LGBT related Radio and TV Programmes, 30th May -5th June

We seek them out so you don't have to. This is our weekly non-exhaustive round up of upcoming LGBT programmes on the radio and television. Inclusion of a programme is not a recommendation.

Some of the programmes listed below will be available online on the respective network's websites.

Enjoy!

Owt on’t’telly?

A round up of LGBT progs and personalities on British TV. This is a truly atrocious week for LGBT content on TV and if you feel like cashing in the licence fee and taking the telly up to the tip there’s never been a better time to do it.

TV
Hay on Sky is on Sky Arts 1 about 3 times a day. Possibility of LGBT content. Ditto What the Dickens? with Sandi Toksvig.

Norton Uncut Sunday 11.30pm is on BBC2. Torchwood Monday on Watch 9pm.

Stephen K Amos guests on The Wright Stuff from Tuesday to Friday at 9.15am on Five. C4 repeats the first series of Dirty Sexy Money at 12.30am Wednesday, while Julian Clary presents the repeated Have I Got News for You at 10.20pm on Dave.

BB begins on C4 at 9pm on Thursday, while Meera Syal investigates self-harm among our youth on BBC2 at the same time.Ellen is on Fiver every weekday morning at 6. Frasier 8.30am, Will & Grace 9 and Come Dine with Me at 5.30pm on C4.

Films
Indie trots out Notes on a Scandal again at 9am and 6.30pm on Saturday, as well as 12.30 and 10pm Wednesday.

On Monday Family shows X-Men at 10pm and 1.30am, while Film4 shows Carry on up the Khyber at 5.10pm, as well as 3pm Thursday. Hairspray airs again on Family 10.20pm Wednesday.

X-Men again on Screen 2 at 11.20pm Friday. It really is a feeble, cynical display when you look at the number of movie channels there are out there.

Radio
Please also note that Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour contains a lot of relevant content and is generally LGBT friendly, but a lot of its output is not available to us before we put this on the site. For the latest Woman’s Hour stuff, subscribe to the programme's newsletter here.

Saturday 30th
BBC Radio 2 - 1pm: Pick of the Pops. Dale Winton. 1973 & 1983
BBC Radio 2 - 6: Going out with Alan Carr
BBC Radio 2 - 8: Paul Gambaccini. US hits
BBC Radio 4 - 6.07am: Ramblings. Clare Balding in Northumberland
BBC Radio 4 - 12.30: News Quiz. Sandi Toksvig
BBC Radio 4 - 1.10: Any Questions? Caroline Lucas
BBC Radio 4 - 4pm: Weekend Woman’s Hour. Highlights
BBC Radio 4 - 5.30: The Bottom Line. Evan Davis. The only man who can corpse over a Telegraph news article.
BBC Radio 4 - 6.15: Loose Ends
BBC Radio 4 - 11: Counterpoint. Paul Gambaccini presents the music buffs’ quiz
6 Music - 12midnight: BBC Introducing. Tom Robinson

Sunday 31st
BBC Radio 2 - 5pm: Paul O’Grady. Lively words and music show
BBC Radio 3 - 8pm: Drama on 3: Scandinavian Dreams. Dramatisation of an epic search by Mary Wallstonecraft
BBC Radio 4 - 8.30pm: Last Word. Weekly obituary that has included LGBT figures in the past
BBC Radio 7 - 10pm: The News Quiz

Monday 1st
BBC Radio 4 - 1.30pm: Counterpoint

Thursday 4th
BBC Radio 4 - 11.30am: Scum. Lowdown on the controversial 1970 borstal movie
BBC Radio 4 - 8.30: The Bottom Line. Evan Davis

Friday 5th
BBC Radio 4 - 6.30: The News Quiz. Sandi Toksvig and Sue Perkins
6 Music - 7pm: Tom Robinson
BBC Radio 7 - 7pm: Round the Horne
BBC Radio 7 - 11: Saturday Night Fry

Local

For a global classification of queer radio on line:
http://radiotime.com/Search.aspx?query=gay&so=26,52,78 and
http://radiotime.com/Search.aspx?query=Lesbian
Gay Internet Radio Live (G.I.R.L.) is on the air 24 hours a day with dance music from the US at www.gayinternetradiolive.com.

Wythenshaw 97.2 FM, a community radio station, airs a lesbian and gay radio magazine programme once weekly, according to Out North West Magazine published by the Lesbian and Gay Foundation in Manchester. Podcast http://www.tuesdaynightout.co.uk/

GayRadio-UK is a new online radio station which goes on the air from Monday 18th May at 2100 from studios in Blackpool and promises a variety of LGBT programming. The audio stream is at www.gayradiouk.com. Podcasts are already active and feature guests iuncluding lesbian actress Amanda Barrie, gay icon Su Pollard and radical actor Richie Tomlinson. Daily programmes are uploaded at the most popular gay podcast site on the net, Feast of Fun www.feastoffools.net , with a speech based programme of LGBT guests, news digest and light-hearted discussion.

Galaxy North East
Monday-Friday 4-7pm: James Barr

BBC Radio Manchester - 95.1 and online
Every Monday 8pm: The Gay Hour, Ashley Byrne and Andrew Edwards

BBC London - 94.9 and online
Monday – Friday 3-5pm: Danny Baker. With Amy Lamé or Baylen Leonard

Gaydar Radio - Brighton, London DAB and online 24/7

Manchester’s gaydio www.gaydio.co.uk

FYI Radio (gay youth radio) - online (currently only podcast but soon to grow to a fully fledged station) www.fyiradio.net

www.pinkeradio.com

Last Tuesday of the month - 6pm
Out in South London - local LGBT radio show with Rosie Wilby and guests
Listen online at www.southcityradio.org

California Upholds Same-Sex Marriage Ban but Protects Already Married Couples

The California Supreme Court decided on May 26th to uphold Proposition 8 banning same sex marriage throughout the state. However, judges also agreed unanimously not to annul the 18,000 same sex marriages that have taken place.

"The marriages of same-sex couples performed prior to the effective date of Proposition 8 remain valid and must continue to be recognized in this state," wrote Justice Ronald M.George.

Thousands of people have been marching in protest against the decision across the USA and about 200 people, (including religious people) have been arrested.


Read more about it in the LA Times here. The paper also offers a legal perspective on the event, here.

Several commentators however manage to find the silver lining in today's cloud. Mark Morford in the San Francisco Chronicle, thinks that the enemies of gay marriage have already lost, while Dan Savage, in the Seattle Stranger, thinks that we are winning.

Meanwhile, the Advocate explains how Proposition 8 is about to get challenged at the Federal level, here.

You can find a (visual) History of Gay Marriage Bans in the US (see image above) here.

LGBT related Radio and TV Programmes, 23rd - 29th May

We seek them out so you don't have to. This is our weekly non-exhaustive round up of upcoming LGBT programmes on the radio and television. Inclusion of a programme is not a recommendation.
Enjoy!

Owt on’t’telly?

Hay on Sky is on Sky Arts 1 about 3 times a day. Lots of LGBT folk there so it’s worth keeping the eyes peeled. There’s a drag queen or two on Britain’s Got Talent on ITV1 Saturday 8.20pm, Sunday 8.30pm, Monday 9pm and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8.30pm; doubtless repeated on ITV2 on various occasions. Just as BGT has infested the ITV network, Come Dine with Mefestoons the schedules over at 4, where there’s a token gay man in every kitchen. (C4 at 4pm Saturday, 8.30pm Sunday and 5.30 BHM, More4 5.55 Sunday, 6.20 BHM and Celebrity Special with Christopher Biggins slobbering over a very appreciative Phillip Olivier at 9, 2pm More4 and 5.30 C4 every day thereafter.) John Barrowman anchors Tonight’s the Night on Saturday at 7.20pm on BBC1. Tonight’s edition features the “specially written” scene of Doctor Who by Russell T Davies, featuring the man with the blue sock on his head. Will Young makes a guest appearance on Horne and Corden at 10pm on BBC3.

On Sunday The Big Questions at 10am BBC1 often touches on LGBT issues. Norton Uncut 11.30pm is on BBC2. C4 repeats the first series of Dirty Sexy Money at 12.05am Wednesday. What the Dickens? returns to Sky Arts 1, with Sandi Toksvig presenting and Sue Perkins on the panel. Graham Norton is on BBC2 at 10pm on Thursday. Greens’ Caroline Lucas on Question Time BBC1 10.35pm. E4 does another basinful of Alan Carr’s Celebrity Ding-Dong on Friday at 11.05pm. The Ellen de Generes Show is on Fiver every weekday morning at 6. Frasier 8.30am, Will & Grace 9.

Films
as Captain Fearless in Carry on Jack ITV1 1.15pm Saturday. Rocky Horror Picture Show airs on Sky Screen 1 at 1.20am Saturday night. Lest it rains on BHM (it will!) ITV4 is airing Spartacus at 1.50pm, while TCM does Ben Hur at 3pm (9pm TCM2). As pointed out in the Gay Hollywood Encyclopaedia The Celluloid Closet both films have their homoerotic moments.

Also Monday night or Tuesday morning: Boys Don’t Cry at 3.20am Sky Screen 2.Tuesday also features Gosford Park on Film4at 9pm and X-Men on Family at 9.45pm. One to be infuriated by is Enigma on BBC3 at 9pm on Wednesday. The code breaker Tom Jericho, played by Dougray Scott, is based on Alan Turing but he is heterosexual and his love interest is Kate Winslett. Gwyneth Paltrow plays the depressive geniusSylvia Plath in Sylvia on Wednesday night at 11pm on BBC4. St Trinians is on Family at 10pm. Sweet Bird of Youth TCM 12.55am. Best offer on Friday is Rebel without a Cause on TCM at 4.55pm.

Radio
Some of the radio programmes listed below can be listened to again via the Listen Again facility of the BBC's website while some of the television programmes will remain available also for a week on the BBC's iplayer.

Please also note that Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour contains a lot of relevant content and is generally LGBT friendly, but a lot of its output is not available to us before we put this on the site. For the latest Woman’s Hour stuff, subscribe to the programme's newsletter here.

Saturday 23rd
BBC Radio 2 - 1pm: Pick of the Pops. Dale Winton. 1960 & 1982
BBC Radio 2 - 6: Going out with Alan Carr
BBC Radio 2 - 8: Paul Gambaccini. US hits
BBC Radio 4 - 6.07am: Ramblings. Clare Balding on Britten’s Suffolk
BBC Radio 4 - 12.30: News Quiz. Sandi Toksvig
BBC Radio 4 - 1.10: Any Questions? Caroline Lucas
BBC Radio 4 - 4pm: Weekend Woman’s Hour. Highlights
BBC Radio 4 - 6.15: Loose Ends
BBC Radio 4 - 11: Counterpoint. Paul Gambaccini presents the music buffs’ quiz
6 Music - 12midnight: BBC Introducing. Tom Robinson

Sunday 24th
BBC Radio 2 - 5pm: Paul O’Grady. Lively words and music show
BBC Radio 3 - 8pm: Drama on 3: Scandinavian Dreams. Dramatisation of an epic search by Mary Wallstonecraft
BBC Radio 4 - 6.05am: Something Understood. Rabbi Lionel Blue contributes to an examination of homesickness
BBC Radio 4 - 11.15: Desert Island Discs. Barry Humphries
BBC Radio 4 - 8.30pm: Last Word. Weekly obituary that has included LGBT figures in the past
BBC Radio 4 - 10.45pm: Letters to Mary. Writer and feminist Natasha Walter has an imaginary update for Mary Wallstonecraft
BBC Radio 7 - 10pm: The News Quiz

Bank Holiday Monday (25th)
BBC Radio 2 - 4pm: Pet Shop Boys Wired
BBC Radio 2 - 11.30pm: Liberace: Mr Showmanship! Repeat of 2007 tribute to the closeted pianist
BBC Radio 4 - 11am: The Six Faces of Henry VIII. Alan Bennett assists Ian Hislop in raking among the ruins of this most famous Tudor’s reputation
BBC Radio 4 - 11.30: The Better Half. 1922 Noel Coward comedy of manners
BBC Radio 4 - 1.30pm: Counterpoint

Tuesday 26th
BBC Radio 4 - 4.30pm: Great Lives: with Matthew Parris. Giovanni Falcone; the anti mafia magistrate in Sicily who eventually became their victim
BBC Radio 7 - 2.45pm: Untold Stories. Alan Bennett

Wednesday 27th
BBC Radio 4 - 8.45pm: Letters to Mary. Repeated from Sunday
BBC Radio 4 - 11.30: Reasons to be Cheerful. With Stephen K. Amos

Thursday 28th
BBC Radio 4 - 4pm: Open Book. Mariella Frostrup talks to Jake Arnott
BBC Radio 4 - 8.30: The Bottom Line. Evan Davis

Friday 29th
BBC Radio 4 - 9am: Desert Island Discs. Barry Humphries
BBC Radio 4 - 4.30pm: Last Word. Obituaries. LGBT content unknown
BBC Radio 4 - 6.30: The News Quiz. Sandi Toksvig
6 Music - 7pm: Tom Robinson
BBC Radio 7 - 7pm: Round the Horne

Local

For a global classification of queer radio on line:
http://radiotime.com/Search.aspx?query=gay&so=26,52,78 and
http://radiotime.com/Search.aspx?query=Lesbian
Gay Internet Radio Live (G.I.R.L.) is on the air 24 hours a day with dance music from the US at www.gayinternetradiolive.com.

Wythenshaw 97.2 FM, a community radio station, airs a lesbian and gay radio magazine programme once weekly, according to Out North West Magazine published by the Lesbian and Gay Foundation in Manchester. Podcast http://www.tuesdaynightout.co.uk/

GayRadio-UK is a new online radio station which goes on the air from Monday 18th May at 2100 from studios in Blackpool and promises a variety of LGBT programming. The audio stream is at www.gayradiouk.com. Podcasts are already active and feature guests iuncluding lesbian actress Amanda Barrie, gay icon Su Pollard and radical actor Richie Tomlinson. Daily programmes are uploaded at the most popular gay podcast site on the net, Feast of Fun www.feastoffools.net , with a speech based programme of LGBT guests, news digest and light-hearted discussion.

Galaxy North East
Monday-Friday 4-7pm: James Barr

BBC Radio Manchester - 95.1 and online
Every Monday 8pm: The Gay Hour, Ashley Byrne and Andrew Edwards

BBC London - 94.9 and online
Monday – Friday 3-5pm: Danny Baker. With Amy Lamé or Baylen Leonard

Gaydar Radio - Brighton, London DAB and online 24/7

Manchester’s gaydio www.gaydio.co.uk

FYI Radio (gay youth radio) - online (currently only podcast but soon to grow to a fully fledged station) www.fyiradio.net

www.pinkeradio.com

Last Tuesday of the month - 6pm
Out in South London - local LGBT radio show with Rosie Wilby and guests
Listen online at www.southcityradio.org

Chair of EHRC apologises and suggests anti-LGBT Priest appointment might have been a mistake

At the Lesbian and Gay Christain Movement conference, Faith, Homophobia. Transphobia, & Human Rights - building positive alliances for equality and sexual diversity, Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality & Human Rights Commission, spoke candidly about his position in the face of the controversies over the appointment of the Revd. Joel Edwards, former General Secretary of the Evangelical Alliance, to a Commissioner role for faith issues.

Responding to tough questioning, he told the conference that had he known at the time of the appointment what he knew now, how deeply people had been hurt and alienated over this, maybe there would have been a different outcome. Phillips’ apologies for Edwards’ appointment left a number of unanswered questions which the Conference Steering Group will continue to pursue. Recognising the human cost of social exclusion, Trevor Phillips admitted that LGBT people had in the past not felt that their concerns were being taken seriously enough. He expressed his own commitment and that of the Commission to striving for rights for all.

Minister Claims UK Gov. Will Stand Firm Against Faith Exemptions on LGBT Equalities

Government Equalities Minister, Maria Eagle pledged that she and other Ministers would stand firm against any attempts by faith groups to get out of the demands of LGBT legislation and the forthcoming Equality Bill.

Addressing a cutting-edge UK conference, Faith, Homophobia. Transphobia, & Human Rights - building positive alliances for equality and sexual diversity, Ms. Eagle pointed out : “Values of equality and social justice are held by many within as well as outside faith communities. The circumstances in which religious institutions can practice anything less than full equality are few and far between. While the state would not intervene in narrowly ritual or doctrinal matters within faith groups, these communities cannot claim that everything they run is outside the scope of anti-discrimination law. Members of faith groups have a role in making the argument in their own communities for greater LGBT acceptance, but in the meantime the state has a duty to protect people from unfair treatment.”

California advances Harvey Milk Day honour

The California Senate has approved legislation that would designate a day each year to honour slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk. The bill by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, would designate each May 22—Milk's birthday—as a "day of special significance" to recognize the late San Francisco supervisor's contributions to the state.

It would not be an official holiday so there would be no cost to state government. The bill encourages but doesn't require schools to teach about Milk's legacy.
Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. He was assassinated in 1978.

The measure passed, 24-14, with one Republican vote. It now heads to the Assembly.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a nearly identical bill last year.

...and the UK Paul Patrick
May 22nd is also the anniversary of the death of Schools OUT and LGBT History Month co-founder Paul Patrick. To remind ourselve of his contribution to education and equality we are re-opening his memorial page.

Hand Holding Swings!

A Day In Hand, a initiative inviting people to take pictures of themselves holding the hand of someone of their sex regardless of sexual orientation, had its official launch in London during International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), May 17th.

About 100 people gathered in Southwark to see - and adopt - a photo from a selection of hundreds gathered over the past few months of same-sex people holding hands in public places.

UK IDAHO co-ordinator Derek Lennard took time out from his schedule to promote the event and talked about the photo he had taken with his partner and a gang of punks.

A Day In Hand co-ordinator Dave Watkins spoke of the importance of the project and played an excerpt of a radio broadcast with a couple of (straight male) Southampton DJs who walked through the High Street hand in hand for 10 minutes and spoke of their feelings.

Schools OUT and LGBT History Month co-ordinators Sue Sanders and Tony Fenwick also spoke at the event, along with the amazing teacher Ellie Barnes and No Outsiders' Mark Jennett.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence graced us with their presence and everyone held hands for a group photo at the end.

"Watch out. This is the beginning of something big!" said Tony.

Visit www.adayinhand.com for more information and to view the pictures.

LGBT related Radio and TV Programmes, 16th - 22nd May

We seek them out so you don't have to. This is our weekly non-exhaustive round up of upcoming LGBT programmes on the radio and television. Inclusion of a programme is not a recommendation. Enjoy!

Owt on’t’telly?
A round up of LGBT progs and personalities on British TV.

John Barrowman anchors Tonight’s the Night on Saturday at 6.50pm on BBC1. Eurovision Song Contest BBC1 8pm. Graham Norton presents and the new voting system is supposed to be more democratic. Carol Ann Duffy reads some of her poems onBBC4 at 11pm. That follows a special on Wilfred Owen by Jeremy Paxman on the same channel at 8pm. Dave’s repeat showing of Have I Got News for You at 10.20pm is presented by Julian Clary. So that’s Saturday sorted. Norton Uncut Sunday 11.30pmis on BBC2. Another Come Dine with Me on Sunday C4 at 8pm is from Bristol. BBC4 does two programmes on W.H. Auden from10pm. Monday’s first Corrie is scripted by Jonathan Harvey. Watch repeats Who Do You Think You Are? with Graham Norton on Tuesday at 9pm. Scott Capurro, gay comedian of some class, is on The Wright Stuff, Five, on Wednesday at 9.15am. Graham Norton is on BBC2 at 10pm on Thursday. E4 does another basinful of Alan Carr’s Celebrity Ding-Dong on Friday at 11.05pm.

The Ellen de Generes Show is on Fiver every weekday morning at 6. Frasier 8.30am, Will & Grace 9, Paul O’Grady 5pm weekdays C4. Monday’s O’Grady Show guests Matt Lucas.

FilmITV1 offers Carry on Cleo at 1.30pm Saturday, with Amanda Barrie, Willaims and Hawtrey. Bette Davis fans can enjoy All about Eve on Film4 3.25 pm Saturday. ITV3 does Carry on Cruising at 9pm on Sunday. Hairspray yet again on Family at 8pm Monday. The Rocky Horror Picture Show has another outing at 1pm on Modern Greats on Tuesday. Gosford Park on Film4 Wednesday stars Stephen Fry as a nitwit detective. On Thursday the Family Channel offers St Trinians at 8pm followed by X-Men at 9.45. James Gandolfini plays a gay hitman in The Mexican on Friday 8pm Sky Premiere.

Radio
Some of the radio programmes listed below can be listened to again via the Listen Again facility of the BBC's website while some of the television programmes will remain available also for a week on the BBC's iplayer

Please also note that Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour contains a lot of relevant content and is generally LGBT friendly, but a lot of its output is not available to us before we put this on the site. For the latest Woman’s Hour stuff, subscribe to the programme's newsletter here

Saturday 16th
BBC Radio 2 - 1pm: Pick of the Pops. Dale Winton. 1962 & 1984
BBC Radio 2 - 6: Going out with Alan Carr
BBC Radio 2 - 8: Eurovision Song Contest
BBC Radio 4 - 10.30: Getting the Gongs. Steve Punt on honours. Features Stephen K. Amos
BBC Radio 4 - 12.30: News Quiz. Sandi Toksvig again. Sue Perkins is among the guests
BBC Radio 4 - 4pm: Weekend Woman’s Hour. Highlights
BBC Radio 4 - 6.15: Loose Ends
BBC Radio 4 - 11: Counterpoint. Paul Gambaccini presents the music buffs’ quiz
6 Music - 12midnight: BBC Introducing. Tom Robinson

Sunday 17th
BBC Radio 2 - 5pm: Paul O’Grady. Lively words and music show
BBC Radio 4 - 8.30pm: Last Word. Weekly obituary that has included LGBT figures in the past
BBC Radio 7 - 10pm: The News Quiz

Monday 18th
BBC Radio 2 - 11.30pm: Liberace: Mr Showmanship! Repeat of 2007 tribute to the closeted pianist
BBC Radio 4 - 1.30pm: Counterpoint

Tuesday 19th
BBC Radio 4 - 4.30pm: Great Lives: with Matthew Parris. Fred Astaire
BBC Radio 4 - 11: The Secret World. Comedy starring Jon Culshaw 3/6

Wednesday 20th
BBC Radio 3 - Starting from 7am, Radio 3 will be airing readings of Shakespeare’s Sonnets as part of the BBC poetry season. According to previews, the issue of his apparent attraction to men will not be avoided.
BBC Radio 4 - 8.45pm Letters to Mary. The story of Mary Wallstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Men, which attacked the patriarchal structure of society and advocated republicanism in 1790

Friday 22nd
BBC Radio 4 - 4.30pm: Last Word. Obituaries. LGBT content unknown
BBC Radio 4 - 6.30: The News Quiz. Sandi Toksvig
6 Music - 7pm: Tom Robinson
BBC Radio 7 - 7pm: Round the Horne

Local

For a global classification of queer radio on line:
http://radiotime.com/Search.aspx?query=gay&so=26,52,78 and
http://radiotime.com/Search.aspx?query=Lesbian
Gay Internet Radio Live (G.I.R.L.) is on the air 24 hours a day with dance music from the US at www.gayinternetradiolive.com.

Wythenshaw 97.2 FM, a community radio station, airs a lesbian and gay radio magazine programme once weekly, according to Out North West Magazine published by the Lesbian and Gay Foundation in Manchester. Podcast http://www.tuesdaynightout.co.uk/

Galaxy North East
Monday-Friday 4-7pm: James Barr

BBC Radio Manchester - 95.1 and online
Every Monday 8pm: The Gay Hour, Ashley Byrne and Andrew Edwards

BBC London - 94.9 and online
Monday – Friday 3-5pm: Danny Baker. With Amy Lamé or Baylen Leonard

Gaydar Radio - Brighton, London DAB and online 24/7

Manchester’s gaydio www.gaydio.co.uk

FYI Radio (gay youth radio) - online (currently only podcast but soon to grow to a fully fledged station) www.fyiradio.net

www.pinkeradio.com

Last Tuesday of the month - 6pm
Out in South London - local LGBT radio show with Rosie Wilby and guests
Listen online at www.southcityradio.org

LGBT related Radio and TV Programmes, 9th - 15th May

We seek them out so you don't have to. This is our weekly non-exhaustive round up of upcoming LGBT programmes on the radio and television. Inclusion of a programme is not a recommendation. Enjoy!

Owt on’t’telly?
A round up of LGBT progs and personalities on British TV.

John Barrowman anchors Tonight’s the Night on Saturday at 7pm. Have I Got a Bit More News for You on BBC2 at 9pm hasClaire Balding as guest. Norton Uncut Sunday 11.30pm is on BBC2. Last in the series of Come Dine with Me on Sunday C4 at8pm is from Luton. Wednesday’s Corrie is scripted by Jonathan Harvey. Graham Norton is on BBC2 at 10pm on Thursday. BBC2’s Later Live with Jools features a re-vamped New York Dolls as well as Morrissey at 10pm on Tuesday. Kajagoogoo pop out of the closet to perform Too Shy Shy on GMTV at 8.35 am. The Ellen de Generes Show is on Fiver every weekday morning at 6. Frasier 8.30am, Will & Grace 9, Paul O’Grady 5pm weekdays C4. Shameless 10pm Tuesday C4 and at other times and on other places.

Films
ITV1 offers Saved at 1.25am (i.e. Saturday morning). It’s an American high school movie but the high school is in the Christian belt. A girl gets pregnant and her boyfriend tells her he’s gay. On Sunday there’s Deborah Kerr . Tuesday daytime there’s a youngBogarde in Damn the Defiant on Channel 4 at 1.30pm. Sky 1 shows X-Men at 9pm Wednesday. Indie airs La Vie en Rose at 11.15am and Fire at 6.15pm on Tuesday. Judi Dench plays a nasty lesbian teacher in the controversial Notes on a Scandal on Indie at 8.20pm on Thursday.

Radio

Some of the radio programmes listed below can be listened to again via the Listen Again facility of the BBC's website while some of the television programmes will remain available also for a week on the BBC iPlayer.

Please also note that Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour contains a lot of relevant content and is generally LGBT friendly, but a lot of its output is not available to us before we put this on the site. For the latest Woman’s Hour stuff, subscribe to the programme's newsletter here.

Saturday 9th
BBC Radio 2 - 1pm: Pick of the Pops. Dale Winton. 1966 & 1975
BBC Radio 2 - 6: Going out with Alan Carr
BBC Radio 2 - 8: Paul Gambaccini. US Hits
BBC Radio 4 - 12.30: News Quiz. Sandi Toksvig. Sue Perkins is among the guests
BBC Radio 4 - 4pm: Weekend Woman’s Hour. Highlights
BBC Radio 4 - 6.15: Loose Ends
BBC Radio 4 - 11: Counterpoint. Paul Gambaccini presents the music buffs’ quiz
6 Music - 12midnight: BBC Introducing. Tom Robinson

Sunday 10th
BBC Radio 2 - 1pm: Elaine Page. Guests Jason Donovan in Priscilla role
BBC Radio 2 - 5pm: Paul O’Grady. Lively words and music show
BBC Radio 4 - 6.05: Something Understood. Entitlement and rights
BBC Radio 4 - 11.15: Desert Island Discs. Whoopi Goldberg
BBC Radio 4 - 8.30pm: Last Word. Weekly obituary that has included LGBT figures in the past

Monday 11th
BBC Radio 2 - 11.30pm: Liberace: Mr Showmanship! Repeat of 2007 tribute to the closeted pianist
BBC Radio 4 - 1.30pm: Counterpoint

Tuesday 12th
BBC Radio 2 - 10.30am: Not Letting It Be. Matt Lucas presents a look at shows that have mocked the music business
BBC Radio 4 - 4.30pm: Great Lives. Andy Shepherd discusses John Coltrane with Matthew Parris
BBC Radio 4 - 11: The Secret World. Comedy starring Jon Culshaw 3/6
BBC Radio 7 - 2.30pm: Telling Tales. Alan Bennett

Friday 15th
BBC Radio 4 - 4.30pm: Last Word. Obituaries. LGBT content unknown
BBC Radio 4 - 6.30: The News Quiz. Sandi Toksvig and Sue Perkins
BBC Radio 4 - 8: Any Questions. Alan Duncan on the panel
6 Music - 7pm: Tom Robinson
BBC Radio 7 - 7pm: Round the Horne

Local
Galaxy North East
Monday-Friday 4-7pm: James Barr

BBC Radio Manchester - 95.1 and online
Every Monday 8pm: The Gay Hour, Ashley Byrne and Andrew Edwards

BBC London - 94.9 and online
Monday – Friday 3-5pm: Danny Baker. With Amy Lamé or Baylen Leonard

Gaydar Radio - Brighton, London DAB and online 24/7

Manchester’s gaydio www.gaydio.co.uk

FYI Radio (gay youth radio) - online (currently only podcast but soon to grow to a fully fledged station) www.fyiradio.net

www.pinkeradio.com

24th March @ 6pm (last Tuesday of the month)
Out in South London - local LGBT radio show with Rosie Wilby and guests
Listen online at www.southcityradio.org

Bulletin No 60

The latest edition of the LGBT History Month bulletin is now available, as usual packed-full of news, information, notices of upcoming events and quotations. To access the latest bulletin please click on one of the links below: pdf file

Apologies from the team, but, owing to technical problems, the month's bulletin is available as a pdf only. You can view all previous bulletins here or register to our mailing list here.

Britain has grown up about gays, says Maxwell Davies

The Queen's Master of Music says the appointment of Carol Ann Duffy as Poet Laureate has shown how far Britain has come its attitude towards gay people.

Orkney-based Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, who like Glasgow-born Duffy is openly gay, said Britain had "grown up enormously" over people's sexual orientation.

Read the full article in the Scotsman here.

LGBT related Radio and TV Programmes, 2nd - 8th May

We seek them out so you don't have to. This is our weekly non-exhaustive round up of upcoming LGBT programmes on the radio and television. Inclusion of a programme is not a recommendation.
Enjoy!

Owt on’t’telly?
A round up of LGBT progs and personalities on British TV.

New!
Male eye candy comes from the unlikeliest of places. Viewers of English Heritage on BBC2 at 9pm Friday features two human models posing for a sculpture of two Greek Gods for Kenilworth House in Warwickshire. Saturday night on BBC4 has a special on 60’s singer/songwriter Long John Baldry. Elton John wrote Someone Saved My Life Tonight about Baldry after coming out to him. It airs at 11.55pm. More4 repeats The Gangster and the Pervert Peer at 10pm Saturday, delving into the dirt around Lord Boothby, Tom Driberg and Ronnie Kray.

Sky Arts 1 has a package called Sunday Night Hijack on Sunday at 8pm, in which an arts personage selects the evening’s programmes. This week it’s sleeve designer Peter Saville and his choices include Pet Shop Boys, Gilbert and George, Robert Mapplethorpe and Jeff Koons. Could he be trying to say something?

C4 repeats its schools and colleges programme Coming out to Class, presented by QBoy, on Tuesday at 11.55am. Big Gay Prom is reshown on C4 Wednesday and Thursday at 11.10.

Die-hard John Barrowman fans can see him as a hunky doctor in the appalling My Family on BBC1 at 8pm Thursday. On the same evening, Joan Rivers guests on The Graham Norton Show at 10pm on BBC2.

Ongoing

John Barrowman anchors Tonight’s the Night on Saturday at 7pm. Norton Uncut Sunday 11pm BBC2. Frasier 8.30am, Will & Grace 9, Paul O’Grady 5pm weekdays C4. Shameless 10pm Tuesday C4 and at other times and on other places. ITV’s four part series Boy Meets Girl features Rachael Stirling and Martin Freedman as a couple who change bodies after being struck by lightning 9pm Friday

Films

Virgin1 airs Flawless on Saturday at 9pm. Robert DeNero plays a homophobic security guard who has a stroke and is rescued and resuscitated by a drag queen. X2 is on Saturday night ITV1 at 9.20. The original X-Men is at 9.40 on the Family Channel. The now-dated but hard-hitting AIDS tragedy Philadelphia is on Fiver at 8.30pm Friday.

Three Carry-ons: Screaming 1.50pm ITV1 Saturday; Again Doctor 5.30pm BBC2 Sunday; Dick Film4 3.05pm Thursday; and Up Pompeii ITV3 9pm Sunday. Prick up Your Ears; Stephen Frears’ bio-pic of Joe Orton, is on Film4 1.10am Thursday night. The Family Channel airsHairspray 6pm Wednesday and St Trinians 10pm Friday

Radio
Some of the radio programmes listed below can be listened to again via the Listen Again facility of the BBC's website while some of the television programmes will remain available also for a week on the BBC's iplayer.

Please also note that Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour contains a lot of relevant content and is generally LGBT friendly, but a lot of its output is not available to us before we put this on the site. For the latest Woman’s Hour stuff, subscribe to the programme's newsletter here.

Saturday 2nd
BBC Radio 2 - 1pm: Pick of the Pops. Dale Winton. 1974 & 1989
BBC Radio 2 - 6: Going out with Alan Carr
BBC Radio 2 - 8: Paul Gambaccini. US Hits
BBC Radio 4 - 10am: Excess Baggage. Sandi Toksvig
BBC Radio 4 - 10.30: Reasons to Be Cheerful. Stephen K. Amos on how things have got better since the 1970s
BBC Radio 4 - 12.30: News Quiz. Sandi Toksvig again
BBC Radio 4 - 4pm: Weekend Woman’s Hour. Highlights
BBC Radio 4 - 6.15: Loose Ends
BBC Radio 4 - 11: Counterpoint. Paul Gambaccini presents the music buffs’ quiz
6 Music - 12midnight: BBC Introducing. Tom Robinson

Sunday 3rd
BBC Radio 2 - 5pm: Paul O’Grady. Lively words and music show
BBC Radio 4 - 6.05: Something Understood. Includes lines by Walt Whitman
BBC Radio 4 - 8.30: Last Word. Weekly obituary that has included LGBT figures in the past

Monday 4th
BBC Radio 2 - 1pm: Exceptional in the Eighties. Richard Allinson on Madonna, The Smiths, Pet Shop Boys and George Michael. Interesting choice
BBC Radio 4 - 1.30pm: Counterpoint
BBC Radio 4 - 8pm: France’s Forgotten Concentration Camps

Tuesday 7th
BBC Radio 4 - 9.30: Head to Head. Edward Stourton remembers Gore Vidal’s debate with Clive James over Christianity and freedom of thought from the 1970s
BBC Radio 4 - 4.30pm: Great Lives. Colin Murray discusses Frank Sinatra with Matthew Parris
BBC Radio 4 - 11: The Secret World. Comedy starring Jon Culshaw 3/6

Friday 8th
BBC Radio 4 - 4.30pm: Last Word. Obituaries. LGBT content unknown
BBC Radio 4 - 6.30: The News Quiz. Sandi Toksvig and Sue Perkins
6 Music - 7pm: Tom Robinson
BBC Radio 7 - 7pm: Round the Horne

Local
Galaxy North East
Monday-Friday 4-7pm: James Barr

BBC Radio Manchester - 95.1 and online
Every Monday 8pm: The Gay Hour, Ashley Byrne and Andrew Edwards

BBC London - 94.9 and online
Monday – Friday 3-5pm: Danny Baker. With Amy Lamé or Baylen Leonard

Gaydar Radio - Brighton, London DAB and online 24/7

Manchester’s gaydio www.gaydio.co.uk

FYI Radio (gay youth radio) - online (currently only podcast but soon to grow to a fully fledged station) www.fyiradio.net

www.pinkeradio.com

6pm (last Tuesday of the month)
Out in South London - local LGBT radio show with Rosie Wilby and guests
Listen online at www.southcityradio.org

London Remembers Bombing Victims

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the bombing of The Admiral Duncan last night, a minute's silence was held in the bar at 6.30pm, followed by a memorial service with commemorative flowers in Soho Square and a Unite against Fascism rally outside the Old Compton Street pub.



The commemoration was a low key respectful event, whilst the rally was an occasion to remind people of the extent of homophobia and the dangers of fascism that we still face - especially in the light of the current campaign in European and council elections by the British National Party.



Schools OUT and LGBT History Month's Tony Fenwick and David Watkins attended the events. Tony reminded the gathering that homophobia is still alive today when many in Britain still seek a cure for "gayness" and that nearly 100% of teachers and pupils still see and hear homophobia in schools. He added that we can all be victims of hate.

Admiral Duncan bombing: The day my life changed forever, PinkNews
On the tenth anniversary of the Admiral Duncan bombing, survivor Jonathan Cash remembers the tragedy.

Breaking News: Lesbian Poet Becomes Poet Laureate

Carol Ann Duffy has been announced as the UK first ever female Poet Laureate. Duffy, 53, is thought to be the most widely read living poet in the English language.

A Poet Laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for State occasions and other government events. The plural form is poets laureate.

In the United Kingdom the term has for centuries been the title of the official poet of the monarch, since the time of Charles II. Poets laureate are appointed by many countries. In Britain there is also a Children's Laureate.

Duffy was almost appointed the British Poet Laureate in 1999 (after the death of previous Laureate Ted Hughes), but lost out on the position to Andrew Motion. According to the Sunday Times, Downing Street sources stated unofficially that Prime Minister Tony Blair was 'worried about having a homosexual poet laureate because of how it might play in middle England'. Duffy later claimed that she would not have accepted the laureateship anyway, saying in an interview with the Guardian newspaper that 'I will not write a poem for Edward and Sophie. No self-respecting poet should have to.'

Woman's Hour has Duffy first interview a Poet Laureate here.

Stephen Fry's letter to himself: Dearest absurd child

Just who was the young, arrogant and confused man to whom Stephen Fry recently felt compelled to write a long and heartfelt letter? Himself, 35 years ago

Read the full letter in the Guardian here.

The article is an edited version of a piece published in the 25th-birthday edition of Gay Times.

A selection of readers' responses in the same format can be read here.