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’.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.”
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.”
ADVERTISEMENT
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
Pat Regan at the Fairfield Social Club – a brilliantly unhinged evening of standup comedy
Clementine Hall
There’s a particular kind of chaos that only Pat Regan can deliver, and the recently re-recognised Fairfield Social Club got the full force of it last night.
Making his Manchester debut as part of the ‘A Lovely Time’ series at the equally as lovely Fairfield Social Club, the New York comic, writer, and podcast host arrived with the energy of someone who had already lived through three emotional breakdowns before breakfast and somehow still had the worst to come.
Known for his work on HBO’s Hacks and the cult-favourite podcast Seek Treatment with fellow comic Catherine Cohen, Regan’s stand-up feels less like your traditional comedy set and more like being trapped in the world’s funniest group chat.
The perfectly intimate room beneath Fairfield’s railway arches was packed with adoring fans who were immediately on side as Regan launched into stories about traumatic trips to Paris, Grindr dates, massage tables and having crushes at the gym.
The audience was in the palm of his slightly sweaty hands (don’t worry, he’ll be fine with me saying so), laughing at every awkward punchline and self-deprecating anecdote.
The material is nothing groundbreaking, but this is what makes it so deeply hilarious; never before has shopping for the perfect pair of jeans been so serious and unserious at the same time.
There was laughter rolling through the venue for virtually the entire set, and after an hour of never-ending quips and jokes, we were left wanting more.
And the best part is, it won’t be long until we get more from this place, and it’s no wonder they’re starting to get the hosting plaudits they deserve.
It’s safe to say Fairfield Social Club has become one of Manchester’s most exciting homes for alternative comedy, and this felt like exactly the sort of booking that justifies its growing reputation.
By the time Regan left the stage, the audience looked equal parts exhausted and delighted. An absolutely classy evening indeed.
Find out about what else is on at the Fairfield Social Club HERE.
Review | Some of the most fun you can have at a theatre – Jeff Goldblum and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
Danny Jones
On Wednesday night, we did something we hadn’t done in a long time: we went to a concert almost completely blind and walked in without having heard a single second – because how many times in life are you going to get the chance to say you’ve seen Jeff Goldblum music live in Manchester?
We can comfortably say it wasn’t just one of our favourite shows of the year so far, but it might be one of the best decisions we’ve made, maybe ever…
Honestly, there’s not even a whiff of exaggeration in that statement; within minutes of the headline date starting, a long, hard day suddenly melted away in the smooth, sultry, stylish and unapologetically silly atmosphere created by Jeff Goldblum and the truly wonderful Mildred Snitzer Orchestra.
For starters, we were pleasantly surprised to see ‘Bonnie Scotland’s very own Liverpool-based singer-songwriter, Brooke Combe, opening up for the man himself, whose soulful, 1960s, 70s and Motown influences made for a perfect fit to warm up the crowd.
With the North West favourite – who we recently caught once again at NBHD Weekender late last month – even getting a perhaps initially hesitant and very possibly more Theatre-leaning audience inside the Palace to relax with some fun vocal exercises and Scottish banter, we were off to the races.
But in truth, this show turned out to be so much more than we were expecting – and by that we don’t mean when Brooke joined him on stage for a spell and had him try his first Irn-Bru…
In our heads, we were kind of expecting to see Goldblum, 73, playing his beloved piano as other members of the jazz band got to enjoy a few moments centre-stage as those who sat watching admired their sheer technical ability.
Where we actually landed was somewhere between a live and just the right amount of chaotic stream-of-consciousness stand-up show, interlaced with a series of effortlessly charming and loose bits of crowdwork as if he were compèring, and, of course, the incredibly cool musical arrangements.
It may not have been entirely free-form (it’s clear that a lot of time, effort and tireless rehearsal go into this shindig), but it did have the feeling that things were unfolding organically as the night went on, the perfect example being specifically for Manchester, with each local reference getting a rousing reception.
His latest LP is going down a treat with the critics in the early reviews, too, and having now heard a few samples, we’re not surprised.
As Jeff said at the top of the show, the best bit about this music is watching these marvellous musicians effectively jamming and playing call and response, not only with each other but you down below – not to mention with the man himself vamping over the top and enjoying plenty of solos on the keys.
Aside from crowd-pleasing arrangements of contemporary and well-known tracks like ‘Lover’ by Taylor Swift and even his own bittersweet and oh-so-gentle take on ‘Over The Rainbow’, it felt not just like an intro to some cult favourites from within the genre, but a serviceable broad-strokes education at times.
Personally, we’ve always liked to think of ourselves as open to anything, sonically, albeit fairly limited when it comes to jazz, but we left feeling like we knew more about the mechanics and flow of a jazz gig than ever; we’re now eager to learn more and dive deeper into the syllabus curated by this superfan.
One very special mention also has to go to session singer Khailah Johnson, who recently shone in the & Juliet production on Broadway and is now currently on tour with Jeff on his Night Blooms run.
Believe us, she’s not merely performing ‘beside’ anyone; when you have a voice and presence that’s so big and has such range that you generate enough star-power for people to genuinely forget that a Hollywood actor is there right next to you, you KNOW you’re beyond talented. Simply spellbinding.
The whole crew had a lovely, laid-back quality that was just infectious. (Credit: Lucy Elson-Whittaker)
And then we have the A-lister himself, who clearly doesn’t only have the gift of the jab and a natural penchant for pageantry, but looks so at home up there that we would happily trade ever seeing him in a film again if it meant we could have the next few decades watching him be the live showman that he is.
For anyone who feared Jeff Goldblum’s music career might just be a famous bloke indulging himself in a side project and cashing in on fandom simply because he can, fret not: this man has as much passion, love and aptitude for jazz and this particular side of showbiz as any role we’ve seen him play, if not more.
Whether it be playing movie trivia games with those in the stalls, thanking fans he bumped into at his hotel, or inviting people there for a special occasion backstage, he ticked almost every box you could have asked for, from the cabaret vibes and Jurassic Park puns to simply playing his socks off.
The new album that gives its name to this current slate of live shows is much more than a play on words. Be it the soft and warm hues of the coloured spotlights, the off-the-cuff comedy interludes, or even the pure giggle-fits in the audience, the Palace Theatre was bursting with joy, life and vibrancy.
We sincerely hope Jeff Goldblum has grown as fond of the city as he claims, and that we get to watch him play a Manchester venue every year.
Daisy Jackson -
27th April 2023 
