The Bank of London Rainbow Honours has announced actor and comedian Julian Clary and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Victoria Scone will host this year’s awards.
Announcement of the hosts comes as the awards, headline sponsored by The Bank of London, releases its shortlist ahead of the ceremony which will take place in London’s prestigious 8 Northumberland Avenue on Wednesday, June 1 this year.
Renowned actor Clary, who is currently on tour across the UK performing his comedy show, will present the awards alongside 29-year-old drag queen Victoria Scone who shot to fame on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. The awards celebrate leading LGBT+ activists, allies and celebrity figures who have worked to advance the rights of LGBT+ people during the past 12 months.
Big names
Daniel Radcliffe, Dermot O’Leary, Idris Elba and Lorraine Kelly are amongst the big names nominated.
The LGBTQI event, which has been hotly anticipated since 2019 as COVID-19 forced its postponement, sees award nominations for 80s pop legend Sinitta, Formula One star Lewis Hamilton, Little Mix singer Jade Thirlwall and soap icon Claire Sweeney, who are all nominated for the Celebrity Ally of the Year Award.
ITV’s For The Love Of Dogs star Paul O’Grady, Olympic Swimmer Tom Daley, award-winning artist Emeli Sande, Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts and actor and broadcaster Stephen Fry are all in the running for the LGBTQI Celebrity Champion of the Year award, while Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton, BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, RuPaul’s Drag Race and Channel 4’s It’s A Sin will battle it out for the Media Moment of the Year gong.
Powerful human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who has fought for LGBT+ rights for over two decades, campaigning against Section 28 throughout the 1980s and famously staging a one-man protest near the statue of Marshal Zhukov in Moscow’s Red Square against Russia’s treatment of LGBTQI people during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, has been shortlisted for Campaigner/Influencer of the Year prize.
Strictly
The first same-sex male partnership featuring Johannes Radebe and John Waite on Strictly Come Dancing has been shortlisted for Media Moment of the Year alongside Jonathan Bailey, the gay actor who plays a straight character in the hit Netflix series Bridgerton. They will battle it out against American cartoon show The Simpsons, which has been nominated for its Smithers LGBTQI storyline.
In the Inspirational Role Model of the Year category, prominent Scottish National Party MP Hannah Bardell will go up against Eugenio Pirri of the Dorchester Collection, Kayus Fernander of banking giant Citi Group and Sheldon Mills of the Financial Conduct Authority.
The Bank of England, Deliveroo, London Stock Exchange Group, Mastercard, Monzo and National Grid are amongst some of the major brands vying for prizes on the night.
Stonewall, Terrence Higgins Trust and the Good Law Project are some of the charities in the running for awards, while Everton FC, The Rainbow Lottery, HSBC and Lego will go head-to-head for the coveted Campaign of the Year accolade.
Camp
Speaking about hosting the awards, Julian Clary said: “Hosting the Rainbow Honours 2022 is a real privilege and I can’t wait to celebrate all of the incredible, well-deserving LGBTQI people standing up for the community.
“Those fighting for equality and advancing rights should be recognised and I’m honoured to play a part in helping that happen during a night which should be a lot of fun!””
Linda Riley, founder of the Rainbow Honours, said: “The Rainbow Honours will celebrate the LGBTQI personalities, celebrities, brands and allies who have stood in solidarity with the LGBTQI community during what has been an incredibly tough couple of years.
“The shortlisted nominees have all demonstrated a commitment to advancing LGBTQI rights, and the awards will help draw attention to the achievements which have been made and shine a light on what else needs to be done.”
Victoria Scone said: “I am delighted to be hosting the Rainbow Honours 2022, celebrating the amazing LGBTQI community here in the UK. And to be doing it alongside the fabulous Julian Clary makes it even more camp! I am looking forward to championing the members and allies of the community, alongside the businesses who fight for equality all year around.”
Anthony Watson, Founder and Group Chief Executive of The Bank of London, added: “In a society where LGBTQI+ people have been routinely marginalised; it is more important than ever that we honour those members of our community who are our role models, those who are our allies, and those organisations who are working tirelessly for the betterment of LGBTQI+ people across the United Kingdom.”
View the shortlists and cast your votes at rainbowhonours.com.
