British LGBT Awards: Joe Lycett, Harry Styles, Rod Stewart and Alex Scott among 2023 nominees
Joe Lycett, Sir Rod Stewart, Alex Scott and Harry Styles are among the stars nominated for this year’s British LGBT Awards.
Lycett made headlines ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal, in November, when he publicly urged David Beckham to pull out of a reported £10m deal with the host nation – threatening to destroy £10,000 of his own money should the football star fail to do so.
Stewart also spoke out against Qatar’s human rights record in an interview with The Sunday Times, agreeing it “would have been good” to play his song The Killing of Georgie, about the murder of a gay man in the 1970s, at the opening ceremony as a protest. “I was actually offered a lot of money, over $1 million, to play there 15 months ago,” he continued. “I turned it down… It’s not right to go.”
Other stars shortlisted for the awards include Sue Perkins, Lizzo, Alison Hammond, Emma Watson, Rebel Wilson, Michelle Visage, Luke Evans and Graham Norton.
The British LGBT Awards honour leading LGBT+ activists, allies and celebrities who have worked to advance the rights of LGBT+ people during the past 12 months.
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Harry Styles has cleaned up at the Brit Awards, winning all four prizes he was nominated for – and paying tribute to female stars as he collected the trophy for best artist
Announcing the awards, British LGBT Awards founder Sarah Garrett said: “It is more important than ever that we shine a light on those who have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the LGBT+ community, during what has been another very challenging 12 months for the community.
“The nominees, which include an exciting mix of famous LGBT+ faces, allies and organisations, have all demonstrated a commitment to advancing LGBT+ rights.”
Who’s up for what?
This year’s LGBT Awards ceremony takes place on 23 June.
Lycett is nominated for the media moment of the year award for his money-shredding stunt, after which he revealed the cash was fake – with the real amount donated to charity.
World Cup pundit Scott wearing the One Love armband tribute in Qatar is also shortlisted for the award, along with moments including Jack Rooke’s comedy series Big Boys, and Ncuti Gatwah and Yasmin Finney starring in Doctor Who. Last year, the prize was won by Johannes Radebe and John Whaite for their same-sex Strictly Come Dancing partnership in 2021.
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Sir Rod is shortlisted in the celebrity ally category, along with Hammond, Watson, Styles, Visage, Pink, Katherine Ryan, Jenna Ortega, Patrick Stewart and Simone Ashley.
Billy Porter, Emma Corrin, Rebel Wilson and Luke Evans are among the stars shortlisted for the LGBT+ celebrity award, while Anne-Marie, Becky Hill, Lizzo and Maneskin are included in the music prize category.
Other previous British LGBT Award winners include Sir Elton John, Edward Enninful, Hillary Clinton, Kylie Minogue, Little Mix, Munroe Bergdorf and Demi Lovato.
Entertainment
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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