The BBC has unveiled the full line-up of contestants for the UK’s first ever gay dating show, with 10 single guys set to take part.
The ground-breaking new series will premiere next month, hosted by pop icon Dannii Minogue.
In the show, the contestants will be matched up and will kiss at first meeting, with no small talk or messages exchanged.
The plan is that that one kiss will test their physical chemistry straight away.
The BBC has promised a series packed with ‘explosive drama, gripping cliffhangers and powerful untold stories’.
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I Kissed A Boy will celebrate the queer community and invites all viewers to join the party.
Here are the 10 contestants taking part in BBC’s I Kissed A Boy
Ross, 27, Manchester
Ross works as a support worker for adults with learning difficulties, and has a passion for travelling and interior design. He’s also previously trained in tap dance and has practised cheerleading too.
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Ross has recently come out of a five year relationship, and says he ‘loves love’ and is a ‘great kisser’.
“I am so proud to have been a part of I Kissed a Boy,” he said. “Yes, I went into this to find my dream man but whilst doing this I didn’t expect to leave with the friendships I’ve got.”
Ben, 28, Edinburgh
Ben describes himself as being a cross between ‘the goofiness of Goofy and the grumpiness of Shrek’, and has been single for six months.
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This engineering graduate says he didn’t meet many gay people at university and is now enjoying exploring London’s scene.
He says: “Being surrounded by such different types of gay guys, all so confident, really highlighted to me that the only person stopping you from being who you want to be, is you!”
Bobski, 23, Essex
Bobski was born in Poland but moved to the UK when he was seven, going to school in Essex – he jokes that he’s ended up with a thick Essex accent.
He played semi-professional tennis as a teenager and travelled the world playing in competitions, but pulled back from the sport to focus on his education.
He says he enjoys party holidays in Mykonos and Ibiza. His biggest red flag is bad teeth and bad breath.
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Bobski said: “I won’t spoil the show for you but you can definitely expect lots of kissing, a cheeky twerk here and there and a little bit of Bobski magic.”
Gareth, 28, Kilkeel, Northern Ireland
Gareth said: “I just hope that some queer kid, who’s scared to be who they are, sees this and it makes them feel strong, glorious and powerful enough for them to accept and display their true authentic selves to the world. Something I wish I would have done a lot sooner in my life.”
This stylist lives in East London and is obsessed with fashion, after growing up in a small town in Northern Ireland where family life revolved around religion and traditional roles.
He came out when he was 24 and moved to London, where his life completely changed and he dived into the gay scene.
When it comes to dating, he says he’s sick of toxic mindsets and wants to meet someone with a free spirit, confidence and queer energy.
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Jake, 27, Swansea
Jake works as a regional trainer within the hospitality industry for a pub group, saying he’s a real grafter looking for a fellow ambitious partner.
He loves gardening and the great outdoors, especially kayaking and paddle boarding, and his dream date would by the side of a fire pit with a glass of red wine.
He says of I Kissed A Boy: “I love the fact that every day was something different, with people from all different backgrounds. It’s been life changing and I hope it helps other people to find love and kindness in the world”
Joseph, 23, London
Joseph said of his time on the BBC dating show: “What an experience. I’ve learnt a lot about myself. I felt so safe in those walls. Everyone’s amazing – we all had this amazing brotherhood.”
He’s another Londoner and currently studying performing arts, with a dream to become an actor and travel the world.
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Joseph is one of 10 siblings but likes to stay away from drama, preferring to keep a chilled outlook on the world. He’s looking for someone really caring, with great teeth and a great sense of fashion.
Josh, 24, Rhyl, North Wales
Josh says he’s a late bloomer – he grew up in a Mormon family so it took a long time for him to come to terms with being gay.
He says it’s a nightmare meeting men in his beachside hometown of Rhyl, which has ‘zero gay scene whatsoever’.
This Rihanna super fan is attracted to sporty guys with confident energy and says he thinks his first kiss will ‘probably be rubbish’.
He said: “Many people have the misconception that ‘gay’ is a certain look or trait so having a show like this really helps to break down those stereotypes.”
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Kailum, 25, Brighton
Kailum’s family moved to Brighton from Yorkshire when he was 11, and he says the seaside city was the best place to be growing up gay. He came out when he was 14 by posting a video on YouTube using written messages on cards.
He’s trying to pluck up the courage to debut his own drag character and loves going to music festivals.
Kailum has been single for six years now and it’s taken him a while to fully get over previous relationships.
This self-professed ‘furry cuddly bear’ said: “You can expect plenty of snogging, real connections, drama, sassiness but most importantly some real, hard hitting stories.”
Ollie, 27, Brighton
Tarmacer Ollie from Brighton describes himself as a ‘gay man in a straight world’, and is loud and proud about his sexuality.
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He loves Brighton life and is big into car racing, singing Whitney in gay bars, and running his own gin and cocktail van.
Ollie says he’s never been in love and has felt judged for his ‘bigger body shape’.
He said: “I’m very proud to be part of the show, being my honest self and showing the viewers that stereotypes are a thing of the past. You can definitely expect a fun cheeky chappy lad with a sensitive side.”
Subomi, 29, London
Subomi describes himself as an ‘athlete, software developer, model and performer’, who lives in West London with his siblings.
He said: “Dannii really gave Cupid a run for their money. She’s such a beautiful soul and you could feel the love oozing off her which was so nice to be around.”
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He lived in Nigeria between the ages of six and 16, where homosexuality is illegal, and where he learnt to surpress his identity.
But since coming out, Subomi has found his self-confidence and has learnt to acknowledge all sides of his upbringing and the two cultures that formed him.
I Kissed A Boy launches on Sunday 14 May at 9pm on BBC Three.
Featured image: BBC
TV & Showbiz
‘Hairy men’ needed to play soldiers in returning major fantasy TV series
Thomas Melia
A huge TV series has issued an urgent casting call for, very specifically, ‘hairy men’ to play soldiers.
The exact show hasn’t been named in the casting call, but it’s definitely a major returning fantasy, and is reportedly House of the Dragon, the hit Game of Thrones spin-off.
This big on demand show is set to start filming in just two months’ time, meaning anyone considering shouldn’t wait to apply.
There are a list of key characteristics candidates should have if hoping for this role, including a great work ethic and a professional attitude, something all Mancs like to think we have.
The job description states that no prior acting experience is required, one of the only other things you need to be good at is waking up early (well that’s me out).
Most importantly, headhunters are looking for individuals to take on that have one big factor in common… lots of hair.
On the official website where you can submit your headshots and photos, you will find a mood board filled with ranging hairstyles that fit the desired look the show is going for.
Just one example of a long-haired man who fits the criteria for the returning series.Another similar hair style choice to the guide from the casting call.Credit via Unsplash
Most of the pictures on the site range from long curly locks to big bushy beards – it’s a shame Santa will be back in the North Pole by now.
All candidates must have grown-out hair, ‘overgrown scruff to longer beards’, this means no short, back and sides, or any ‘modern fades’ as stated by the casting team.
If the rumours are true and this turns out to be a shoot for House Of The Dragon, it would be great to see even more Northern talent feature in this show.
It wasn’t too long ago that fans and Mancs alike realised that actor Olivia Cooke, who plays Lady Alicent Hightower, was a local lass herself, born not too far away in Oldham.
One final and important note is that anyone who is likely to apply must make sure they’re 18+ and have a right to work in the UK.
Filming will take place across North Wales and the South East from March onwards, with rate of pay roughly £140-£300+ per day (depending on hours worked).
To apply for a chance to feature in the returning major fantasy series, you can do so by visiting the site HERE.
Better Man has bombed at the box office – but is the Robbie Williams biopic any good?
Danny Jones
So, Robbie Williams’ biopic Better Man has been out for a little while now and the question on many people’s lips – you know, apart from ‘why is he a monkey?’ – is, quite simply, is it any good?
Many of you may have already seen it, others may have absolutely no interest in hearing about Robbie‘s already well-publicised exploits (be they in ape form or otherwise), or maybe you’ve just been waiting to hear whether it’s any good before heading out to the cinema.
Well, if you’re judging it purely by the current headlines circulating online, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s absolute rubbish. So far, Better Man has ‘tanked’ at the box office, making just over $1 million compared to a budget of nearly $110m (£90.8m).
However, given how pivotal the US viewing figures are, a big chunk of the commercial disappointment has come down to Americans largely not knowing who Robbie Williams even is and it’s no surprise that it’s done a little better here in the UK – though still not stellar. But again, ticket sales aside, is it good?
Better Man – Review
I wasn’t sure a (very good) CGI monkey Robbie Williams film was going to be any good either based solely on the trailer, but they nailed it.
*Once again, some spoilers ahead – though it is his life story, so we’re not really spoiling anything…
I’ll start this off by admitting that for all his foibles and controversies of the years, I am a Robbie fan; his music was always on in my house as a kid and well into my teens. Being born in the mid-90s, he was probably one of the first big pop stars to ever enter my world.
Growing up obsessed with football too, a charismatic, mainstream rock and roll-spirited figure in the mainstream who also loved the beautiful game and even took influence from chants heard around the grounds in his songwriting always made him extra appealing to me.
All that is just to say that I’m fully aware there’s probably some bias here, so I’ll still try to be as impartial and ‘objective’ as you can be with a film review. But back to the point, the short answer is yes: it’s good – very good, in my opinion.
If you’re similarly fond of the frenetic, funny and ferocious showman, you’ll obviously have a vested interest in looking back on his career thru a (somewhat simian) Lens, but even if you’re not, I still think you can get a lot of of the film and a greater insight into a captivating life story.
Monkey see, monkey do—make me sad, very sad…
This scene (among many) had us welling up. (Credit: Paramount Pictures)
For starters, put simply: as daft as it may seem, the monkey thing does work. It may come across like a strange gimmick when you first see the trailers but it doesn’t take much digging to realise that there’s quite a well-thought-out three-pronged approach behind it.
One of the first things the 50-year-old singer said on the press tour for this film is that he’s always felt “unevolved” and it’s something that’s brought up a couple of times in the film itself, so making him an ape rather than a modern Homo sapien is one way to way to communicate that.
Plus, not only does it obviously make any sad moments – and there are a lot of them – even more emotional and tear-jerking, especially during the scenes during Robbie’s childhood, but it also plays into the sad reality that he’s felt like a performing monkey for the majority of his life.
When you stop and think about the reasoning behind it feels a lot more considered than on first impression, and it certainly helps you empathise and, more importantly, sympathise with the troubled character you’re seeing on screen.
Robert vs Robbie
A very clever movie poster to boot.
And that’s pretty much the rub right there: this was always going to be at least a somewhat self-indulgent watch, not just because it’s a biopic but because it’s Robbie and that’s what his persona is about – but it is and always has been a performance in every sense of the word and the film does a great job of trying to distinguish ‘Robbie’ from Robert.
From seeing the origins behind being given that name specifically, his younger years and affectionate albeit mostly fraught relationship with his father; how the boom of Take That engulfed his entire world and even more so once he went solo, as well as the version of himself he’s shown to the world for last three decades, it’s clear he’s often struggled to find the line between the two himself.
It’s also very important to state the cheeky, cocksure Robbie Williams you were expecting to watch the rise of throughout this biopic has wrestled with a much lower opinion of himself than you could ever imagine. It’s a driving force behind the film and manifests in all manner of problematic and unpleasant ways, just as it did in real life. You see him see a lot of them in the crowd throughout the duration, in fact.
Because for anyone who isn’t aware, a lot of Robbie’s experiences are problematic and unpleasant; the early days as a boyband commodity, his substance abuse, struggles with mental health and beyond are all laid bare on screen in fairly graphic detail at times. A lot of the situations these issues spring from would feel hard to believe were it not for the fact it’s a true story with very little embellishment, if at all.
Manchester references are a bonus
One of the things that did stand out as a particularly surreal aspect of the film was the handful of references to Robbie’s intersection with Mancunian culture, which simultaneously felt familiar and somehow like going back in time to peep behind the curtain at a world that very few saw first-hand.
Again, the behind-the-scenes examination of how Take That transpired and those very dangerous, inappropriate and frankly unlawful series of events in nightclubs over on the likes of Canal Street feels like a fever dream (as it did for Robbie).
Perhaps the biggest buzz we got was the not-so-surprise appearance by the Gallagher brothers and ‘The Robster’s obsession with Oasis. The look is exactly what you’d expect and Liam‘s accent might not be perfect but it still gave us a thrill without feeling like pointless lip service.
All that being said, is the much-talked Robbie biopic a good enough film to warrant popping out to the pictures? Well, I’d certainly say so. Not only are the visuals and the CGI itself pretty flawless, but the motion capture is done so well that it never felt like I was taken out of the film at any point – even the very particular Stoke and Cheshire accents of Robbie and Gary Barlow are very convincing.
We knew there was going to be lots of humour too but there’s also a lot of impressive stuff the director does that I wasn’t expecting.
One of those is the transitions: there are lots of clever tonal switches done with great camerawork and effects (particularly during one driving sequence and some of the flashback frames) and they really do help covertly shift the mood so some of the darker moments don’t give you full on whiplash.
And lastly, the director’s fingerprints can be felt all over the movie as Michael Gracey’s The Greatest Showman pedigree certainly makes sections of the film feel more like a musical than I was expecting – but in a good way. Big bold cabaret choreography fitting of the man himself.
After all, we all know most Robbie tunes are bangers but seeing them brought to life in these new and interesting ways really does make Better Man a better film than we’d even hoped for and it’s certainly good enough to be performing a lot better than it is at the box office right now. Maybe give it a go.
As far as I’m concerned, big stunning set pieces like this are just the tip when it comes to what makes the Robbie biopic a good film.
Daisy Jackson -
27th April 2023 
