My Big Gay Podcast
My Big Gay Podcast is the ultimate LGBTQ+ comedy show, diving headfirst into the highs, lows, and LOLs of gay life in London and beyond... (wait, did somebody just say head?!).
Hosted by your new gay BFFs, Benji and Brad, this podcast spills all the tea on their adventures as two gay guys in their 30s, juggling careers, chasing love, and living their best big gay lives in the greatest city in the world.
Now in its sixth fabulous season and recently crowned the TOP 3 LGBTQ+ podcast in the UK and a TOP 20 Comedy Podcast worldwide, My Big Gay Podcast is your backstage pass to hilarious celebrity interviews, outrageous games, epic competitions and heartwarming listener stories. It's been called “Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Sex and the City—but way gayer!”
So, if you’re up for a good time (and maybe some mischief), join Benji and Brad as they navigate the wild world of love, laughter, and life. Want to play along or get in touch? Slide into their DMs on Instagram: @BigGayPodcast, or hit up their website at www.MyBigGayPodcast.com.
My Big Gay Podcast
S5. Ep 25. Two Gays and the Royal-Tea Finale Part 1
Get in touch! Drop Benji and Brad a text message by clicking on this link.
Season 5: Episode Twenty-Five - Part One. IT’S PARTY TIME! Grab a drink and join Benji and Brad in their end of Season Five Finale Tea Party! Also joining them is special guest and Mr Gay Great Britain 2022, David Allwood! Benji and Brad find out what it’s like to enter Mr Gay Great Britain, how to go about it and what is involved in the pageant. David shares his experience since winning the crown and talks all things Homoparody, his queer dance company based in London. Plus, Benji spills the tea on when he bumped into an ex on the tube this week!
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Hello and welcome to this week's episode of my Big Gay Podcast with me, Benji and me, Brad, giving you the life, the loves, the loves of living in London, Two gays one city. What could possibly?
Speaker 3:go wrong. The champagne's flowing today because it is the end of season five.
Speaker 2:I know real mixed emotions with this one. I don't know whether to be really happy with what we've accomplished, obviously, or really sad, but I feel like we've covered so much in this season.
Speaker 3:I can't believe we've done another whole year of my Big Gay Podcast A whole another year, you can make me whole again. A whole new world.
Speaker 2:Oh, do you miss me like a whole in there.
Speaker 3:Hail holy Queen, and from above. Oh.
Speaker 2:Maria oh gosh. We could go on for a very long time. I know I cannot believe whether end of season five, 25 episodes in the season.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know We've gone big this year. We get bigger and bigger every year, don't we? Oh my and we popped the champagne, just like it was all popping off last week with poppin' Ollie.
Speaker 2:No, no, you are not allowed to do the puns. I'm getting that written into the contract for season six. I will do the jokes or a third party organization. You are not being in charge of them anymore.
Speaker 3:I still giggle when I think about doing that in your face. When I said that and you was like what have?
Speaker 2:you done? Why did you open your mouth?
Speaker 3:Anyway, podcast is I hope you are going to join us today on our end of season rap party. It's going to be great.
Speaker 2:Rap party. We're going to take it to the rap.
Speaker 3:Okay, Benji, you and rapping should not be a thing.
Speaker 2:Actually, I'll have you know that I'm really good at rapping on the spot. Sure then, pre-vette. Okay, it's the end of season five. We're ready for the ride, my big gay podcast. We spread love far and wide, from LGBTQ plus stories to voices that inspire. We've ignited conversations and set our hearts on fire. Do?
Speaker 3:you know what? Actually, that was quite good. I'm quite impressed by that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're welcome.
Speaker 3:Well, anyway, that is enough of that for a time, be it.
Speaker 2:Time for verse two. And fabulous guests sharing tales so grand and veiling the beauty in every love strand from all the prides. With love We've shared the vibe, empowering the community, helping hearts thrive Do you know what?
Speaker 3:I'm actually quite impressed with that. Who knew? Give you a bit of champagne to swallow and you, eminem, you had me at Swallow.
Speaker 2:But honestly I would do a mic drop if these mics weren't so flip and expensive.
Speaker 3:Well, podcasters as I'm sure you can see, we are a little bit giddy on champagne right now, but we're here to celebrate love. We've got a special guest coming on for our party today. But, Benji, what I want to know is Sorry.
Speaker 2:I love the way you say party.
Speaker 3:On our party.
Speaker 2:On our party, on our party. I know we've got lots of listeners actually listening with us, but right now there's just the two of us, and if this was actually a party, it would be the most depressing party. We are in different rooms on our own but drinking identical bottles of champagne. I guess this is how married couples used to do it in lockdown, when one had COVID, the other one didn't.
Speaker 3:Yeah right, that surely must be the thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, anyway, I don't know I single the whole way through it. I can't relate.
Speaker 3:But what I want to know is last week you said that you were doing social groups and trying to put yourself out there, and you were going to maybe put yourself out there again and see what else is out there. So tell us more. What have you found out this week, gosh?
Speaker 2:I've become more of a hermit. Actually this week have you yeah, I haven't gone out with that group yet, although they haven't actually had another social, to be honest, but I'm supposed to have a date at the weekend. I know we didn't really talk about my dating life that much since that time where I did talk about it and then got broken out with because I shared the story on the podcast.
Speaker 3:And yeah, and what was that story you shared again, yeah, I guess there's no harm in sharing it.
Speaker 2:It was the story of when I went on a date, got a little bit tipsy and ended up sort of shangin' in the park opposite of the palace.
Speaker 3:As in Buckingham Palace, outside the Queen. The Queen was still alive at that point. She might be looking out of her bedroom windows like no, no, no, it's going to look out in the garden Cut to you absolutely, pounding a twink into the grass.
Speaker 2:You make it sound so unromantic, but actually that is not far from the truth. Yeah, anyway, I cancelled this date just because I didn't really. I just didn't feel the vibe. Listen, I've been talking to this person on and off like three months, right, right, right. Sorry, I'm actually speaking from my heart right now. Sorry sorry, go for it. You keep cutting me off with pop culture references.
Speaker 3:I'm just going to sit here and drink my champagne whilst you're telling me about your heartbreak. I'm listening, I'm all ears Go.
Speaker 2:Just going to go to the toilet. Whilst you're telling me yeah, so I'm talking to like three months, I was away and he was messing with me like, oh, you're back, you're back, I'm going to meet. You Got each other on Instagram commenting on pictures, whatnot, and then, a couple of days before, he got really weird. And then, the day of, I was like what is actually happening? Are we meeting up or not? And he was like oh yeah, I've actually just finished the gym. I'm on my way to Soho to get a coffee and sort of reading my CV. You're welcome to come join.
Speaker 3:That is not like first date, vibes. No I don't want to be in a first date with someone I want them to be like. Can't wait to see. I'm so excited. We've been chatting for three months, really looking forward to meeting you in the flesh. Yeah, I'm doing my CV. Come and join me if you want to help me out on my CV right here yeah. That's not romantic.
Speaker 2:No, and then I messaged him later on that night at like half 11. It went to one ticks. I didn't go through until 3am, so he was clearly at like a sauna. Let's be honest.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, because we know the London sauna is no signal.
Speaker 2:No signal. Not that I know personally, but I've been told.
Speaker 3:A friend of a friend told me A friend of a friend of an ex's sister's mum, yeah.
Speaker 2:But yeah, but what I did do is I fell down, which I haven't done in so long. I feel like YouTube hasn't really been on my radar for a while, but I fell down a YouTube hole and it's all about. I feel like there's episode is sponsored by the word hole.
Speaker 3:I think so too.
Speaker 2:Doing something, none hole.
Speaker 3:There's another one, the whole time, the whole time, the whole time, the whole time.
Speaker 2:You maybe lose my train of thought now, sorry, sorry.
Speaker 3:YouTube hole.
Speaker 2:Oh sorry. Yes, what I thought was about, and I don't know if you remember this. When you were younger and that was a long time ago did you ever use to watch Miranda Sings?
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 2:Okay, so I was a huge fan of Miranda Sings the point why I used to tweet Miranda quite often and also the real person's account. Her name is Colleen Ballinger and she actually responded to my tweets twice and I was like, oh my God, this is like the first interaction that I'd properly ever had with someone who I would have considered a celebrity. Anyway, long story short, she's now completely canceled because she did as she spoke inappropriately to people underage. These are allegations, by the way, but there is a whole library of YouTube videos from this one of the younger people that she used to speak to when he was like 12, 13, 14. It wasn't like directly sexual, but it definitely was not the right five. I'm not going to comment on it any further because I don't want to get into trouble. Like I said, it's all allegations at the moment, but it was really interesting. And then, yeah, I kind of fell down that hole. I was watching videos for like a good six and a half hours and then I was like huh Benji, this is why you're single.
Speaker 3:That's not healthy. But also if you went to bed, what time in the morning, crazy o'clock.
Speaker 2:Well, I was awake and he then messaged me from the sauna. I think I was trying to take my mind off things. I'm not going to lie, I was a little bit disappointed. I bought an outfit and everything. Oh, I know, I know, yeah, so I guess I went to bed like four in the morning. Yeah, I should have just gone to brewers, to be honest, yeah, anyway.
Speaker 3:Well, I'm sorry that that didn't work out for you. You know, maybe when we return next year for season six, you might find true love.
Speaker 2:All right, enough of the jokes. No, no, I'm trying to be serious. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, listen, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm all good. But anyway, listen, I'm so chuffed with what we've done on this season. I think we have covered so many incredible topics, like I was going through all our episodes today and I I'm just really proud. Okay, fine, I'm not ending the season with a boyfriend, a fiance, a husband, whatever, but what I am doing is ending the season with such a better understanding of what it really is to be a part of the community and being a supportive member of the community and being somebody within the queer community who does have a platform and a voice. And I think personally for me, that is worth so much more because I will take that on to the rest of my life and if I have kids, I'll pass that on, I'll pass it on to my friends and, yeah, I would rather have had that than a sort of a six month relationship to me end badly in the end.
Speaker 2:So I'm actually you're winning, you're winning, I'm so winning, you are Well, we're winning. I can't take all the credit.
Speaker 3:I know I'll take most of it, but not all of it. We do come as a little team, don't we? Me and you and I couldn't agree with you more, because we did loads of prize this year, right, and so that was amazing to go to different parts of the country and meet more of the wider community, not just, obviously, the London Gays that we know and love, and there was such a last minute thing that we did.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Like we really that was not. We were actually going to do that for the next season and all of a sudden, like it, just we got so many invites who were like, do you know what? Let's take a 180 and what we were going to do this season and let's get out there, let's go to the prize and, yeah, spread them, spread the love, A little happiness.
Speaker 3:Absolutely, cause it was all popping off, wasn't it? Oh my gosh, no. Jokes aside. Jokes aside, do you remember also when we learned about section 28 as well, and the government back in the the late 80s, early 90s, and what they were doing?
Speaker 3:and then how scary that is. Feels like it's all coming back round again full circle with our current government, with what they've been putting out in their messages which won't get sort of too heavy into, but, you know, being aware of what's happening politically for our community, how we can change that, how we can use our voices to empower us right, absolutely, but I think, like you said, let's stop on that point for now, because I think our very special guest later on in this season may have something to say, because they are an absolute voice for our community and I think it'll be interesting to bring it up with him later on oh my gosh, I don't think I've even told you about this.
Speaker 2:Did I tell you about bumping into one of my exes on the tube? No, just imagine heaving tube, confined space, no escape. And who do? I catch eyes with? An ex boyfriend of mine. But I'll tell you the full story after this very quick break. This episode is sponsored by rainbowlottorycouk.
Speaker 3:Play now and support LGBTQ plus dreams. Okay, my champagne is now topped up.
Speaker 2:To be honest, it's probably your most successful topping of all time.
Speaker 3:I love that. You just sit in there stone cold face, staring into my soul. Like I know I'm right, bitch.
Speaker 2:I am staring at your soul and I will tell you it is bleak. You need there's no Feng Shui down here. You need to do a lot of work, you need to lick a paint and a complete move around. Anyway, back to me. I was talking about when I bumped into my ex on the tube. Oh, yes, tell me. Yeah, I mean, ex may be a slightly too strong a word to call him. It was just some guy that I met a few times and was talking to, right, and then it ended. Basically, it was absolutely fine, but when we ended, he did then end up blocking me on everything WhatsApp, instagram, the lot. This was about four years ago, and then about a year ago, we actually rematched on Tinder, which was slightly weird.
Speaker 3:Yeah, why would you even do that? Why would you rematch with that person?
Speaker 2:Well, when I see people that I know on dating apps the clean ones more often than not I will actually swipe to the right because I'm curious to see if they're going to do the same thing, and I do think that the best relationships can start from being friends first.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah Great.
Speaker 2:So I was. Yeah, maybe that's a conversation for another time, but anyway. So we've rematched quite recently. So he was very aware of like I was still fresh in his mind. He wouldn't recognize me. Anyway, cut to. I'm on the tube. It was very, very full. I was sat down and these two guys got on in the corner. There was no seats for them. It was quite busy and I noticed from the back that one of them was very attractive, caught my eye so I was sort of you know, you know how I'm quite interested in like clothes and outfits and I was like looking up and down, like, oh, he's dressed really cute. It helped that his shorts very tight. Anyway, couldn't see the guy that he'd gotten with Next stop. People got off and the cute guy sat down next to me and I was like, oh okay, here we go.
Speaker 2:Anyway sat down, he was on his phone and kept looking over at the other guy. So I looked up and looked over to the other guy and, sure enough, clocked eyes with this guy that I'd been talking to, that had blocked from everything, who had recently just rematched with on Tinder and I mean recently, uh-huh, uh-huh. But he was with this boy. So I was like I wonder if they're together, if they're related, because they're both good looking. Anyway, after that, more people got off and he came and sat next to this boy and literally put his arm right around him.
Speaker 3:Oh, he's doing that thing, you know when, like dogs, pissed to claim their territory.
Speaker 2:Literally that. And I looked up to the. You know, like opposite you there's the other seats, but there's the window behind which is a bit. It's got reflection, yeah, yeah, yeah. And he was literally just eyeballing me through the window, like this is my territory, yeah. And he was like giving him drinks and suddenly there was a bit of a power dynamic between the two of them. Like it was very dumb, submissive, it was very strange, but he was literally just I couldn't decide if it was like this is mine back off, or if it was I'm with this boy. Don't you say anything to me about dating, like yeah, yeah, yeah. It was Weird, weird.
Speaker 3:What did you do? You just sat there with a lot of smiling in your face like, do be, do be see, yeah, I literally did that.
Speaker 2:It's just sat there smiling, yeah. I kept on like gently, like nudging my leg into the boys leg next to me, so he kept on looking over to me. So you just sort of you know fuck with the other guy, yeah, and then they got off at the next stop.
Speaker 3:I feel like your romantic life is very chaotic.
Speaker 2:I think my whole life is chaotic, I don't think it's just my dating life. I think everything is quite chaotic at the moment. I feel like I need to go. Is this week actually this way? You said to me that I need to go and find like a cabin. I know it was my friend, andre said Benji, you need to go and find like a log cabin in the woods, somewhere when there's no signal, switch everything off and just like be for a few days.
Speaker 3:I actually think that's really good advice for you because you are always on the go-go-go and I really respect that about you. You have lots of businesses going on. You're starting a new business and that's really popping off.
Speaker 2:Olly, if you're still listening to this, really sorry.
Speaker 3:But because I think you always so go-go-go, that feeds into the rest of your life perhaps, and all the boys are then go-go-go. I don't know. Maybe am I a therapist, maybe I am, maybe should be a therapist.
Speaker 2:Okay, please don't become a therapist. But no, I think what? No, I take that by, I think, all my friends in a way of therapists. But, like in the same conversation with Andre, he was literally saying, I think the guys that you're attracting a little bit like what you said, you're attracting them because you're giving off this like hectic, non-stop, very fast-paced, not very Committable, is it right?
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah, yeah, I agree, you don't give off like I'm looking for long-term relationship vibes and that maybe you're not looking for that, so that's all fine too, I think.
Speaker 2:I have taken a big shift in the in the last sort of few months where I actually think I am now, or all more. I'm more open to it. Yeah, but I definitely feel like fulfilled in my Like social life and my career. Yeah, I don't feel like I need a relationship to define me.
Speaker 3:No, of course, and I would say that for anyone right, having a relationship doesn't make or break you as a person. You know you are you regardless of who you're with. But um, that's interesting because I always just thought you were Single-pringle forever and ever.
Speaker 2:I mean, I think, since, like this podcast, I pretty much have been like we know that I've been dating and I have had some relationships that I've kept off the podcast because they Were early on and I've had ones that I've actually ruined because of the stories that I've shared. You know, we live, yeah, I think recently. I think taking this break now at the end of season five. I will take this time to really sort of Reset my life before Christmas, because it's very hectic anyway and, yeah, I might get away for a bit. I was trying to find somewhere very like queer friendly to go, but I may actually something. That is just very plain, jane, I may not go anywhere that's a scene and just switch off plain, jane, I love it yeah it's cuz you're being wholesome.
Speaker 2:My mom's actually called Jane. Thank you Um the airplane plane. Jane, hang on. Your mom is called Jane. Oh gosh, where are we going with this? Yes.
Speaker 3:My mom is also called Jane.
Speaker 2:No, she's not she is.
Speaker 3:How do we not know that about each other? Really, my mom is called Jane, jane and Jane. How does she spell it? J a, y n? E.
Speaker 2:My mom my mom, shane, got no y cuz she's figured out, so how does she spell her?
Speaker 3:name j a n e plane boring standard.
Speaker 2:My mother went to Oxford University. Well, your mom is a twit, your mom is all.
Speaker 3:When you breastfed, it came out like this oh my god, I'm getting giddy again on the champagne. Anyway, we have a very special guest waiting in the studio to come on, so I think we just need a little breather. Let's top up the champagne and we'll bring on our special guests.
Speaker 2:Say top again.
Speaker 3:Top. Oh hey, brad, oh hi, benji Brad, what's on your mind? Oh nothing, benji, just daydreaming, I guess.
Speaker 2:What are you daydreaming about this time? A thicker hairline? Not today. Oh then what is it?
Speaker 3:I just wish I could do more to support the community without breaking the bank.
Speaker 2:Oh, and dreaming of true love's kiss Well you're in luck because you can do more to support the community Really. How? By playing the rainbow lottery. Of course, you can play from as little as one pound and 50 percent of all tickets goes towards an LGBTQ plus organization that you get to choose what, and every week you could win up to 25,000 pounds as well as other fantastic prizes. So when you play, you really do help support the community. Exactly, and I've won twice already.
Speaker 3:Where can I get tickets?
Speaker 2:Just head over to rainbowlotterycouk. It's super easy.
Speaker 3:Oh, do you think the rainbow lottery can also get me true love's kiss? I?
Speaker 2:doubt it? Oh, play the rainbow lottery today from as little as one pound to win big and help some incredible courses the rainbow lottery Supporting LGBTQ plus dreams players must be 18 and over. Always play responsibly. Wet dreams not included.
Speaker 3:Okay, podcasters, raise your glasses to our special guest who is joining us today for our season five finale party.
Speaker 2:That's right. Podcasters for the end of season five. We thought we would have some actual royalty onto my big gay podcast. So, without further ado, please welcome to the podcast, mr Gay, great Britain. And a finalist for mr Gay world. It is the one, the only the incredibly good-looking David Olwood.
Speaker 3:How are you?
Speaker 5:I'm really good. Thank you, so nice to chat to you both.
Speaker 3:Oh, it's so great to have you on, and now I just need to get this out of the bag straight away.
Speaker 2:It's the elephant in the room that we need to talk about. Yeah come on Alexandra.
Speaker 4:Nobody wants to talk about it. So there was an elephant in the room and I'd never heard of the same before until I'd done my writing count for the album, and it's a very American saying. So I thought, well, why not be the first person to kind of bring it over here and make it into a song?
Speaker 3:Have you seen shits creek? I have, yes. Oh my god. Every time I hear the name David, I just think of Moira Rose David same babes. Ew David.
Speaker 2:Has that ruined or enlightened your life?
Speaker 5:Oh, it's completely enlightened my life. I love it. It's like have you eaten my yoghurt, david?
Speaker 2:Because I'm not gonna lie when we've been talking about you coming on, we don't just say David, we always say David. I'm obsessed.
Speaker 5:It actually gives me like a personality. I love it.
Speaker 3:Oh, that's amazing and also, not only do you have the best name ever, but you are my neighbour. We live around the corner from each other.
Speaker 5:Yeah, literally clapping gaze represent.
Speaker 3:Yeah right, benji, get involved.
Speaker 2:I'm absolutely happy at my safe distance away. Thank you so much. Slightly further south, when are you? Oh well, I am slightly near a Wimbledon.
Speaker 5:Oh nice, oh fancy.
Speaker 2:It's not actually Wimbledon, it's, strictly speaking, it's near a Morden.
Speaker 3:I love that you always say Wimbledon. Why'd you try and big yourself up, your little posh boy?
Speaker 2:It's literally a 10 minute walk away.
Speaker 3:So, listeners, if you want to find Benji on Grindr, just change your location to Wimbledon, and there you'll be. Well, that's my sex life absolutely ruined, so funny. But anyway, david, you are Mr Gay Great Britain 2022. How did that all come about? Because, I'll be totally honest, I don't really know much about the Mr Gay Great Britain Pageantry, so you can fill me in.
Speaker 5:Speaking of turn.
Speaker 2:Could we please get through? One question Sorry.
Speaker 3:Or reference to Schitt's Creek.
Speaker 5:So it all came about in the summer of 2022. Everything took a bit of a turn and I decided to enter Mr Gay, great Britain on this kind of new journey of trying something new and sort of Trying to shock myself and do something out my comfort zone. And, yeah, I kind of it really interested me the whole concept of it, because obviously it is a pageant, but they're kind of looking for a voice in the community and people that have something to say, people that are kind of actively involved in in the community, and it just felt like quite a good fit. So I gave it a go and, yeah, I like I won five of the seven categories and Mr Gay, great Britain. Oh, wow, it was a good day. That is amazing. Congratulations, thank you.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I mean, it took over my summer completely and it kind of felt I know this is a bit cheesy, but it felt like a bit of a sort of self improvement thing, like everything I did. I was sort of really trying to like do something good in the community and you had to like raise funds for charity on the lead up to the competition. Wow, yeah, you also study because they, you, you have like a written exam on LGBT rights and legislation as well. Oh gosh, yeah. So it's really involved and obviously like the more you learn, like the more you grow, and all that kind of thing. So I just loved it. I love the whole experience and it's kind of yeah, it's spiralled from there, really from the win it's. I've done Mr Gay Europe as well and I'm now doing Mr Gay World, so it's this whole thing.
Speaker 3:She's got international.
Speaker 2:I know how long is the process from like the first application that you send to well for you getting the crown. What is that sort of timeline? So?
Speaker 5:I applied in May of 2022 and the final was at the end of August, like right at the end of summer 2022. Okay, yeah, it was like a few months. I mean, the applications for next year are already open, so people can apply now to do it in 2024. So I don't know if you and Benji and Brad, if you fancy it.
Speaker 3:My application is live right now. I'm currently doing it as we speak Copy and paste. David's answers.
Speaker 2:He said raising money, not stealing money, brad, but anyway, oh yeah.
Speaker 3:So, david, you said you won five out of seven categories. So when you mean categories, is that like a different section that you like compete in? I kind of feel like is this sort of like a talent show? Is like different elements to it?
Speaker 5:I wish there was a talent show, to be honest, because I could have had a little dance. No, it's. They split it into categories where you have runways, so you have to do like a national costume or regional wear, so like from where you're from, you have to do a swimwear round and a formal wear round, so there's like three looks basically. And then there's the charity fundraiser, there's the audience vote. Oh my God, you're testing me now. Audience vote. Written exam and Mr Congeniality.
Speaker 3:Wow, I mean Miss Congeniality, I'm just thinking Sandra Bullock, this is what I've got in my mind. Yeah, exactly, yeah, love it. And when it's the costume rounds, is that something that you have to make yourself or you design, or what is that process?
Speaker 5:You kind of get free reign with that. You obviously you have to come up with a concept, and how you make, how you realize that concept is entirely up to you. So I don't know if you know Oli Hull the designer. They're amazing, they're like a really sort of modern designer that do a lot of like text on clothes and sort of painting on clothes and they live in Clapham and yeah, we kind of came up with this concept to for the regional way, for like a political message about saving queer spaces. So I had this massive upcycled wedding dress that had the names of loads of bars and clubs in London, lgbt bars and clubs in London that had been closed down.
Speaker 5:Oh wow, for various reasons. Yeah, so I had a sort of save our spaces message and, yeah, oli was the perfect person to sort of make that happen. So, yeah, it was really cool.
Speaker 3:That is amazing.
Speaker 2:That's such a great angle to come from and, like, yeah, like you said, political at the same time. I must admit, we, when we got sent some of your pictures, the ones that we posted of you in your Union Jack outfit.
Speaker 3:I love that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's such. It's very like Vivian Westwood inspired. But who did you design that one so?
Speaker 5:that's really funny. Actually, I saw Amanda Holden wearing a Union Jack dress and I was like, oh my God, amanda, you've smashed it babe. Yeah, I was like I want to wear that. So I then sort of did some digging to find out who made that dress and contacted them. It was House of Sheldon Hall and they're from outside of London. I just sort of told them what I wanted to do and I had no idea sort of what we were talking in terms of price and all that thing. But they were so supportive and they were like, yeah, we can do this for you. So, yeah, it was House of Sheldon Hall, that one, and yeah, I was so happy with it. Actually it was kind of something quite different, but it was like Jerry went queer.
Speaker 2:I was going to say I'm getting.
Speaker 3:Spice Girl vibes. I love it, I love it yeah. And so obviously you won the crown last year. So what has your year been like since winning?
Speaker 5:It's been amazing. I have met so many incredible people. I've started campaigns and helped people with other campaigns. We went to the House of Parliament and had this like open conversation with a load of politicians Right, that is fantastic. It was fantastic. It was interesting for sure. And I feel like some of them sort of showed up to like get the photo opportunity to show that they're supporting LGBT people, but I don't know how much work they're actually doing, if you know what I mean. So, yeah, there are a lot of conversations to be had, but the opportunity at least to do that was amazing. And also going into schools, like, obviously, all the work that Ollie does that I was listening to your podcast last week. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, it's such an amazing thing. And I actually went to one school that had like an LGBT like community. They had that actual club at their school lunchtime and I went in there and taught a dance lesson and it was just really special. Wow, I felt very lucky, yeah, amazing. I mean, can you imagine having that when we were at school?
Speaker 3:I was about to say that I would have loved that, I'd love to have you to have come in and taught me a dance routine on my lunch break.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I know, a little bit of born this way.
Speaker 2:Speaking of dancing, as Melissa's male may not know, you come from a bit of a theatrical background and, as well as sort of wearing the crown, you've also started an incredible dance company in, based in Clapham Rite, or just in London in general, called Homoparity. Yeah, did that come from winning the crown, or is that something you've always wanted to do and you thought now would be just a good time to start it?
Speaker 5:No. So actually Homoparity has been going basically since the lockdowns were lifted in like 2020. And it all started from me talking to a friend and saying you know, we need to like do something to bring everyone back together. And they were struggling at the time. I wanted to sort of cheer them up a little bit, so we recreated Beyonce and Lady Gaga's telephone video.
Speaker 3:Yes, amazing.
Speaker 5:Love it. And we did it all for charity and like went online and popped off and we had a great time. And there was just something in it where I was like, ok, I can maybe do some more of this. And we started doing like fundraisers and launch nights for the videos and all that kind of thing. But then it was the competition that really helped, because with the fundraising I decided to start teaching dance classes, like queer dance classes, and that's where kind of Homoparity really grew. We actually got to perform at London Pride on the main stage for the last two years. We've gone to loads of regional prides as well to perform there, and now we do like a weekly dance class in Elephant and Castle every Thursday and it's just gone from strength to strength. It's just, I mean, it just fills me with joy. I love it. It's so much fun.
Speaker 3:Not going to lie. This sounds right up my street. I'm assuming you just do some like queer anthems and live your best lives in your dance class. That's what I'm imagining.
Speaker 5:Absolutely yeah. The playlist is giving for sure yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 5:We've got like Ariana Grande, we've got a lot of like Lady Gaga and we do like original choreography and our own choreography. There's this incredible team of teachers that we've got. There's five of us and they are all amazing. Like we all have sort of different styles and I mean seeing the growth in our, in our regulars, is so special, like that. Some of them that came that just wanted a bit of social interaction or weren't really sure what to expect, are now like really strong dancers and I just yeah, I love to see it. It's it's so fun, yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, I'll be honest, I see your Home of Parody name on loads of venues around Clapham so I'm sure any of our Clapham listeners have definitely, definitely heard of you. But I have been actually following your Home of Parody account for, I'd say, at least a year from now too, and one thing that I have noticed is not only is the videos you're putting up that your sort of your dance groups are growing, but it's so nice to see the different levels of dance and, within that, people still enjoying it, even if, like you know, it's the first time. They're really sort of stepping outside the comfort zone and dancing. They are there absolutely smiling and being afforded smashing this choreography. It seems like such a nice social sort of group and very, very freeing.
Speaker 5:Yeah, for sure. Like we always say to people, because obviously it's quite nerve-wracking going to a dance class for the first time, and we always just say you know, everyone is supported here. You know, just forget about all that sort of all the worries, all the insecurities. We check with everyone before the class that they're okay to be filmed and I edit the videos myself and I'm not really looking for like the best take where you know we pick the best dancers to do the routine or anything like that, because that's not really what we're about.
Speaker 5:It's like we all mix into each group and we sort of celebrate every dancer and the the regulars help us as well, that like they get it and we basically make everyone feel like Beyonce, no matter what, no matter how it went when they film, everyone feels like Beyonce. We have like this, everyone gets this massive cheer and yeah, and people pick up on that. Actually we've had like feedback saying you know, I've never had anyone, like you know, applaud me in my sort of everyday business job. It's it's quite rare and it's such a nice feeling and yeah, and we love that. We love it, it's fun.
Speaker 3:David, I feel like you might be able to fulfill my dream of becoming a backing dancer for steps oh my god, oh my gosh okay, did you make that happen? You can teach me, the girl with me and then maybe steps might see me and be like we need Brad for our backing dancer on our tour. Next year you're gonna be head hunted.
Speaker 5:I can feel it, I can feel it too.
Speaker 3:I'm getting all the manifestations.
Speaker 2:I mean someone please take him away at this stage. Honestly, we're at Brighton Pride steps came on. He was like clawing his way to the front oh my god calm down just let them do that.
Speaker 5:I am such a massive steps fan, though I love them so good.
Speaker 3:David, you've got a good taste, just like me.
Speaker 5:I knew it, I knew it, I love it we actually just learn Scared of the Dark for our Halloween special. We've learnt Scared of the Dark and I'm not gonna lie that choreography I was like struggling. It took me a while to get that.
Speaker 3:Steps have beaten me do you know what I so regret now? Not signing up for Home of Parody for Halloween? Could have learned their choreography oh, it's not too late.
Speaker 2:It's not too late, great, I'm doing it, I'm doing it so if anyone listening who wants to sort of join Home of Parody and find out more about it, where can they go to do that?
Speaker 5:so just pop onto Instagram and it's at homo parody and you can find us on like TikTok as well with the same, and also Facebook. Just type us in amazing and we've got loads of like new branding coming for 2024. So we're like we've got a website that's nearly ready to go and all this very exciting stuff. So I've got I should actually shout out the team. I've got this amazing team of management people that I like I can't do Excel spreadsheets, I can't do all that stuff and they are just incredible. They do it all for me and, yeah, it's much appreciated. They're amazing.
Speaker 3:I mean, I'm the same. I can't do technology and spreadsheets either. I'm just the talent you know yeah, right, okay.
Speaker 2:Well, after that barrel of lies from Brad, what we're gonna do, dave, is we're gonna take a very, very quick break, sort of fill up our drinks, and we're gonna come back and find out more about you and, most importantly, give you some of our listener questions.
Speaker 3:So we'll be back after this very short break from 7 am on the UK's LGBTQ plus station so before we went on a little break, david, you did tell us that you are now international and you are representing Great Britain for Mr Gay World that is amazing. That's so great, so huge congratulations for that so. I'm writing thinking that this is all countries across the world competing for the crown yeah, I do.
Speaker 5:You know what? I actually still don't know how many countries are competing this year. We're still waiting for everything and I literally fly out on the 21st of October. So yeah, there's going to be people from all over the world. I know for a fact that Belgium is going because he's a very good friend of mine from when we did Europe together and yeah, we've got this like group chat. That's sort of slowly growing. I think we're up to probably about 10, maybe 12 countries at the moment. But yeah, it's all very exciting.
Speaker 2:It's all a bit unknown and, yeah, we'll see so did you have to come up with new sort of I don't know what the word is actually new material for this new competition, or could you use the same sort of things that you've done for your previous title?
Speaker 5:it's a bit of a mix of both. I have come up with a completely new campaign for Mr Gay World and it's something that I've kind of wanted to do for quite a long time and it kind of ties in quite nicely with Homo Parody, with, like, our sort of strap line for Homo Parody is Powering Togetherness, and I think that's quite a good campaign title. There's so much I want to do about bringing people together, about sort of suicide prevention and general sort of like support in our community, like not us, about us not being so sort of segregated and just, yeah, being a bit more inclusive and supporting everyone, and about allyship as well, especially for the trans community. So sorry, I just gave you so many different things all in one, but yeah, it's kind of like an umbrella thing of, I guess, support and bringing people together yeah, no, I love that, and obviously this year has been very rocky, I think, for the community and it's a bit of a scary time at the moment.
Speaker 3:But what you're campaigning for is the right message. Right, we've got to stick together, we've got to bring together and absolutely the allyship that's what I personally have really learned about this year are true allies. So, yeah, I love that. Your voice in that too, that's great yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 5:I just think it's so important. I mean, like you said, this year has been crazy in terms of the things coming out of of Westminster and yeah, I, I mean I went to the Soella Braverman protest fairly recently organised by Pride in London and I mean there was there was a massive showing of support for our community there, some really good speakers, but that was just like the tip of the iceberg, wasn't it like, if you think about everything else that's coming out of the Tory party conference, yeah, it's just so sad and this is a time that we need voices. That's the bottom line.
Speaker 3:We need people to speak up for us absolutely, and I'm just going to quickly jump in there for our international listeners who might not know what we're referring to. We're talking about our current government, which are the conservatives, and we sometimes refer to them as the Tories, and just the sort of messages they've been putting out this year have not been great for our community, and so, david, thank you so much for going to represent our voice in the world. That is absolutely incredible, thank you.
Speaker 5:I mean I think the people's perception of the UK as well is that everything's rosy here, like we're all very sort of inclusive and liberal and all that kind of thing, but it's. It's actually sadly not the case and I really hope I can be a bit of a voice for the issues that we're still facing. Obviously it's. It's harder in so many countries. I mean, some countries it's still illegal, some countries it's still punishable by death. So there is so much work to be done, but when you have sort of rights and freedoms and the threat of them being taken away, that is just it's awful.
Speaker 2:You know, it's something that just I just can't believe it's happening, honestly, yeah yeah, in trade through its mentor, and I think for us living in London, sometimes I think we're a bit spoiled. We forget actually how bad it is even just in still within our country. But outside of London, the messages that we get in from listeners sort of telling us what's happening at their work or in their social life or whatever, like people just feel so isolated. And when the government put out these vile messages across and bulletins whatever you want to call them which are so hateful, it goes so much deeper than they will ever realize and that one little statement that has wet-trans social media can do so much damage. It can take so long to undo again. That's what they don't realize. It's a very quick thing for them to say, but that could do so much damage to our community.
Speaker 5:Yeah, absolutely. And I mean all this, all this talk at the moment with the trans community, it's kind of they're using it almost as like a distraction for other things and I just I just like, how dare they do that?
Speaker 3:you know, it's just yeah, yeah, I totally agree, Because they're talking about sort of trans in hospitals and where they should be and in what space. But the joke is the NHS is terrible at the moment, like what beds are even available?
Speaker 3:huns, I don't know where these magic beds are coming up from that you're talking about. My mum works for the NHS and, yeah, she's seen the decline of that recently, so I feel sort of quite clued up from inside knowledge about what's going on. So when they released that speech, I was like what are you even talking about? Not even addressing the main issue, you're just trying to like cover it up by saying that trans people are the issue with hospitalization at the moment, which is just an absolute joke, isn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I mean, even with that, go so much deeper that the papers will pick up on what Rishi Sunak said and we'll publish that everywhere about like complaints being made. But then, when that I think it was a trans charity right step forward and said, well, if you've done this research, it's you know, it's taxpayers money, so we want to see it. Then they turned around and said, oh well, we actually haven't got any evidence, but then that isn't put into the media. The same level as Rishi's speech, yeah.
Speaker 2:I know, so it's never undone by the papers, and they really need to hold more responsibility for that.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I totally agree. Yeah, it's just, it's really shocking.
Speaker 2:Well, anyway, that is going on. We definitely are covering that more and more on the podcast because I think when we Brad, I'm sure will agree when we started the podcast, we didn't have nearly as much of the vocabulary and you know the information that we needed to really support the community and we are working so hard to try and educate ourselves and others and, I think, anyone out there. Like we said on our Instagram, don't just repost these sort of positive affirmation messages like saying you support trans people. Actually go in and read what's being said and educate yourself so you can sort of do a better job when you get that moment to educate somebody, because it's really important and, most of all, go and vote.
Speaker 5:Absolutely Like, just get them out.
Speaker 2:Anyway, moving on with the podcast, we do actually have some questions for you which your fans have written in with. We put a couple of posts out on our Instagram and on last week's episode, and I must admit some of these questions were wild to put it bluntly, so we've picked sort of like a good chunk of them, which sort of give you the idea of what people may have been actually wanting to ask, so answer them how you wish, just being delicate here.
Speaker 2:Oh my god, I'm scared. Don't be scared, so it's just. It was so funny. We literally had something like what's your favorite color? To insert very dirty question here. Yeah, but, Brad, I'll let you start.
Speaker 3:Okay, so we'll go straight in with one question from our listeners. Oh my god, Benji, what is that?
Speaker 2:sound. Oh my god, oh my Christ, Brad. That noise means that we have come to the end of part one of our finale of season five with David Allwood.
Speaker 3:Are you telling me that this week we've got double the fun?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. You know I'm always ready for round two.
Speaker 3:Oh, not me. One and done, that's it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, one and done. I know I've heard you snoring, but podcast is like there is all your time from this week's episode of my Big Gay Podcast. If you have enjoyed it, please head over to our Instagram. It's at Big Gay Podcast, because when the season finishes we will be more and more active on there and that's the best way to keep in touch with us and keep us up to date with your stories.
Speaker 3:And we've been teasing you. You thought that this was our final episode of season five, but no, we've got a second part coming in your ears next week, so make sure you're with us next week.
Speaker 2:I'm so sorry for the puns, but I promise you after next week it will be our final episode. But, like I said, podcast is all we have time for on this week's episode until next week's final. See you next.
Speaker 3:Wednesday Benji, you know, when they talk about pageant competitions and they always have to do a speech. Do you think of the movie Miss Congeniality, when they do their big, powerful speech and they end with oh and world peace.
Speaker 2:Yes, although I feel like it doesn't even have to be powerful. I feel like if it was me, I'd got to be like. May Jockstraps be free for everybody, may a Vodka and Coke not cost more than five pounds in the London area, and may all gingers get in for free to all gay bars. Oh, and world peace.
