“I’m here, I’m queer, I have some fear but I’m working through it.”

WORDS BY ALICE MOREY
HEADER BY YOSEF PHELAN

Whilst coming out publicly has never been a determining factor in affirming your place in the LGBTQIA+ community – representation has and will always be important. This is especially so for queer youth who may be struggling with their own LGBTQIA+ identity, having the opportunity to see visible role models in the mainstream media can provide a source of inspiration and security to lean into their own authentic identity.

2023 saw notable stars from across the world entertainment, sport and politics publicly coming out to identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. From Ncuti Gatwa to Bella Ramsey and Miss Benny (checkout the full list here).

Continue reading to see all the stars who have come out publicly (so far) in 2024.

Amanda Tori Meating

Known for: RuPaul’s Drag Race

Identifies as: Trans woman

“I refer to myself as a t-girl at the moment.”

Read the full story here.

Bethany Antonia

Known for: Actor

Identifies as: Gay

“Wait till they find out I’m gay too…”

Colin Grafton

Known for: Dancing On Ice

Identifies as: Gay

“I never really felt the need to announce it before but the reason I am saying this now is because I want to show that there is representation in any way I can.”

Read the full story here.

Erika Casupana

Known for: Survivor winner

Identifies as: Lesbian

“Throwback to last New Year’s Eve when I tried to do the “eat grapes while sitting under a table at midnight and you’ll be get a boyfriend by the end of the year.But I didn’t have grapes, so I chugged wine, and instead, that year, I realized I’m a lesbian. Close enough, right?”

Read the full story here.

Grace Wilson

Known for: Matildas goalkeeper

Identifies as: Non-binary

“You don’t realise how much of a difference it makes. Being referred to as ‘they/them’ for the first time gave me this euphoric feeling. I just wanted to be free.”

Read the full story here.

Jessica Gunning

Known for: Actress

Identifies as: Gay

“I’m a big old gay.”

Read the full story here. 

Lauv

Known for: Singer

Identifies as: Gay

“I feel like I’m gay, okay. I’ve said this so many times and still not claimed to actually be, because I’ve not had enough experience to say.”

Read the full story here.

Madame LaQueer

Known for: RuPaul’s Drag Race

Identifies as: Trans woman

“It’s now or never. I think this serves for me to be a voice for those that have persuaded themselves into not pursuing their truths and let time take over.”

Read the full story here.

Mario Alcalde

Known for: Spanish Bullfighter

Identifies as: Pansexual

“It’s now or never. I think this serves for me to be a voice for those that have persuaded themselves into not pursuing their truths and let time take over.”

Read the full story here.

Matt Terry

Known for: Singer

Identifies as: LGBTQIA+

“I’m very proud [of my sexuality], and I’m no longer afraid.”

Read the full story here.

Parvati Shallow

Known for: Survivor winner

Identifies as: Queer

“I am pansexual and I feel very identified with the LGTBI flag. I fall in love with the interior, I don’t care about gender.”

Read the full story here.

Reneé Rapp

Known for: Singer / Actor

Identifies as: Lesbian

“I’m a lesbian, but wow, do I love Justin Bieber.”

Read the full story here.

Sophia Bush

Known for: Actress

Identifies as: Queer

“Right now I think the word that best defines it is queer. I can’t say it without smiling, actually. And that feels pretty great.”

Read the full story here.

Sean Gunn

Known for: Olympic swimmer

Identifies as: Gay

“I had quite a long-term relationship with a girl, but after that ended I dated a guy in the U.S., which all my friends and team knew about.”

Read the full story here. 

Zoe Lister-Jones

Known for: Law & Order

Identifies as: Queer

“I’m here, I’m queer, I have some fear but I’m working through it.”

Read the full story here.

The post Here are all the celebrities who’ve come out as LGBTQ+ in 2024 (so far) appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Chrishell Stause discusses Selling Sunset season eight, her “fierce protectiveness” over partner G-Flip and her upcoming London show, Up Close and Personal. 

WORDS BY ALICE MOREY
HEADER BY YOSEF PHELAN

When we see the glossed, polished Chrishell Stause dealing in “multi-million dollar homes” on Selling Sunset, it’s damn near impossible to envisage her life any other way. Before she was one of the world’s  most stylish realtors (in addition to being an Emmy-nominated actress), however, Stause felt “extreme shame” over her experiences with homelessness – a fact she has discussed at large on the Netflix series. Stause tells GAY TIMES that, after identifying as an “outcast” for most of her life, she finally feels “embraced” as a result of coming out as LGBTQIA+: “Joining the community, there is a sense of the outcasts coming together and making sure that nobody ever feels like that.”

With her marriage to non-binary musician (and former GT cover star) G-Flip, Stause has found a renewed “confidence”. This was on full display in the seventh season of Selling Sunset when she memorably called out a fellow cast member for misgendering G, which has been hailed as a watershed moment for non-binary visibility and pronoun awareness on mainstream television. “We’re filming a TV show that will go out to 190 countries, so it is absolutely my duty to correct that,” says Stause. “I just can’t fathom making a big deal out of making someone comfortable over something as simple as a pronoun. We can all learn and do better. If you can’t be the person that wants to try and make someone feel instantly more comfortable, then stay home.”

This month, Stause will be in conversation – for one night only! – with social media influencers Jack Remmington and Ash Holme at the London Palladium for a no-holds-barred chat. Ahead of her most candid gig yet, Stause speaks with GAY TIMES about discovering her sexuality and marriage to G-Flip, as well as the new season of Selling Sunset (which she describes as the “most dramatic season” yet!).

Chrishell, we are so excited for your upcoming show Up Close and Personal. First of all, where did the idea come from?

Every time I come to London – which is one of my favourite cities – people would ask, ‘Where can we meet you?’ and I never know what to say! Of course, I would be happy to meet people and talk to them on a grand scale, so I was excited. I didn’t know what the Palladium was, and having realised… oh my gosh. It is such an honoured space, so I’m putting everything into it so everyone can leave the night feeling uplifted and ready to have a drink.

The description for the show says you will “dive deep” into some monumental moments in your life, from your homelessness to starring on Selling Sunset and your relationship with G-Flip. So, how are you feeling about getting so – as the title says – up close and personal with audiences?

It is a topic that has scared me many times in the past, just by virtue of what I do, being on a show like this and trying to protect my peace. In the past year or so, I’ve become closer to living my life as an open book. There have been some trials and struggles that I have dealt with privately and not wanted to share with people because of judgement and criticism. That being said, if I can look back at my past and learn anything, it’s that when you do share with people, you connect and give them the comfort that they’re not going through it alone; or give them inspiration to live everyday for the most, because you don’t know what the future holds. We are all trying our best. So, something with a title like Up Close and Personal would have really scared me. I’m in a different place in my life now, where I have turned a new page. Hopefully, I can try and inspire people and let them know they’re not alone.

The new season of Selling Sunset is due to be released this year. Of course, I’m sure you have to be quite tight-lipped about it, but is there anything you say?

We just finished filming season eight and… whoa. I will say it probably ties for the most dramatic season we’ve ever had. I’ve had some really exciting real estate moments, and I’m happy to say that I didn’t bring the drama! Unfortunately, I’m plopped in the middle of it because these are my friends, and some of them are like family. This isn’t manufactured drama. You’ll see this season that we’ve had to deal with real heavy-hitting life events, so I think that will take this show into a place that nobody wishes for everyone. As you know, I’ve been doing this show for a long time, and sometimes my real life intersects with filming. Some of that happens in real time, so it causes some drama. I think it’s nice when the show leans into the fun side, and you get to see us going to different places and doing fun things. The show’s goal is to always out-do itself, and I will say that it’s going to be a crazy season.

Since being with G-Flip, it feels like you are taking no prisoners on Selling Sunset. Of course, you’ve always stood up for yourself, but it feels like we’ve recently seen you step into your own and we’re seeing Chrishell at 100 per cent. Is there any connection between the two?

Oh, unequivocally. I am so happy. Being with G and having real confidence of knowing that I have my person, they have my back, it feels like I’ve found myself. That’s the confidence that you see [on Selling Sunset]. I definitely feel like, as much as I love and I’m grateful for what I do, I don’t need to do the show. So, I think that’s the confidence you see on there, where it’s like I want to be there, because it’s serving something that I really like doing, and I really enjoy the people and situations… It depends. That confidence is there because I don’t have to be there, and I only want to be there if I can further my trajectory.

That confidence you saw on season seven of me standing my ground and not changing because it was, not only what a lot of cast members were telling me to do, but also all of production. You don’t see that. When I’m fighting to not go somewhere, I am fighting a whole production team and standing my ground on something that, in the moment, can make you feel crazy and like you’re going against everyone. Then, when the show comes out, I’m like, ‘Oh! I wasn’t crazy. I knew I wasn’t crazy.’ It’s interesting to have that confidence and film a show like this, because you have to either find it or have it, otherwise you will go mental.

We witnessed this side to you when you fiercely defended G’s pronouns, which felt like a watershed moment for non-binary visibility on mainstream television. Were you aware of how powerful that moment would be?

I don’t think I did. When we’re filming, I never know what they’re going to use. It happens in life all the time. You’ll sit down at a restaurant and they’ll be like, ‘Hi ladies!’ and I’m not the kind of person that instantly makes a big deal about things. But if it’s about someone in my life, I do, and I try and do it in a nice respectful way. You have to understand that we’re filming a TV show that will go out to 190 countries, so it is absolutely my duty to correct that. G’s the most beautiful human I’ve ever met in my life, and to see the amount of hate they get sometimes just because of something so simple, it really is heartbreaking. It also brings out a fierce, protective to me that I, sometimes, don’t even have for myself.

But, when I see how some people will talk to them, it’s so unnecessary and uncalled for. I do feel like it’s important to use my voice to speak up for them. I know they’re one person, but they’re one of many and I know that meant a lot to some people. I always use this comparison: imagine you met someone called Samantha who would prefer to be called Sam – imagine throwing such a fit over what makes them comfortable? I just can’t fathom making a big deal out of making someone comfortable over something as simple as a pronoun. We can all learn and do better. If you can’t be the person that wants to try and make someone feel instantly more comfortable, then stay home.

Thank you for that, as it’s opened so many conversations – even in my own family. There was a ripple effect…

Starting the ripple isn’t always the most liked position to be in, but down the road, the goal is that this isn’t going to be a big deal. Starting the ripple will feel monumental, and I’ve started ripples many times in my career! I’m certainly not starting this ripple, but I think I’ve started it in mainstream reality television. The ripple needed to start.

I saw your Valentine’s Day post to G where you explained how, a week before the photo was taken, you believed you were only attracted to men. How have you been navigating this new aspect of your identity, especially on such a mainstream scale?

In the beginning, it did feel terrifying and exposing because I had questions and people were asking me questions that I didn’t have the answers to. It feels like this was all meant to happen. I feel like my life has been that way, my journey and growing up with this extreme shame of being homeless. Then, having to sell multi-million dollar homes on television. All these crazy things sounds like a writer wrote it! It’s almost stranger than fiction. With my sexuality being a touch point for so many conversations, I’m surrendering to the idea that it was meant to be. I’m meant to help other people understand it a little more. Maybe for kids watching Selling Sunset, it could be something as simple as not bullying someone who doesn’t have the right clothes or not bullying someone who is using a pronoun you think is silly. Maybe they didn’t know someone who was queer before, and now they see me on TV and see that I’m the same person; a regular person and a person they liked.

I love being a lesbian, so I wanted to ask, what is your favourite part about being in the LGBTQIA+ community?

Oh my gosh, I haven’t been asked this, which is interesting. The common thread that feels so beautiful is that every single person and story is valid. That sense of community and belonging is the best part. When I was younger, I felt like an outcast for not having the right clothes or running water, so I didn’t exactly smell the nicest all the time. Joining the community, there is a sense of the outcasts coming together and making sure that nobody feels like that. I thought I might feel like that, because I came out later in life and didn’t have a story of feeling closeted. I feel like my sexuality is more like a spectrum and being attracted to energies. So, I would say that feeling embraced and like I belong in this crazy world is beautiful. And we are in an election year, so it is more important than ever to, not only have that sense of community, but to embrace our allies because we need them more than ever.

You can buy tickets for Chrishell Stause: Up Close and Personal here.

The post ‘My life is stranger than fiction’: Chrishell on Selling Sunset, G-Flip and coming out appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Voltarol and GAY TIMES are continuing their multi-year partnership, focused on increasing queer visibility in sport and platforming the stories of inspiring individuals who are making sport more inclusive, one obstacle at a time. 

This year it has been announced that Voltarol will be the Official Pain Relief Partner of the TCS London Marathon 2024. GAY TIMES will be helping bring to life their activation on Rainbow Row – the iconic 21-mile mark within the marathon route which transforms into a stretch of colour and pride. 

As part of the official partnership between Voltarol and TCS London Marathon, Channel 4 and GAY TIMES will be unravelling the stories of two marathon participants, exploring the power of movement and what running means to the individuals themselves. Not only does the “More Than Running” campaign champion physical and mental strength, but also highlights the importance of community. 

Prior to the marathon activity kicking off in April, Voltarol are encouraging people of all ages and abilities to lace up their trainers, move, and feel their best by launching the Voltarol “More Than Running” Strava challenge. You have the opportunity to join this community! 

You don’t have to wait for your name to get pulled out of the ballot in order to feel the unrivalled buzz of completing 26.2 miles. If you have what it takes to complete 26.2 miles over the course of a month, are ready to thrive mentally, and are keen to join a collective of like-minded runners, then this new Strava challenge is one for you! 

Whether you choose to hike, run, walk or participate in a wheelchair – complete the distance of a marathon your way! All abilities and levels are welcome. 

And if that isn’t enough motivation to participate, there is an exclusive collection of prizes up for grabs too. Participants can WIN one of five Garmin Forerunner 265s, one of 80 x £20 Runners Need E-vouchers, or one of 130 x £10 Runners Need E-vouchers. 

The challenge will be published on 22 March, before going live on 29 March. The challenge will end on the 25 April. 

The power in the freedom of movement is undeniable, and Voltarol is committed to championing the continued joy of motion. Irrespective of whether you are a total novice or an elite competitor, there is one shared commonality – the mutual love of running and the shared camaraderie of a challenge. 

Are you ready to take on the challenge? Sign up for the new Voltarol X Strava challenge here!

You will receive a reward text and email notification with a link to enter the prize draw once you’ve completed the challenge in the Strava app. Individuals must be aged 16+ and entrants under 18 must obtain the consent of their parent or legal guardian to enter the promotion. Full Ts&Cs apply and can be found here: https://voltarolstravachallenge.co.uk/terms

Voltarol Joint & Back Pain Relief 2.32% Gel contains diclofenac diethylammonium. Always read the label. 

The post It’s More Than Running: Complete a marathon your way with Voltarol & Strava appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Josh O’Connor is in conversations to appear in a new gay romance film, Separate Rooms, by Luca Guadagnino.

The romance is an adaptation of the titular novel by late Italian author Pier Vittorio Tondelli, who died of AIDS at the age of 36. The story “follows an Italian writer named Leo who is mourning the loss of his boyfriend.”

Variety has revealed that O’Connor is in discussions to play Leo after Guadagnino announced over the weekend to Italy’s La Repubblica that the filming is set to begin “soon”.

The book is divided into three parts written as “movements” and opens with Leo travelling to Munich to say goodbye to his former lover, a German pianist called Thomas. The book plots his mourning as he travels to the UK and US. Spliced with flashbacks and reflections, the pair’s first meeting in Paris is captured along with Thomas’s affair with a girl prior to his death.

O’Connor is currently filming a new queer romance The History of Sound, opposite All of Us Strangers star Paul Mescal. Directed by Oliver Hermanus, the film is based on the Pushcart Prize-winning novel from Ben Shattuck, a collection of 12 short stories that are set across three centuries and explores generational patterns of love and loss.

The title story follows two young men in the shadows of WWI who are determined to record the lives, voices and music of their American countrymen. Lionel (Mescal) and David (O’Connor) begin to log the events, whilst falling in love in the process.

In an interview with GAY TIMES on the first day of filming (28 February), Hermanus said they’re already “on fire” in the highly-anticipated gay romance: “I mean, they’re great friends and they get on. They love working together. This is their first time.”

The Crown star us about to appear in Guadagnino’s new drama Challengers, alongside Zendaya and Mike Faist.

O’Connor previously starred in the critically-acclaimed same-sex romantic drama God’s Own Country. The heartfelt love story follows a Yorkshire farmer (O’Connor) whose life changes with the arrival of a Romanian migrant farm hand named Gheorghe (Alec Secăreanu). Despite initial tension, the two soon become engaged in a passionate meet in nature.

O’Connor has since garnered acclaim for roles in Hope Gap, Emma and The Crown, where he won multiple awards for his portrayal of a young King Charles III, including a Critics Choice Award, Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe and SAG Award.

The post The History of Sound’s Josh O’Connor in conversations for another gay drama appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Alongside Close to You co-star Hillary Baack and director Dominic Savage, Elliot Page reflects on the “spiritual experience” of filming the captivating new film and the necessity for LGBTQIA+ representation in countering attempts to “erase trans people.”

WORDS BY ALICE MOREY
HEADER DESIGN ANISA CLEAVER
IMAGES COURTESY OF ME+YOU PRODUCTIONS

“In a time where there’s this massive push to essentially erase trans people, I really want to see people play those roles,” Elliot Page says ahead of Close to You’s premiere at the BFI Flare LGBTQIA+ Film Festival (14 March).

Standing up in the face of the “horrific misinformation” currently being spread about trans people, Page leads the independent drama as Sam, a trans man who has an unexpected run-in with old friend Katherine (Hillary Baack). With Sam visiting his family for the first time since his transition two years prior, Close to You explores the nuanced and often tumultuous experience a large proportion of LGBTQIA+ people experience re-entering a previously closeted space. It is also, as Baack tells GAY TIMES, “a perfect example of the importance of authenticity.”

Alongside Page and Baack, the film also stars Wendy Crewson, Peter Outerbridge, Janet Porter, Alex Paxton-Beesley, Daniel Maslany and David Reale.

Page wrote the largely improvised script alongside co-collaborator and director Dominic Savage in a drama that presents the deep personal joy of transitioning, rather than the strife that’s historically been depicted in mainstream media. “I just want to see more and more representation to help curb the horrific misinformation about our lives that’s causing devastating consequences,” Page says.

The unconventional crafting of the project turned out to be somewhat of a “spiritual experience” and allowed the actors to “transcend to this other world,” according to Page. Savage’s scripts lack dialogue and are just “description”, acting as a scaffolding for the actors to ad-lib lines. The scenes were “not cut after three minutes,” some could last “25 minutes so you’re really existing in this space”. Page explains how “there was a little bit about setting up certain dynamics, so knowing parents that accept Sam’s transness but are they really seeing Sam? Are they really listening to Sam?” This allowed the storyline to organically reveal that part of the struggles experienced by trans people is not about the transition itself, rather the lack of understanding from others and their difficulties with queer-inclusive language.

Savage explains to GAY TIMES how Sam’s brother-in-law (Reale) is “the typical cis guy that refuses to understand and actually has a possible deep seated fear [of trans people].” He embodies the “mockery” and “anti-feeling, yet a lot of people feel that way and I don’t think this is something that would ever really change. But I was also surprised at the compassion of the father, but there was only so far that he could go as well [in his support of Sam].”

The BAFTA winning director says “it’s vital” that we continue to see representation of trans people living a fulfilled life in the mainstream media: “That’s what was so good about Sam being fully transitioned, he’s leading his life his way and he’s made those choices. And they may not be easy for him, but he’s doing it. What I hope is that by the end of the film, that people get the sense of Sam having found a better place to be in his life.”

Intrinsic to the success of Close to You is the relationship between Page and Baack’s characters, a bond they began to cultivate in real life after “briefly” working together on The East thirteen years ago: “Our characters didn’t interact much. We were shooting this one scene one day, it’s not even in the movie, but these characters are doing this exercise and Hillary and I were just holding each other’s hands and looking each other in the eyes and we both started to just cry. And we’ve only progressively gotten closer ever since. So, we already have an inherent closeness, love for each other.”

This level of ease developed in the film where, prior to shooting, they discussed their character’s backstories to “create little memories in the back of our heads, but we left it pretty open,” Page recalls. Baack adds that she had “clarity” surrounding what her character “was dealing with at home even though that’s not necessarily on the screen”. The culmination of “a beautiful alchemy of all of those factors” created a safe space for each of their characters to explore their storyline on screen. “We were so in it, it was like going for a ride. Sometimes I would be surprised about laughing or crying, or Elliot’s reaction would sometimes surprise me a little bit. It was just this wonderful dance.”

“It’s so fun, I want to do it again,” Elliot responds. “I was surprised by the emotion a lot. I remember that first scene was shooting on a train. I don’t know why I’m crying. What’s special is you lean into those moments, because I actually didn’t. And there’s a line near the end of the movie that Hillary said to me [I’m so proud of you], when we’re lying in bed together, and it just slayed me.”

The casting of Page and Baack as their respective roles is important as their characters’ identities authentically align with the actors own lived experiences, however it is not what the entire plot is hooked upon. Katherine is a key part of Sam’s journey. “She’s from his past and her deafness is a part of her. But it’s not what the story is about, it’s not what she’s talking about,” Baack explains, “because in my life, I don’t go around talking about being deaf all the time. That’s not what I’m thinking about.

“And so often we see deaf characters who are often played by hearing actors, and often acting like they’ve just become deaf, even if they haven’t. It’s what they think about all day and the only thing that story is about and the only thing that the character has to offer. There is so much more to any deaf person than their deafness, and I really was so excited to get to play this part and just be this woman who yes, is deaf, but that’s not what it is about.” The Sound of Metal actor asks Page, “I’m sure that’s the same for you?”

“Obviously,” he replies. “Weirdly, on Them I just saw this video actually. And the person was breaking down the amount of cis-het actors who’ve been nominated for Oscars playing queer and trans roles, versus the amount of queer actors who [have], etc. And it’s not comparable, especially for those who actually win. We have to be sharing authentic experiences, stories and be giving people opportunities who historically have not gotten it whatsoever. And in a time where there’s this massive push to essentially erase trans people, I really want to see people play those roles.”

The Oscar nominated actor, who has amassed a 5.7 million Instagram following, is at the forefront of the representation he correctly advocates for. He says there is “such significant lack of representation for both of our communities. So it just means a lot to be in the position and to have the platform I have to be able to tell the story, and hopefully, it offers something to people that’s meaningful.”

BFI Flare LGBTQIA+ Film Festival runs until 24 March.

The post Elliot Page combats “horrific misinformation” of trans people in Close to You appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Big Dipper is facing backlash on social media after admitting to purposefully giving his hook-ups incorrect addresses as a “safety precaution”.

Speaking on his podcast Sloppy Seconds, the rapper openly shared with co-host Meatball and guest Drag Race star BenDeLaCreme: “I sometimes give people my address, but not my apartment number, so I can look out the window.”

Drilling into the situation a little further, Meatball asked: “Have you ever just stopped responding?”

“Yeah,” Big Dipper replied. “What I actually do is give them the apartment number across the street, and then when I see them looking around, I’ll be like, ‘oh, I’m across the street in this unit’ and then they’ll come over.”

Dipper went on to state that “it’s just a safety precaution” for when he meets with “guys who send no photos”.

Meatball then asked DeLa if she thought this was “f***ed up”, to which the Drag Race star responded: “This is deeply f***ed up.”

https://twitter.com/sloppypod_/status/1769549281466388936?s=46

Interestingly, the full interaction was cut out of episode 422 on YouTube. Instead, the viral clip has continued to circulate online after it was posted on the official TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) accounts of the podcast, to tease the new episode.

Much of the discourse surrounding the clip has been about flagging the “risk” to other members of the public who would unexpectedly be receiving a knock on the door, while other comments highlighted how common practice it is for some people to share a false address.

Online users were quick to reference another recent viral clip from TikTok user @mizdeeliving. In her video she explained to viewers how a man in an Amazon uniform knocked on her front door, before confirming that he had the wrong address.

Later that same day, another man was loitering outside before knocking on her door. The second man confirmed that he got her address through Sniffies, an interactive, map-based cruising platform for gay, bi and curious guys. Users find connections through a map interface that shows both nearby guys and popular cruising destinations.

Responding to the Sloppy Seconds clip, she stitched a new video and said: “That’s really raggedy as f*uck to put your own selfish needs ahead of somebody else’s danger, both the man and the people that live there.”

@mizdeeliving @Sloppy Seconds ✨ @bigdipperjelly DO BETTER!! #foryou #wrongaddress #sniffies ♬ original sound – mizdeeliving

Other people responding to the initial video pointed out the need to give a false address in the first place.

One person commented: “Ask for photos first, and if they won’t give them, then don’t waste both of y’alls time.”

Another added: “People have done this to me and I have felt so embarrassed and uncomfortable. I’m so glad they called him out on this.”

Keep scrolling for more fan reactions:

This is very self centered and inconsiderate behavior on so many levels. “It’s a safety precaution for ME…” um, what about the safety of literally everyone else in the situation? And him saying it like it’s the most normal behavior ever, says a LOT about his character.

— Courtney’s Missing Spanky Pants (@IGawtTheDoorTor) March 18, 2024

Why invite people over without seeing a photo of you want to see them before you invite them in? It kinda defeats the purpose of anonymous? If somebody won’t send you a photo then just don’t carry on the conversation?

— paulie ⚓️ (@ratedpaulie) March 18, 2024

Harassing other people at their residence, is ok, because you don’t want to admit to someone you aren’t attracted to them?? What.

— KB 💣✨ (@KumBomb) March 19, 2024

This is pretty bad. Just tell the person you’re not interested …

— Mikelle Street (@MikelleStreet) March 18, 2024

If it's that much of a concern for your attraction to them…just ask for a pic? Like…why are you messaging "guys with no photos completely random" and inviting them over?

A "safety precaution for you" that puts someone else in danger?

Not to pile on but…yikes. Big yikes.

— Adriana Trenta (@ItsTrentaBitch) March 18, 2024

Not gonna lie, "lemme put my hookup AND unsuspecting strangers in potential danger so I can decide if I wanna fuck or ghost tonight" is unquestionably messed up.

I legit hope this exchange was actually enlightening and results in him not doing that anymore because… oof. 😬

— Shadow / Soma – B L M (@SombraMapache) March 18, 2024

Putting other people at risk because he doesn’t have the self control to simply NOT REPLY is wild. https://t.co/WpiDE6d5Xs

— ♌️💜 (@Justheretbh02) March 19, 2024

You’re doing it as a safety precaution while sending a stranger on the internet to one of your neighbors ? Huh? https://t.co/lKfaq8RsDR

— Adriana (@Adrianaadrag) March 18, 2024

my favorite part of this episode was dela and meatball immediately jumping him for this https://t.co/liZq70y590

— c'more (@iamcmore) March 18, 2024

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Lukas Gage has issued a public apology to Shania Twain for her involvement in his nuptials to celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton.

On a recent episode of Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen asked Gage about his short-lived marriage and inquired whose decision it was to wear the fur coats: “Not mine,” The White Lotus star divulged.

“Did someone from the Kardashians TV show hand you fur coats and say, ‘You’re getting married in these right now?’” Cohen asked.

“Literally, I don’t know what went through my head. I don’t know what happened. The fur coats was a horrible idea,” Gage explained before swiftly segwaying the conversation to Twain.

“I want to apologise to Shania Twain for wasting her time. I mean, ‘We’re still holding on, you’re still the one’ after, like, three weeks? That was unhinged. That was like the biggest waste of her time. But, I love you, Shania. I’m really sorry about that.”

The apologies didn’t stop there: Gage then turned his attention to Kim Kardashion, who officiated the wedding: “She was really sweet to fly us all out and take care of us and pay for everything.”

“And put you on her show?” Cohen flagged, to which Gage replied with a laugh, stating, “Yeah, sorry to Kim and Shania.”

In one final prod for information, Cohen asked whether Gage’s former spouse worked on his hair: Gage replied: “I will just say, while that was happening, I’ve never had my hair look like that before.”

“It’s never looked better?” Cohen clarified, with Gage affirming: “Never looked worse.

Gage and Appleton filed for divorce six months after marriage. The pair who had previously announced their nuptials last April, split citing irreconcilable differences.

Appleton and Gage signed a postnuptial agreement on 3 May that waived the need for spousal support and both will leave the marriage with the same individual assets, as the documents say.

Gage has recently set the record straight on rumours he is dating Saltburn star Archie Madekwe.

On 10 March, the pair caused a stir when fans spotted they were attending Vanity Fair’s Oscars after-party together.

When a paparazzi from TMZ asked if Madekwe was Gage’s boyfriend, he quipped, “Yeah, this is my new husband. Yeah, it’s Archie.”

However, before fans could truly ship the two emerging talents, the Euphoria star revealed they were just friends during an additional interview with the news outlet.

Gage also poked fun at the rumours, adding: “Archie’s the best. I’ll take the [speculation] as a compliment. Archie’s a hottie. He’s a good one.”

Toward the end of his brief interview, which took place at LAX, the Down Low star gave insight into his actual love life and whether he’s searching for love on dating apps.

“You know [I’m] taking a break from them. They’re not for me right now,” he explained. “Right now, I’m finding myself. I’m dating me, you know.”

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Interview with the Vampire fans assemble! AMC has released an extended new trailer for the second season and it has been heralded as a “masterpiece.”

The fan favourite blood-sucking drama stars Jacob Anderson (Game of Thrones), Sam Reid (The Newsreader), Delainey Hayles (Something In The Closet), Eric Bogsian (Succession), Assad Zaman (Hotel Portofino) and Ben Daniels (The Exorcist).

Season two will pick up after “the bloody events in New Orleans in 1940 when Louis (Anderson) and Claudia (Hayles) conspired to kill Lestat (Reid), Louis tells of his adventures in Europe, a quest to discover Old World Vampires, and the Theatre Des Vampires in Paris.

“It is in Paris that Louis first meets the Vampire Armand (Zaman). Their courtship and love affair will prove to have devastating consequences both in the past and in the future, and Molloy (Bogosian) will probe to get to the truths buried within the memories.”

The new trailer is packed with drama of the vampire variety and LGBTQIA+ lusting. In one of the first few scenes, reporter Daniel asks Louis’s lover Armand about their relationship: “Session 10. The vampire Louis, and the vampire Armand. Are you two gonna finish each other’s sentences for the whole session?”

“We’ve been together 77 years, Daniel. Let the math of that settle,” the pair respond.

The trailer continues with a mixture of scenes that show passionate make-outs, exploding buildings, a more in depth look at the Théâtre des Vampires and the notable return of Lestat.

Fans were quick to react to the cinematic triumph of the trailer. One commented: “Bravo to whoever put this trailer together. There’s A LOT without giving much of anything away. So good!”

Another added: “I’ve never felt emotion like this in my life. Truly.”

“Ohhh man the hype is off the charts,” a third said, “I’m so excited to have my heart shattered by this season.”

Interview with the Vampire is the first book in Anne Rice’s beloved Vampire Chronicles. The bestselling 1976 novel was first adapted as a feature film starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in 1994.

Anderson recently revealed more about what we can expect during an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“The theme of season 2 is this idea of memory is a monster, and how memory and guilt can follow you around,” he explained.

The star teased that Louis and his surrogate vampire daughter Claudia will be dealing with the repercussions of “murdering” Lestat.

“When we meet Claudia and Louis in season 2, they’re dealing with the psychological and literal repercussions of what they did together,” he continued.

“With Louis, you definitely get a sense there was some hesitance on his part – he didn’t really go through with it, he pulled back from the decision at the last minute, because he is very in love with this fellow monster.”

Anderson went on to say that Louis’ hesitance to kill Lestat is set to create tension with Claudia as they travel around Europe.

Watch the extended look Interview with the Vampire season two here or below.

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Scientists have successfully eliminated the HIV virus from cells in a laboratory, sparking new hopes for a potential cure.

The Nobel Prize-winning gene-editing tool, known as Crispr-Cas, works in the same way as a pair of scissors (though at a molecular level) to cut away “bad” bits of DNA.

Researchers are hopeful that this type of technology could one day be used to eradicate the virus from a human body in its entirety, though there is still a lot more work to be done before this is a realistic possibility.

The scientists, led by Dr Elena Herrera-Carrillo and part of her team (Yuanling Bao, Zhenghao Yu and Pascal Kroon) at Amsterdam UMC, Netherlands, described their findings as “a pivotal advancement towards designing a cure strategy” in a joint statement on 19 March.

The team explained that they wish to one day be able to develop “an inclusive ‘HIV cure for all’ that can inactivate diverse HIV strains across various cellular contexts”.

“We hope to achieve the right balance between efficacy and safety of this CURE strategy,” they said. “Only then can we consider clinical trials of ‘cure’ in humans to disable the HIV reservoir. While these preliminary findings are very encouraging, it is premature to declare that there is a functional HIV cure on the horizon.”

At present, there is no cure for HIV, but medicines can suppress the amount of the virus in someone’s system to an undetectable level that makes it untransmittable.

More gay and bisexual men got tested for HIV than ever before in England

2022 saw a record number of testing among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in England, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Sexual health services recorded 192,503 tests in 2022 alone in this group, up from 156,865 in 2019.

The number of heterosexual adults getting tested for HIV continues to remain below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels (792,875 in England in 2022 compared with 1,051,391 in 2019).

Professor Kevin Fenton, Chief Advisor on HIV to Government and Chair of the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group, said at the time: “These latest data show the positive results of our ongoing efforts to end new HIV transmissions within England by 2030.

“Through our HIV Prevention Programme (HPE) and the fantastic work of our local authority and NHS colleagues, we are making positive progress to boost testing uptake and improve timely access to effective treatment.”

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The return to Truham Grammar has been confirmed, with Netflix finally sharing the release date for the Heartstopper season three, as well as the cast teasing the “steamy” new season.

The streamer took to X (formerley Twitter) to announce the date: “Heartstopper returns this October.”

In addition to the much anticipated release window, Netflix have also teased the next instalment of Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick’s (Kit Connor) relationship: “This season, Charlie would like to tell Nick that he loves him. Nick also has something important to say to Charlie.

“As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realize that the school year will come with both its joys and its challenges.

“As they learn more about each other and their relationships, plan social events and parties and start thinking about university choices, everyone must learn to lean on those they love when life doesn’t go to plan.”

Heartstopper returns this October 🍂

This season, Charlie would like to tell Nick that he loves him. Nick also has something important to say to Charlie. As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realize that the school year will come with both its… pic.twitter.com/fkYBqcZKf5

— Netflix (@netflix) March 20, 2024

Over on Instagram, Netflix have shared a BTS video of the making of episode eight. The clip opens with Connor teasing a spicy storyline: “It’s started to get a bit more steamy.” He continues to explain how “the tension is high. It’s like, sexual tension, love, we’re all there.”

The clip continues with William Gao (Tao Xu) explaining his character development: “Tao is beginning to figure out what he loves to do and what his hobbies are. He’s found a passion for something that he begins to really love. And he does it to bring joy to people and to cheer up the other characters in the show.”

According to the teaser, we will also be getting to see more of Jenny Walser (Tori Spring), the older sister of Nick: “This season, we get to see a little bit more of Tori and how what Charlie has been going through has affected her. And she also makes a new friend.”

Yasmin Finney (Elle Aregent) shared how the impact of the outpouring of support from fans from season two “has really boosted all of our confidence.”

The fans were quick to react with excitement to the flurry of new updates, with one commenting: “Crying, screaming, giggling, smiling, scratching, laughing, rolling, thinking, sobbing, jumping, dancing,singing, kicking, punching.”

Another added: “This season will give ALL.THE .FEELS. Their chemistry their connection their friendship ! I loooooveeeee theeeem!”

 

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Although the full plot line has yet to be revealed, when speaking with Metro, creator and writer Alice Oseman said mental health will be a “big element” in season three: “We’re going to continue to look at that in a big way and explore how that affects Nick and Charlie’s relationship, and all of the other friendships in the show.

“So people who’ve read volume four will have a little bit of an idea of what is coming. I’m really excited to take the show into that new place.”

Locke echoed Oseman’s comments in an interview with The Today Show, saying: “Every season of our show, we grow up with the characters more, and this season is definitely a bit raunchier; it’s still Heartstopper, but we also deal with some darker issues.

“Charlie, my character, he deals with some mental health issues, which we tackle in this season, which I’m very excited for people to see.”

As well as Charlie’s aforementioned arc, other crucial storylines that we can expect are as follows: Darcy’s toxic relationship with her homophobic mum; Elle attending the Lambert School of Art; Nick being a proud bicon; and Imogen’s untouchable status as the greatest ally in history.

Visit here for everything we know about Heartstopper season three.

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