policy implementation across the five boroughs. New York City has long been a major centre of LGBTQ+ life, with extensive community health infrastructure but persistent access gaps for trans healthcare. City-run provision of gender-affirming care remains relatively uncommon in the US, even though municipal health departments can operate clinics directly.

In a separate clash with the federal government, Trump administration border czar Tom Homan said on Fox & Friends that New York City would see “more ICE than you’ve ever seen”, adding: “I just reviewed an operational plan. I’m not going to tell you exactly when it’s going to happen, but it’s coming.” The comments were reported in a story about threats of an ICE surge in New York City.

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Kenny Ethan Jones has spoken about donating eggs to help his sister, Kizzy Jones, have a baby after years of infertility, and later shared the moment he first held his newborn nephew.

In a PEOPLE interview, Jones said he offered to donate after Kizzy mentioned she was looking into egg donors. “When [Kizzy] mentioned she was looking into egg donors, I knew what I had to do,” he said. “It felt more like a calling than a choice.”

Kizzy, who is in her forties, had been trying to have a successful pregnancy for four years and underwent surgery to remove fibroids. She also endured two miscarriages before pursuing donor eggs and IVF.

Doctors tested Jones and found he was a viable egg donor despite having been on testosterone for a long time. For the two-week egg retrieval process, he cut his HRT dose down to 25% and stopped his blocker, taking four medications daily with multiple injections into his stomach. Jones documented parts of the process in a TikTok video about donating eggs to his sister.

Jones said the medications caused him to start menstruating again, describing the emotional impact: “It hit me in waves,” and later adding: “Knowing how happy Kizzy could be if it all worked out was enough to make me put on my big boy pants and get on with it.”

How the IVF journey unfolded

Clinicians retrieved 19 eggs, 13 were viable, and six became embryos. Kizzy became pregnant on her first round of IVF and welcomed her child in December 2025, with Jones describing the period from his offer to the birth as “eighteen challenging months”.

Jones later posted the emotional moment he first held his nephew in a TikTok video about meeting his nephew. Reflecting on meeting the baby, he said: “He felt like Kizzy’s. I think that says everything about how I see the world. Who you are isn’t defined by biology alone, and neither is being a parent.”

Kenny Ethan Jones on care and respect

Jones is a British trans activist, speaker and content creator known for public education about trans lives and healthcare. He has worked in modelling and brand campaigns, and often discusses masculinity, dysphoria, and navigating healthcare systems as a trans man.

He said supportive care made a difference during the process: “The doctor overseeing my procedure handled everything with real care,” and “My identity has been completely respected no matter what room I’ve walked into or who I’ve spoken to.”

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In a statement on Tuesday (June 10), the broadcaster said the decision to scrap the festive episode had been taken jointly by the BBC, returning showrunner Russell T Davies and production company Bad Wolf.

“This decision was not taken lightly, and we know it will be disappointing for fans,” it said.

Instead of bridging the gap with a “one off special,” it said, the focus would be on investing in the future of the show, “which ensures that when the TARDIS lands once more, it does so in all its glory.”

The cancellation confirms weeks of speculation. Davies had fuelled fan concern in May when he discussed his upcoming projects on the Full Disclosure podcast without once mentioning the special, and indicated he would not be filming anything until 2027.

Alongside the news, the BBC announced it will put Doctor Who out to competitive tender this year, in line with its Charter and Agreement requirements.

It described the move as part of “securing the next phase of the show for future generations,” insisting the tender “underpins the BBC’s continued commitment to Doctor Who.”

A previously announced Doctor Who animated series for CBeebies is also currently in production.

Disney+ confirmed last year that it would not continue its partnership with the BBC beyond two seasons.

The show has been off air since Ncuti Gatwa’s final episode in May 2025, which ended with a surprise regeneration into a character played by Billie Piper.

Doctor Who began in 1963 and remains one of the BBC’s most internationally recognised drama brands. Its Christmas specials, and later holiday specials, have long been a fixture of UK TV schedules and fandom culture.

Davies, who relaunched Doctor Who in 2005, created landmark LGBTQ+ TV including Queer as Folk and It’s a Sin, and recently spoke about campaigning for gay visibility.

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Nancy Pelosi has said she refused to remove trans protections from federal hate-crimes legislation, recalling being told: “People told me, ‘You can pass this in a minute if you take out trans,’” before she replied: “I said, ‘I won’t pass it in 100 years because I’m not ever taking out trans.’”

Pelosi made the comments in an exclusive Washington Blade interview reflecting on nearly four decades of LGBTQ advocacy. She argued that movement pressure outside Congress was essential to progress.

“Anything that we accomplished, whether it was fighting HIV and AIDS, ending discrimination, passing hate crimes legislation, or ending ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ would never have happened without outside mobilization,” Pelosi said.

HIV/AIDS and the roots of her advocacy

Pelosi described HIV/AIDS as a defining early focus of her time in Congress. “My first words on the House floor were that I had come here to fight HIV and AIDS,” she said, recalling arriving in Congress in 1987.

She said the crisis helped shift attitudes in families and communities: “When families learned that a son or daughter was HIV-positive and gay, barriers started to break down.” Pelosi also repeatedly returned to what she described as four pillars of the response: community-based advocacy, community-based care, prevention, and research.

Equality Act and trans inclusion

On hate-crimes legislation, Pelosi said she resisted arguments that protecting fewer groups would make passage easier, and said the bill ultimately passed with trans protections included.

Pelosi also addressed the Equality Act, saying: “We passed it in the House again and again,” while adding: “The Senate is more difficult because of the procedural hurdles.” She said she believes the Equality Act will eventually become law, despite longstanding political obstacles.

Pelosi is a longtime Democratic politician who represented San Francisco in the US House for decades and served as Speaker of the House, the first woman to hold the role. She has remained publicly supportive of LGBTQ rights and HIV/AIDS funding efforts, and has spoken about working at a national level to restore gender-affirming care for trans kids.

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More than 100 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion calling for Parliament to disapprove the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) draft Code of Practice on services, public functions and associations, with critics warning it would exclude and segregate trans people from everyday services.

The motion, tabled by Labour MP Nadia Whittome, has been reported with varying totals. On 9 June, published tallies put the number of signatories at 104 MPs, 106 MPs and 108 MPs.

Whittome said the code would have serious consequences for trans people: “The Code will exclude trans people from services and facilities that they have long used without issue, putting them at increased risk of harassment and violence, and effectively pushing them out of public life,” she said. She added: “It ushers in an era of enforced segregation for trans people, the policing of which will be outsourced to service providers, including businesses, charities and public bodies,” in a statement shared on social media.

Under parliamentary procedure, the draft code will automatically come into force unless either House passes a resolution to disapprove it. The EHRC guidance was laid before Parliament on 21 May 2026.

What the draft code says

The updated code follows a UK Supreme Court ruling in April 2025, which determined the words “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex. It reportedly addresses scenarios including sport participation and hospital wards, and indicates that toilets designated male or female should be for those of that biological sex, with trans people able to use accessible, lockable or unisex toilets.

Campaigners and MPs step up pressure

Whittome, the Labour MP for Nottingham East, was first elected in 2019 and has been publicly supportive of trans rights, including as a trans ally on the Women and Equalities Committee.

A Trans+ Solidarity Alliance spokesperson said: “More than a hundred MPs have signed and made it clear that this code is unjust, unworkable and unacceptable. Trans people across the country are looking to their MP to join this growing chorus to reject the guidance.” They added: “A bathroom ban is not how the Equality Act was supposed to work.”

Disability Rights UK said the updated code “sets a dangerous precedent for the weakening of protected characteristics and risks further ostracisation of trans and intersex people from public life”. The EHRC chair and chief executive were due to appear before the Women and Equalities Committee on 9 June to answer questions about the draft guidance.

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Organisers of Pride in Hebburn say they will press ahead with this weekend’s celebrations after event banners were torn down and damaged, and volunteers faced verbal abuse while trying to repair them.

In a statement shared on social media, Pride in Hebburn said: “Yesterday our volunteers put up banners to promote Pride in Hebburn. Less than 24 hours later, some had been torn down, damaged and left hanging from the railings.”

The group added: “Even more disappointing, while volunteers were trying to repair the damage, they received abuse from people passing by.”

Pride in Hebburn said the incidents only reinforced the need for LGBTQ+ visibility in public spaces. “This is exactly why Pride still matters. Pride is not about division. It is not about politics. It is not about excluding anyone. It is about creating a community where people feel accepted, respected and free to be themselves.”

Hebburn’s Pride weekend is scheduled for Saturday, 13 June 2026 at Fountain Square. Organisers have described the event as free and family-friendly, with rides, live music and children’s activities, adding: “A few damaged banners and some unpleasant comments won’t stop us.”

What happened to the Hebburn Pride banners

The organisers said the damage happened overnight on Saturday, 6 June, after volunteers put up signage on Station Road. The group’s statement described banners being left “hanging from the railings” after being torn down and damaged.

Peter Durrant, head of Out North East, backed the organisers and said: “For this team of brilliant volunteers to say we’re doing it again, to have that ripped down and to receive homophobic abuse is heartbreaking,” adding that the event would still go ahead.

Durrant also said: “The whole aim is to bring the community together… and to turn around that image that the town centre wasn’t a safe space, to now show it is.”

Pride support and local politics

The vandalism in Hebburn comes as some local authorities face political rows over Pride support. In St Helens, council leader George Woodward wrote in a Facebook post: “St Helens Borough Council won’t be supporting or promoting Pride. I have instructed officers to cease engagement with all aspects of the event.”

St Helens councillor James Dunn responded: “For many of our LGBT residents, families, young people and allies, Pride is about visibility, safety, history, acceptance and community.”

Local Pride groups across the UK are typically volunteer-run and rely on community fundraising, local sponsorship and council cooperation for permissions, safety planning and logistics, including when funding disputes have hit other North East Pride events.

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Disability Rights UK has condemned the EHRC’s updated Code of Practice, rejecting any suggestion that disabled toilets should be treated as a fallback for trans people excluded from gendered facilities in its Disability Rights UK statement.

The charity said: “We will not fall for it. We will not be used as a ‘loophole’ in the wider erosion of trans rights.”

Disability Rights UK added: “We are appalled at implications from the Code that an adequate workaround is trans people using Disabled toilets instead. It is a vain attempt to get two marginalised groups to blame one another for our lack of facilities, when the blame lies firmly at the feet of policymakers.”

The updated EHRC code was published more than a year after an April 2025 Supreme Court ruling that the words “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex. Disability Rights UK said it “firmly opposed” that judgement last year, and warned the revised code “sets a dangerous precedent for the weakening of protected characteristics and risks further ostracisation of trans and intersex people from public life”.

The code indicates that toilets designated male or female should be for those of that biological sex, and suggests trans people can use accessible toilets, individual lockable toilets or unisex toilets. Disability Rights UK said the disabled community “knows how it feels to be scapegoated” for trying to access essential services, stressing that “trans rights do not come at the expense of Disabled, nor anyone else’s.”

What the EHRC code says on toilets

Disability Rights UK said accessible facilities are not an optional extra. The charity said: “Our RADAR key scheme began in 1981, rooted in the understanding that accessible facilities can be the difference between living the lives we deserve – socialising, travelling and working – and complete social exclusion.”

The organisation’s intervention comes amid wider debate about the regulator’s approach, including the UK’s largest trade union calling out the EHRC over trans guidance.

Concerns beyond toilets

Beyond toilets, the updated code includes guidance on sport, stating trans people should compete alongside others of their birth sex rather than gender identity. It also says hospital wards can lawfully exclude trans patients if single-sex. Disability Rights UK raised concerns about the impact in healthcare settings, saying the guidance “invites increased medical stigma and negligence … and will lead to even worse health outcomes in an already bleak landscape”, in a climate where a ‘hostile’ anti-trans environment in the UK has been linked to people being deterred from healthcare.

Disability Rights UK concluded that the EHRC revision “effectively segregates trans and intersex people from public spaces”, and called on other Disabled People’s Organisations to oppose it.

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Residents in Rushden, Northamptonshire, were “devastated” after the banner, made for a three-day Pride event, was left with big, black holes scorched through it. It was erected on local railings last Wednesday, and the burn marks appeared four days later on Saturday.

Sapphire Matthewman, one of the organisers of Rushden Pride, said she was “distraught” upon finding out the banner, which cost around £160, had been set alight. “It’s not surprising. When we announced the event with one of the banners there were loads of comments saying ‘burn it,'” she told Metro.

“I can’t talk about it without crying. Because it’s not just taking from us, we have partnered with two charities, Serve and Stonewall. It feels like they are taking from them.”

Rushden Pride will still go ahead despite the banner burning, but with increased security. Sapphire said police will patrol the event, with tightened security on who can enter.

Traya Buns, a drag queen who paid £160 out of their own pocket for the now-burnt banner, described it as a “kick in the guts” as homophobia rises in the area. “Something inside me told me this banner, like the last one, won’t last,” they told Metro.

Traya said they have suffered a growing number of homophobic assaults in public. This includes being called a slur in public and spending hours deleting social media accounts.

Local police said: “The incident happened between 9pm on Friday, June 5, and midday on Saturday, June 6, and the local Neighbourhood Policing Team are investigating it, not only as one of criminal damage, but also as a suspected hate crime. In addition, the team are also investigating the theft of a previous banner.

“We are engaging with the organisers of Rushden Pride and the local LGBT+ community relating to this incident and forthcoming Pride events. Anyone with any concerns is welcome to contact us.”

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A Pride festival in St Helens has been cancelled by the Merseyside town’s Reform UK council as one of its councillors posted a bizarre rant about trans people.

George Woodward, the council’s leader, shared a statement around the Pride cancellation via his Facebook page on 9 June.

“St Helens Borough Council won’t be supporting or promoting Pride. I have instructed officers to cease engagement with all aspects of the event,” he wrote.

“We don’t consider celebrations of sexuality, especially those with left-wing political leanings such as Pride, to be appropriate for St Helens Borough Council to dedicate valuable officer resources.”

He went on to say that he was “deeply concerned” about Pride’s affiliation with “harmful transgender ideology.”

“As a council, we have a duty of care towards young children in the borough,” Woodward wrote. “Being affiliated with a movement that often results in lifelong medical harm in young impressionable children is not the direction in which I want St Helens Council to travel.

Individuals, the private sector, and charities are welcome to continue to support the event as they deem appropriate.”

Post Reaction

Woodward’s post was met with much disdain and prompted people to share opposing views on the matter in the comments.

“Pride isn’t just a ‘celebration of sexuality’,” wrote one Facebook user. “It is about honouring the history of oppression, and the fight for equality that LGBTQ+ people have endured for generations. And obviously are still enduring today.”

“Pride is not about demanding special treatment. It is about ensuring that nobody is treated as less than equal,” said another.

“I find it strange that some people can recognise the importance of Remembrance Day but not Pride,” wrote a third, before listing similarities between the two events, such as fighting for freedom and dignity.

“When you say that transgender ideology is endangering children, I think it’s worth considering the alternative,” the commenter continued. “Forcing someone to live as a gender they are not can have profound effects on their mental health, self-esteem, and wellbeing. Simply acknowledging that transgender people exist and deserve respect is not indoctrination, it’s compassion.”

Fellow Councillors Disagree

One of Woodward’s fellow St Helens councillors, James Dunn of the Rainhill Independents, also comments on the post. “I appreciate you setting out your position clearly, George, but I don’t recognise Pride in the way it has been described here,” he began.

“For many of our LGBT residents, families, young people and allies, Pride is about visibility, safety, history, acceptance and community. It is not a “celebration of sexuality”, and I worry about the impact of anyone’s language that frames LGBT inclusion, or trans people, as a threat.”

He went on to say that people “can absolutely debate council funding”, but “individuals, charities, community groups and the private sector do not need permission from the council to support Pride.”

It is also worth noting that St Helens Borough Council did not directly fund St Helens Pride. However, an alternative LGBTQ+ Pride celebration organised by the community went ahead on 6 June.

“I also think it is important that residents know this view is not shared by everyone in the council chamber, our LGBT residents are part of St Helens,” Dunn continued. “Trans residents are part of St Helens. Young people working out who they are are part of St Helens and they should know they have allies too.”

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Francília Costa and Luiza Silvério, known online as ‘Double Wow’ (Dupla Oxiuai), first met in a convent in Brazil back in 2019.

Costa had been raised by deeply religious grandparents and was encouraged to join the convent, while Silvério joined as a teenager while searching for purpose, according to the Daily Star.

The pair initially didn’t like each other, with Silvério admitting that she thought Costa was “an unbearable and stuck-up little nun.” Costa shared that she also didn’t like Silvério, but for no particular reason.

Proximity made the heart grow fonder in this case, and the pair gradually became close friends. However, they each struggled with their mental health while living in the convent.

Costa experienced panic attacks throughout the pandemic and began to question whether life in the convent was good for her wellbeing, while Silvério suffered from anxiety and depression following the death of her grandmother.

“Religious life is very beautiful, but you need physical and mental health. It is not enough only to pray or to have a vocation,” Costa said.

Together, Costa and Silvério made the decision to leave the convent in 2020 for their mental health. Adjusting to their new lives, neither could afford to live alone and so continued to live together outside of the cloister.

Then, one night in 2023, Costa and Silvério watched ‘Love In The Villa’, a rom-com that follows a pair of enemies who fall in love while sharing a villa, and Costa realised her true feelings for her friend.

She admitted her feelings to Silvério, who kissed her in return.

The couple are now married, and posed with an image of Our Lady Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil, at their wedding in 2025.

“Maybe we do not have a photo at the altar of a church, but we have one with Our Lady Aparecida,” said Silvério. “For us, she represents gratitude, intercession and the consecration of our family to God.”

Costa and Silverio use their social media account to share their experiences with faith, sexuality, and life after the convent.

“Our sexuality and our faith should not be separated, because they are part of us,” said Costa. “We are a couple that has faith. There is no way to separate that.”

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The Sunday (7 June) decision prevents the Federal Bureau of Prisons from enforcing part of President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive order requiring incarcerated people to be housed according to their sex assigned at birth.

In a sharply worded ruling, US District Judge Royce C. Lamberth found that each of the 14 plaintiffs had demonstrated a substantial risk of serious harm if transferred to men’s facilities.

The court cited evidence that the women, many of whom have undergone gender-affirming medical treatment and have histories of sexual assault, self-harm, or other vulnerabilities, could face heightened risks of violence, sexual assault, and psychological trauma if moved.

Lamberth rejected government arguments that low assault rates at the proposed facilities resolved those concerns, writing that the key issue was whether the women faced unique dangers because of their specific circumstances.

Lamberth also criticised the administration’s position that any resulting harm could simply be treated after the fact: “It is fundamentally unreasonable for prison officials to respond to serious risks such as mental health deterioration, self-harm, and suicide by intentionally creating those risks and offering to treat them after they predictably occur,” he wrote.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by 16 states and Washington, DC, challenging federal efforts to restrict protections for transgender people. While the injunction applies only to the 14 women involved in this case, LGBTQ+ advocates hailed the decision as a significant victory.

Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, said in a statement that the ruling reinforces a fundamental constitutional principle: “This decision reaffirms a bedrock constitutional principle: the government cannot knowingly place people in grave danger and simply look the other way.”

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The new report from the travel booking site surveyed 13,300 LGBTQ+ travellers across 19 different countries, and found that only 31 percent of respondents globally said they were “out” while travelling.

Forty per cent of LGBTQ+ travellers said they are willing to hide their queer identities in order to experience a bucket list destination.

Meanwhile, more than half of all closeted LGBTQ+ travellers surveyed said they don’t feel anxious while travelling, compared to just 30 percent of all LGBTQ+ travellers and 20 percent of polyamorous travellers.

The figures also indicate that going back in the closet is safer for LGBTQ+ travellers, with just 34 percent of closeted travellers saying they have had negative experiences relating to their queer identities when travelling. This number is compared to 62 percent of LGBTQ+ travellers globally, and 73 percent of trans travellers.

The survey also recorded more positive experiences. Overall, 82 percent of LGBTQ+ travellers said that they had experienced at least one identity-specific positive experience while vacationing in the last year. However, 58 percent said they faced negative treatment.

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The British actor’s star has continued to rise over the past few years year, following his huge role as closeted gay British royal Prince Henry in Red, White & Royal Blue, as King James VI and I’s gay lover, George Villiers, in Sky Atlantic’s limited series Mary & George, and now as He-Man in Masters of the Universe.

Following the release of Mary & George in 2024, Galitzine addressed why he has chosen to play gay and bisexual characters.

“I think with all of these characters the thing that I find really intriguing as an actor is that underbelly of vulnerability and having to hide oneself. I’m very interested in identity; George is very different in a way because his sex and his sexuality is his power,” he said.

In Mary & George, Galitzine had more than his fair share of steamy gay sex scenes, with critics calling the historical psychosexual drama a “horny romp”.

“I think they’ve all just been really rich characters in of themselves,” Galitzine added, reflecting on his LGBTQ+ roles.

“You know, you read that in the script it just becomes a bit of a no-brainer.”

Here’s a rundown of all the times that Nicholas Galitzine has played gay or bisexual characters in movies or TV to date.

Angelo in Legends (2015)

Nicholas Galitzine’s first TV role came with a brief guest appearance in season two of TNT crime drama series Legends in 2015.

Episode five, “The Legend of Terrence Graves”, explored the secretive personal history of former MI6 handler Terrence Graves (played Ralph Brown, and in flashbacks by Rod Hallett), who it’s revealed has spent years being blackmailed over a past gay relationship with a young man named Angelo, played by Galitzine).

Conor Masters in Handsome Devil (2016)

One of Nicholas Galitzone’s earliest film roles came as closeted gay rugby player Conor Masters in John Butler’s 2016 LGBTQ+ comedy-drama Handsome Devil.

Co-starring Sherlock Andrew Scott, the movie centres on Irish teenager Ned (Fionn O’Shea) after he is sent to an elite all-boys boarding school, where he strikes up a friendship with Conor, his roommate and the school’s star rugby player.

The film went on to win three awards at the FilmOut San Diego LGBT Film Festival in 2017.

Handsome Devil is currently available to stream on Prime Video and Disney+ in the UK.

Timmy Andrews in The Craft: Legacy (2020)

In 2020, Nicholas Galitzine starred in Zoe Lister-Jones’ The Craft: Legacy, a reboot and sequel-of-sorts to 1996 teen horror classic The Craft, starring Neve Campbell: another of the movies he has been in.

Galitzine plays high school bully and the film’s early antagonist Timmy Andrews, who later comes out as bisexual in a scene that provides a rare moment of bi male visibility on screen.

“It’s just… it’s felt good when it’s been with girls as well, so. It’s just hard for dudes”, Timmy tells Lily (Cailee Spaeny) during an unexpectedly heartfelt coming out scene.

“I feel like there’s no room to be… everyone assumes you’re just gay, and that’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with that at all, I just… I like both.”

The Craft: Legacy is currently available to rent on Prime Video in the UK.

George Villiers in Mary & George (2024)

Nicholas Galitzine stars as George Villiers, the lover and ‘favourite’ of King James VI of Scotland and I of England, in Sky Atlantic drama Mary & George.

Inspired by Benjamin Woolley’s book The King’s Assassin and written by acclaimed playwright DC Moore (Killing Eve), the new seven-part series tells the story of how George’s mother Mary Villiers (Julianne Moore) moulded her beautiful and charismatic son to seduce the King and secure influence over the royal court.

If securing influence must involve getting very intimate with the King, then George is all too happy to oblige.

Mary & George is available on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK and Ireland, and on Starz in the US.

Prince Henry in Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)

No list of Nicholas Galitzine movies is complete without mentioning the most high-profile LGBTQ+ role of his career to date. He landed the part of closeted Prince Henry in the Mathew Lopez’ film adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s best-selling 2019 romantic novel Red, White & Royal Blue.

Both book and film chart the chaos, chemistry and transatlantic trysts that ensue after the son of the President of the United States (Taylor Zakhar Perez) is forced to fake a friendship with his British rival, the closeted gay royal, Prince Henry.

“One of my great fears is being misunderstood”, Galitzine told British GQ ahead of the film’s release on Prime Video. “Henry has to live with that every day…. It just felt like a beautiful story: someone who’s largely pretended to be someone else their whole life, and then this other person completely obliterates their worldview.”

Red, White & Royal Blue director Lopez may have insisted that he doesn’t want the movie to be pigeon-holed as a ‘gay film’, but the filmmaker did recently stress to PinkNews the importance of showcasing gay intimacy on screen – a sentiment echoed by Galitzine earlier this year.

“It’s a crazy thing to be intimate in that way with your friend,” the actor told British GQ. “And we want people to fall in love with these characters, because their love has to be real.”

Red, White & Royal Blue is available to stram on Prime Video. You can purchase the book at Amazon or Bookshop.org.

This article contains affiliate links, PinkNews may earn revenue if you click through and purchase products through the links.

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The couple, who met on the set of Wicked, “quietly” ended their romantic relationship “several months” ago, a source told People.

“It’s amicable, they gave lots of time and careful consideration and decided to go their separate ways,” the source says. “They are still friends and very supportive of one another”, the source said.

Pop chart-topper Grande, 32, met former SpongeBob SquarePants musical star Slater in 2023 during production of Wicked, in which Grande played Glinda the good witch and Slater player Boq Woodsman.

The pair made their relationship public in 2024 while finalising divorces with their respective former partners, real estate agent Dalton Gomez and clinical psychologist Lilly Jay.

Grande kicked off her ‘Eternal Sunshine Tour’ in California over the weekend, with 10 dates planned at London’s O2 Arena in August and September.

Her newly-released single “Hate That I Made You Love Me” currently sits at the top of the UK charts with the singer’s eighth studio album, Petal, set for release on 31 July.

Meanwhile, Slater is set to reprise his Gen V role as Thomas Godolkin in Prime Video’s latest The Boys spin-off, Vought Rising, which is expected to premiere in 2027.

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“Juniper Blessing… is remembered for her remarkable musical talent, compassionate spirit, and deep curiosity about the world. “, Memorial scholarship launched to honour slain trans student Juniper Blessing.

“A gifted vocalist with what her teacher described as a ‘magnificent’ voice, Juniper brought care, focus, and dedication to every performance, whether singing classical repertoire or contemporary songs. She approached her craft with discipline and openness, continually embracing new challenges and growing as an artist.”

Donations to the scholarship will be accepted through September 30.

Blessing, a transgender student who was studying within UW’s Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science, was found dead in a laundry room at the Nordheim Court apartment complex on 10 May after being stabbed more than 40 times, according to the medical examiner.

Prosecutors charged 31-year-old suspect Christopher Michael Leahy on Monday (18 May) with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of 19-year-old University of Washington student Juniper Blessing, alleging he acted with “premeditated intent”.

Leahy turned himself in to police on 13 May after surveillance images were released publicly, with his family reportedly accompanying him to surrender.

Court proceedings are currently on hold after a judge ordered Leahy to undergo a competency evaluation at Western State Hospital. The results of that evaluation will determine whether the case can move forward or whether mental health treatment will be required before trial.

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The “Brat” singer’s ‘Music, Fashion, Film’ tour will see her play 12 shows in 10 cities across the United States and Canada. Cities include Philadelphia, New York, Toronto, Boston, Washington DC, Atlanta, San Diego, Los Angeles, Glendale and Las Vegas.

“Fifty percent of proceeds from ticket sales in the first five rows of each venue will be donated to Transgender Law Center,” a post shared to a fan account, xcxnews, reads.

Transgender Law Center is a trans-led US charity “working to set all people free,” according to its official website.

The organisation champions “the right of all transgender and gender-nonconforming people to make their own choices and live freely, safely, and authentically.”

“Prioritizing BIPOC, disabled, and HIV+ communities, we advance community-driven strategies that harness trans knowledge, power, and joy to ensure that we all not only survive but thrive at all ages and phases of life,” the TLC’s mission statement reads.

The tour will also feature Underscores, a trans woman and hyperpop musician, as the opener for each show.

In addition to the TLC donations, Charli XCX has announced that each show will have a limited number of $20 “angel tickets” available later in the summer. A portion of these sales will also be donated to charity.

Fans can sign up for pre-sale now, with the first batch of tickets being released on 12 June at 9AM ET.

Charli XCX has long been known for her allyship to the LGBTQ+ community. At the 2025 Brit Awards, she paid tribute to the late trans music producer and icon SOPHIE in her acceptance speech after winning the British Dance Act award.

Taking to the stage to accept her award from fellow singer Paloma Faith, Charli XCX thanked some of the pioneers of the genre, including her long-time producer A.G. Cook, Swedish pop megastar Robyn, Daft Punk, and M.I.A. She also thanked trans dance icons Honey Dijon and Arca.

Rounding off her speech, she paid tribute to the woman who first introduced her to PC Music, and without whom, Brat wouldn’t exist.

After noting her list of dance inspirations, Charli concluded: “…And of course, someone who none of us would be up here without, SOPHIE.”

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Popov was also found guilty of second-degree menacing, second-degree aggravated harassment and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, though jurors acquitted him of the more serious charge of murder as a hate crime.

Sibley, 28, was fatally stabbed during a confrontation at a Brooklyn gas station in July 2023. Prosecutors argued that Popov and others targeted Sibley and his friends with racist and anti-gay slurs while they danced and vogued to music by Beyoncé.

According to prosecutors, Popov continued taunting the group before the encounter turned deadly. Popov maintained throughout the trial that he acted in self-defence.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Sibley’s life was cut short because the defendant “couldn’t stand the sight” of him and his friends “living their lives openly as Black gay men.” He expressed hope that the verdict would bring some measure of comfort to Sibley’s family and the wider LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month.

A talented performer, Sibley danced with PHILADANCO! and studied through Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre’s Ailey Extension program in New York. His funeral drew hundreds of mourners, while public figures including Beyoncé and Spike Lee paid tribute following his death.

Popov is scheduled to be sentenced on 30 June and faces between eight and 25 years in prison on the manslaughter conviction.

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The organisers said in a statement that the aim of the ban is to keep the event, which will take place on 30 August, focused on “LGBTQIA+ liberation” rather than “geopolitical conflicts”.

The Hastings Pride Committee said in a statement: “Pride is, and always will be, a protest march wrapped in a celebration. It is a space dedicated entirely to championing LGBTQIA+ rights, visibility, and liberation, both locally and globally.”

The statement goes on to say that the committee wants “to see the streets flooded with the beautiful, diverse array of Pride flags, banners, and symbols that represent our community’s history, intersectionality, and ongoing fight for equality.”

“LGBTQIA+ rights and human rights transcend international boundaries, geopolitical conflicts, and national identities,” the statement continues. “The struggles we face as a community are global, yet deeply personal.”

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The film will also see the return of a handful of other stars from the original 1997 camp cult classic, including Janeane Garofalo as Heather, Tip Toe star Alan Cumming as Sandy Frink, Camryn Manheim as Toby and Julia Campbell as Christie.

The sequel’s new cast members include Keegan-Michael Key, Rob Huebel, Breckin Meyer, Patrick Warburton and Nathan Lee Graham in roles that are currently being kept under wraps.

Production began last week, with Tim Federle (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series) in the director’s chair.

The film is set to stream exclusively on Hulu and Disney+.

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Speaking on The View on Monday (8 June), the actress said she had come to see her partner clearly over time.

“The political affiliation became obvious but I already had feelings for him and I wanted to see him as a human being beyond that,” she said. “And then his politics and his unexamined life became clear after the three and a half years and I was like, ‘I love him, but I love myself more,’ and staying in this relationship, I’ll betray myself.”

In June 2025, Cox received significant criticism from fans after revealing she had been in a relationship with a “blonde-haired, blue-eyed MAGA Republican voter who is a New York City police officer.” At the time, she said they had dated for five years before breaking up the year before.

Speaking on the podcast ‘Fear&’, she recalled the reaction.

“I lost followers last year when I disclosed that my ex-boyfriend was MAGA,” she said. “He was a MAGA Republican cop. Ironically I had a ‘no dating a cop’ policy before my ex, and he told me he was in commercial real estate.”

Cox said she “knew nothing about his politics” when they began dating.

“I thought the conversation would be about how two people who have totally different politics find a way to make it work or not, and the connection that actually exists beyond politics, the soul connection,” she said.

She continued: “A lot of people will never forgive me because they were like, ‘You should have taken that to your grave,’ ‘you slept with the enemy,'” she said. “I think people are complicated. We would get into political conversations and he actually liked having them with me.”

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Yes, you read that right.

Posting to their social media, HelloFresh said: “We know eating isn’t always a top priority this month. We respect that.”

“But for those of you who are.. prepping… we have an extensive lineup of high-fiber recipes available. Happy Pride.”

The comments on the post were flooded with messages from the LGBTQ+ community.

One person said: “The gays feel seen with this. Bravo.”

Drag Race favourite Plasma said: “Girl it’s THEE month for eating.”

Others said the post was “true allyship”, and that the company had “clocked the bottoms”.

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In an emotional interview with Channel Nine’s ‘100% Footy’, Evans revealed that he spent years living in denial about his sexuality while battling addiction, homelessness and suicidal thoughts, revealing: “I’ve been fighting a war within since I was about 15 years old, and it’s not sustainable.”

The former prop forward said he had achieved his childhood goals of playing in the NRL and buying his parents a house, but had long believed he would eventually take his own life because he could not accept who he was. Evans credited former player Joe Galuvao and the Rugby League Players Association with helping him seek treatment and begin rebuilding his life, saying their support made him realise that “maybe death isn’t in the plan for me yet.”

Evans also praised Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson, who welcomed him back to the club after rehabilitation and helped cover some of his living expenses while he focused on his mental health. The 34-year-old celebrated four months of sobriety in May and said coming out had brought him a sense of peace he had never experienced before.

“I’ve carried [hiding my sexuality] around my whole life,” Evans said. “I’m here today to show people that you don’t have to live like that. Even now I feel a bit more free, just by saying it out loud, I’ve brought it to the light. I feel peace within, and I feel like a weight has lifted off my shoulders. I’m a bit proud of myself and when I look in the mirror, I’m going to smile now, not have those bad thoughts.”

Roberts, who came out in 1995, told the Daily Telegraph he was moved to tears watching the interview, “Everything he was saying… I thought ‘this poor kid’, I know exactly where he is in his head, what he is going through, the extremes of uncertainty of your own sense of self and your sense of other people,” he said.

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After fours episodes of growing tension and hostility between warring Manchester neighbours Leo (Alan Cumming) and Clive (David Morrissey), episode five has arrived on Channel 4 On Demand prior to airing on Channel 4 Tuesday night (9 June).

The shocking climax to Queer as Folk and It’s a Sin creator Davies’ latest LGBTQ+ drama brings Leo and Clive’s feud to a devastating crescendo, with Clive and a group of hooligans brutally murdering Leo and leaving his body hanging from a lamp post after he’s wrongly accused of being a paedophile.

The series ends with a series of flashcards showing what the future holds for each character. In a final chilling nod to the power of misinformation, viewers are told Leo’s story “isn’t over” and that “within 18 months a search for his name says ‘Leo Struthers, convicted paedophile’.”

Viewers quickly took to social media to share their reaction to Tip Toe‘s grim final moments, with many expressing their fear at the state of the world following Davies grim political portrait of Britain today.

“Just wow at Tip Toe. Feel very unsettled and number after that final episode”, wrote one viewer.

Another added: “The defining image, Leo hanging from a lamppost, isn’t shock for shock’s sake; it’s the thesis statement of the entire series: bigotry doesn’t simmer, it detonates.

“The horror is blunt: this could happen today.”

One viewer heaped praised on The Traitors USA host Alan Cummings “incredible” performance and Davies “amazing” script, while another admitted the violent finale had left them feeling “physically sick”.

Series creator Davies recently admitted he feels like “an idiot” for spending so many years campaigning for gay visibility, only to see homophobia and transphobia grow rapidly in recent years.

“All our lives we’ve campaigned to be more visible, and I never thought what the end result of that was,” he told i Paper. “Now I look at myself like I’m an idiot. As if I ever imagined we’d reach a harmonious society.

“Our visibility is being weaponised.”

Tip Toe episode five airs on Channel 4 tonight (9 June) at 9pm and the full series is available to watch on Channel 4 On Demand now.

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