Stars, global icons and top music talent lead 2018 NatWest British LGBT Awards shortlist
The shortlist for the 2018 NatWest British LGBT Awards was announced today, marking the countdown to the biggest annual event in Britain’s gay calendar.
A string of global LGBT+ icons and allies, including OutNews Global publisher Linda Riley, who work to advance the rights of LGBT+ communities have been recognised.
The event will take place at London’s Marriott Grosvenor Square on 11 May in front of a packed celebrity crowd, where the overall winners will be announced. Huff Post UK is an official media partner for the awards.
Harry Styles, Dawn French and James Cordon are among those shortlisted for the coveted Straight Ally of the Year accolade. Comedian John Bishop and Ariana Grande are given a nod in the same category.
Those nominated for Celebrity of the Year include Laverne Cox, a transgender activist and actress who came to prominence in the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black, and Demi Lovato, the American singer and actress.
British TV stars Paul O’Grady and Rylan Clark-Neal also make the shortlist.
Edward Enninful, the editor of British Vogue, and Kate McKinnon, who shot to fame on Saturday Night Live after her portrayal of Hillary Clinton during the 2016 US presidential race, are also nominated for awards.
Dua Lipa, Jess Glynne and P!NK are all set to face off for the Music Artist of the Year gong, while the returning Will & Grace and Olly Alexander’s BBC documentary Growing up Gay have been listed in the Media Moment of the Year category.
Charitable organisations that work to support LGBT+ communications and businesses with a track record of promoting diversity including ASDA, Channel 4 and Disney have also been shortlisted.
Previous NatWest British LGBT Award winners include HRH Prince William, Kylie Minogue and Caitlyn Jenner (who attended the event last year). A full list of nominees is below.
Sarah Garrett, British LGBT Awards founder, said: “The 2018 NatWest British LGBT Awards shortlist showcases a range public figures and famous straight allies who use their platform to enhance the rights of the LGBT community.
“The ceremony on 11 May is set to be the biggest British LGBT Awards to date.”
Commenting on the sponsorship of the awards, Marjorie Strachan, Global head of Inclusion for RBS, added: “We’re proud to be the headline sponsor of the NatWest British LGBT Awards.
“These awards acknowledge those who have made an outstanding commitment to the LGBT community.
“While we should rightly celebrate the nominees and winners, we should also acknowledge the role the awards play in helping to create a cultural shift towards a more diverse and equal society. That’s something we at NatWest are proud to be a part of.”
The public can now vote on who they would like to see win at www.britishlgbtawards.com
2018 NatWest British LGBT Awards Shortlist:
CELEBRITY STRAIGHT ALLY
ANNA FRIEL
ANNIE LENNOX
ARIANA GRANDE
DAVID BECKHAM
DAWN FRENCH
HARRY STYLES
JAMES CORDEN
JOHN BISHOP
NICK JONAS
VICTORIA DERBYSHIRE
LGBT+ CELEBRITY
CARA DELEVINGNE
COLTON HAYNES
DEMI LOVATO
LAVERNE COX
MATT LUCAS
PAUL O’GRADY
RYLAN CLARK
SARAH PAULSON
SEAN HAYES
SUSAN CALMAN
BROADCASTER/JOURNALIST
CRAIG REVEL-HORWOOD
EDWARD ENNINFUL
GRAHAM NORTON
JAMES INGHAM
JANET MOCK
KATE MCKINNON
MARK FOSTER
SANDI TOKSVIG
STEPHEN FRY
SUE PERKINS
MUSIC ARTIST
DUA LIPA
FRANK OCEAN
HAYLEY KIYOKO
JESS GYLNNE
KEHLANI
P!NK
PVRIS
RITA ORA
TEGAN & SARA
TROYE SIVAN
ONLINE INFLUENCER
CONNOR FRANTA
HANNAH HART
MUNROE BERGDORF
NATASHA NEGOVANLIS
ORION CARLOTO
DR. RANJ SINGH
RIYADH KHALAF
STEVIE BOEBI
TOMMY DORFMAN
TYLER OAKLEY
MEDIA MOMENT
AUSTRALIA SAYS “YES”
BILL POTTS JOINS DR WHO
CYRUS COMES OUT ON ANDI MACK
IN A HEARTBEAT ANIMATED SHORT FILM
JUSTIN TRUDEAU APOLOGISES TO THE LGBT+ COMMUNITY
LAVERNE COX ON COSMOPOLITAN MAGAZINE’S FRONT COVER
MOONLIGHT WINS AN OSCAR
OLLY ALEXANDER & THE BBC: GROWING UP GAY
STAR TREK DISCOVERY FEATURES A SAME-SEX COUPLE
WILL & GRACE MAKES COMEBACK
BEST DESTINATION
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
BERLIN, GERMANY
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN
MADRID, SPAIN
PALM SPRINGS, USA
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND
TAIPEI, TAIWAN
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
TOKYO, JAPAN
CHARITY OR COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
ALLOUT
BORN THIS WAY FOUNDATION
DIVERSITY ROLE MODELS
GENDERED INTELLIGENCE
LONDON GAYMERS
MANCHESTER PRIDE
OUTDOOR LADS
OUTRIGHT INTERNATIONAL
PRIDE IN LONDON
SWITCHBOARD
BRAND OR MARKETING CAMPAIGN
AMAZON
CONVERSE
M&Ms
MCCAIN
PLAYBOY
QANTAS
SKITTLES
SMIRNOFF
STARBUCKS
YOUTUBE
CORPORATE STRAIGHT ALLY
ANNA CROSS, BARCLAYS
EMMA CAREY, MSB
JO COUGHLAN, MUFG
LAURA HINTON, PWC
MARK BARNETT, MASTERCARD
PETER MADDEN, ARCADIS
PETER MARKEY, TSB
SIMON BURTON, HOUSE OF LORDS
SUSAN ALLEN, SANTANDER
WARWICK MATTHEWS, ROLLS-ROYCE
DIVERSITY CHAMPION
ANDREW PORTER, DIAGEO
CARL CLARKE, VODAFONE
CLAIRE SKINNER, MERCER
DAVID LEVINE, DISNEY
JOANNA WALKER, VIRGIN MONEY
LAURA HODGSON, NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT
PARESH RAVAT, BNP PARIBAS
SANDY DARCY, THAMES WATER
STEVEN COX, FUJITSU
THERESA FARRENSON, AON
LGBT+ INSPIRATIONAL LEADER
ANTONIA BELCHER, MHBC CREATE
ED FAIRHURST, SHELL
EMIRO MENDOZA, CARAT
EMMA GOODFORD, KNIGHT FRANK
GEOFF GODWIN, AIG
JONATHAN MCCLELLAND, M&G INVESTMENTS
KELLY CANTERFORD, JLL
LUCA SALE, AMAZON
NARIND SINGH, CLIFFORD CHANCE
PIPS BUNCE, CREDIT SUISSE
LGBT+ CORPORATE RISING STAR
BEN CAWLEY, STANDARD CHARTERED BANK
CHRIS HOWARD, EPAM & CAPGEMINI
DUNNI ALAO, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
EMILY SENDALL, DELOITTE
JOHN DICKINSON, TESCO
JONATHAN ANDREWS, REED SMITH
JULIA ATWATER, ATOS
LENG MONTGOMERY, SAINSBURY’S
MELANIE JACKSON, NATIONAL GRID
RYAN BLEACH, NOMURA
LGBT+ NETWORK GROUP
ALLIANZ INSURANCE, ALLIANZ
ASDA PRIDE, ASDA
BREATHE, KPMG
GLOW, DENTONS
HOUSEPROUD, GENESIS HOUSING
INTERENERGY
MPRIDE, METRO BANK
OUT@IN, LINKEDIN
PARLIOUT, PARLIAMENT
SPECTRUM, GSK
EMPLOYER OR COMPANY
ARMY
CHANNEL 4
DELOITTE
EY
HSBC UK
MI5
PINSENT MASONS
TRAVELODGE
VIACOM
VISA
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO LGBT+ LIFE
ALICE WALLACE – OPENING DOORS LONDON
ETHAN SPIBEY – FREEDOM TO DONATE
JOHN O’DOHERTY – RAINBOW PROJECT NI
LEWIS OAKLEY – BISEXUAL ACTIVIST
LINDA RILEY – DIVA MAGAZINE
PARIS LEES – TRANSGENDER ACTIVIST, JOURNALIST
PHYLL OPOKU-GYIMAH – UK BLACK PRIDE
RUTH HUNT – STONEWALL
STEVE TAYLOR – LGBTI ACTIVIST, PRIDE LEADER
SUSIE GREEN – MERMAIDS
