Rylan Clark: ‘I was so worried about gay crowds after The X Factor’ 

Rylan Clark is hosting the first-ever Metro Pride Awards (Picture: Metro)

‘There’s a lot of s**t going on, and my God, if I started running my mouth then I’d never stop,’ Rylan Clark tells me from his kitchen.

We’re speaking over Zoom the week before he’s hosting the first-ever Metro Pride Awards in London. Like most of us in the LGBTQ+ community just trying to drown out the increasingly loud noise of homophobia, he’s fed up and fired up.

Rylan’s sharp wit and ability to charm the pants off even the steeliest of celebrities is the reason he’s one of the most adored personalities on television.

Quickly into our chat though it becomes clear I’m speaking to Ross Richard Clark, the man who plays the ‘character’ Rylan so successfully he’s barely been off screens since becoming a ‘novelty act’ on The X Factor 12 years ago when critics wrongly assumed he’s fade into oblivion.

Ross is impassioned, incredibly intelligent, and has a wisdom perhaps reserved for people he meets off-camera.

It’s what makes him the perfect pairing for the Metro Pride Awards, which will celebrate LGBTQ+ activists, entertainers, and the community’s unwavering resilience against the threat of homophobia and transphobia determined – but failing – to break us.

Rylan promises ‘there’s going to be a lot going on’ at The Metro Pride Awards (Picture: PA)

Ahead of the bash, Rylan says: ‘There’s going to be a lot going on, I’m really excited. There are so many nights out and awards that I’ve had the pleasure of being at or hosting, which is always amazing, but with this being the first Pride Awards ever, it’s going to be a moment.

‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m not the first person to be standing at the front of a parade with the flag out, but at the same time it’s important to remember what we are, and remember what people are unfortunately having to go through.’

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The Metro Pride Awards will be celebrating many LGBTQ+ trailblazers, but one star will be shining brighter than any other on the night.

The Vivienne will be honoured with a posthumous award just two months after she died, aged 32, with Drag Race legends Baga Chipz, Tia Kofi, Danny Beard, Michael Marouli, and Cheryl Hole performing a special tribute to the show’s first-ever British winner.

Rylan first reached out to ‘Viv’ after she won Drag Race, sharing advice as they began to climb the ranks of showbiz.

Drag race icons will be uniting to perform a tribute to The Vivienne at The Metro Pride Awards (Picture: Getty)

‘I was a massive fan of their work,’ says Rylan.

‘It’s so sad to know that not only our community but the industry has lost someone that talented and that clever because they were really good at what they did.

‘It’s just, unfortunately, another one of those stories of someone that’s been lost too soon.’

It’s a scary time to be LGBTQ+, but the drag and trans community in particular are bullied relentlessly. Often it feels as though homophobia and transphobia are perfectly acceptable again.

Days before their death, The Vivienne was subjected to unbearable abuse just for appearing on Blankety Blank which was previously hosted by drag star Lily Savage without any complaint.

‘What the f**k is wrong? What’s changed? Drag queens have changed their looks, and they’re perhaps more typically gorgeous – maybe they look a little bit too like women, and people like it? I don’t know, it’s crazy,’ says Rylan.

But LGBTQ people have always had a target on their backs. Rylan says nothing’s changed since he sobbed uncontrollably in the arms of Nicole Scherzinger, and became immortalised as a true star other than 13 years later, ‘I don’t give a f**k and I’m rich.’

‘I’m now in a position where I can do what I want when I want, and if you think I’m going be insulted by you reminding me of the fact that I sleep with men, I’m alright,’ he shrugs.

Gays don’t like gays a lot of the time

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‘I’m absolutely fine, but while you’re targeting me on your keyboard, I’m out there meeting blokes, so it really doesn’t bother me in the slightest.’

Building that armour takes strength, of course, but also experience.

‘That’s part and parcel with my job, because over the past 13 years, my skin has just got thicker, with age, life, I’ve been married, I’ve been divorced – I’ve grown up.

‘I don’t really care what Jeff from Dewsbury has got to say on Twitter about my sexuality, because if Jeff’s taking the time out of his day to talk about what I get up to behind closed doors that’s got f**k all to do with Jeff then I’m not the one with the issue.’

After finishing fifth on The X Factor in 2012 (as predicted by his psychic) and before he sealed his long career in showbiz with a triumphant three weeks on Celebrity Big Brother, Rylan was lined up to perform in nightclubs up and down the country like every other X Factor finalist before him.

Often he’d be booked in areas where ‘you don’t want to go clubbing’.

But it wasn’t the straight venues across towns and cities where gay men have to be extra cautious that struck fear in the heart of Rylan – it was the world’s most infamous LGBTQ+ nightclub, G-A-Y.

‘Gays don’t like gays a lot of the time,’ he says.

Rylan was terrified of performing for the LGBT community after X Factor (Picture: Ken McKay/Thames/REX/Shutterstock)

‘We can be so judgmental and that was honestly the gig that I was really, really worried about.’

Since splitting from his husband Dan Neil in 2021 after six years of marriage, Rylan has been back on the ‘meat market’, as he calls it.

Living up to the expectations of other gay men with internalised homophobia can feel impossible. (After enduring 33 years of it myself, I know).

‘There is this feeling in the community, especially in the single community, unless you’re this six-foot muscle rugby player looking bloke, that you’re not worthy. I think a lot of people feel that in our community, but that’s our own doing and that needs to change.’

With a community gradually coming undone in London though, making those changes is becoming increasingly difficult.

Once a hotspot for LGBTQ culture and nightlife, London venues are closing down at an alarming rate.

Soho’s Old Compton Street was its own world populated with nothing but queer people, sex workers, and anyone who felt they didn’t belong outside of its parameters. Now sex shop Prowler stands strong like a lone wolf among soulless chain restaurants and coffee shops.

Even G-A-Y has been put up for sale by owner Jeremy Joseph.

LGBTQ+ spaces are becoming few and far between but the death of one of the gayest streets in the world is a crushing loss.

‘That London scene has just disappeared, and it’s so sad to see. I don’t care if I’m in a gay bar or a straight pub, none of that bothers me, but that would have been me 10 or 15 years ago, only feeling comfortable going out somewhere like Old Compton Street, heading to G-A-Y bar and ending up G-A-Y late.’

Even G-A-Y bar in Soho is being sold – another huge blow to the gay history of Soho (Picture: PA)

Since 2002, the number of LGBTQ venues has more than halved in London alone, despite Sadiq Khan appointing lesbian broadcaster Amy Lamé as Night Czar to support the capital’s venues in 2016. She stepped down from the role with a £132, 846 annual salary in 2024 but five months later she’s yet to be replaced.

‘I might go for Night Czar,’ Rylan quips, joking but with a glint of sincerity too.

‘Wasn’t Amy Lame the Night Czar? I don’t get it, isn’t she queer?

‘I’m 36 and I’ve got a full-time job so I’m not out every weekend, but Soho was Soho when it was brasses and gays. That’s what it should be and at the minute, it’s nothing.’

The LGBTQ+ community might be fractured but it’s still unbreakable – no matter how much it’s let down by the government, councils, and irresponsible corners of the media.

”All we need to be is together,’ says Rylan. ‘Unfortunately, but amazingly, moments like the Metro Awards bring us all together in one room and that’s when we actually remember, “There’s nothing wrong with this. She’s alright, he’s alright, we’re all alright – we’re fine.”

‘I just hope we get to a point where people stop worrying about everyone else and they just start worrying about themselves.

‘I wish people would be a bit more selfish actually. Babe, worry about your life – don’t worry about us.

‘There’s a lot of voices, especially on social media, at the minute about women’s rights. This isn’t about women’s rights this – I’ve been brought up by women, I’m all for women’s rights. This is about people living their own lives so stop pointing the finger at the trans community all the time.’

The Metro Pride Awards takes place on February 26.

The full list of nominees for Metro Pride Awards 2025: Celebrity of the Year

Nicola Coughlan
Luke Evans
RuPaul
Russell Tovey
Jonathan Bailey
Edward Enninful
Andrew Scott
Cara Delevingne
Ncuti Gatwa
Graham Norton

Broadcaster of the Year

Rylan Clark
Jill Scott MBE
Nick Grimshaw
Scott Mills
Mobeen Azhar
Alex Scott
Robert Rinder
Dean McCullough
Riyadh Khalaf
Sue Perkins

Music Hero of the Year

DJ Fat Tony
Jodie Harsh
Lizzo
Olly Alexander
Jess Glynne
Jake Shears
Will Young
MNEK
Peggy Gou
Kehlani

Sports Hero of the Year

Tom Daley
Jake Daniels
Beth Mead
Carl Hester
Cindy Ngamba
Ralf Schumacher
Jack Laugher
Dame Kelly Holmes
Jess Carter
Lauren Hemp

LGBTQ+ Trailblazer

Seán McGirr
Mitchell Halliday
Ian Steed
Jay Birmingham
Dan Price
Alessandro Bucci
Suki Sandhu OBE
Simon Jones
Joëlle Rotsaert
Lexie Shaibu-Lenoir

Rising Star Award

Kit Connor
Yasmin Finney
The Vivienne
GK Barry
Tia Kofi
Jessica Gunning
Mawaan Rizwan
Phil Dunning
Cat Burns
Olly Shinder

Inspirational Ally

Melanie B
Sharleen Spiteri
James Corden
Annie Mac
John Bishop
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Tyrone Mings
Jade Thirlwall
Amanda Holden
Jennifer Saunders

Brand of the Year

Vodafone
Virgin Atlantic
JustEat
Arnold Clark
Tesco
British Airways
ASOS
Bentley
Netflix
Absolut Vodka

Marketing Campaign of the Year

Deliveroo – “The Open Kitchen”
The Romans x Millwall Romans Campaign
Disney – “The Power of Pride”
Uber Eats – “Serving Pride”
Adidas – “Love Unites”
McCann London and Clear Channel UK – “Fabruary”
JCDecaux UK – “Just Like Us” Partnership
Bentley – “Pride Car 2024”
Virgin Atlantic and Lucky Generals – “See the World Differently”
Open Media – #OpenAndProud

Grassroots or Charity Organisation of the Year

MindOut
AKT
Kaleidoscope Trust
Everton in the Community
BlkOut
Fighting With Pride
Just Like Us
Manchester Pride
LGBT Foundation
The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Best Breakthrough Business

Evri
Klarna
Cinch
Aer Lingus
BYOMA
Mildreds
Zymurgorium
Tonic Housing
Stonegate Group
Williams & Hirst
Matalan

Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility

Liverpool Football Club
KPMG
Asda
Nissan
Hogan Lovells
Network Rail
IKEA
Anthony Collins Solicitors
Three Mobile
Avanti West Coast

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award

Create Fertility
MSB Solicitors
Burberry
Scottish Power
National Grid
United Utilities
Pinsent Masons
AXA
Chelsea Football Club
GSK

LGBTQ+ Network Group

Spire Healthcare Group – LGBTQ+ Colleague Network
Aer Lingus – ProudFlies
KPMG – Breathe
LGBT+@Sky
Scottish Power – In-Fuse
Proud@Shell
Vodafone – LGBT+ and Friends Network
Amazon – Glamazon
Pfizer – OPEN
Macquarie – Pride EMEA Employee Network

Business of the Year

Softcat
Virgin Atlantic
DHL
Macquarie
GSK
Farrer & Co
Irwin Mitchell
Shepherd and Wedderburn
Dentons
Wickes

Most Inclusive Employer

LV=
VISA
Xero
Aon
Moody’s
Linklaters
DHL
E.ON
Coty UKI
LSEG

LGBT+ Business Leader Of The Year

David Hynam, LV=
Elliot Barton, Tatti Lashes
Rick Jackson, DHL
Julia Hoggett, London Stock Exchange
Anna Deignan, The Premier League
Bruna Gil, LINKEDIN
Jaron Soh, Voda
Deon Pillay, Legal & General
Mitchell Halliday, Made By Mitchell

Business Ally

Emma Carey, MSB
Angela Ogilvie,  Linklaters
Lauryn Yuen, TikTok
Rebecca Short, Deutsche Bank
Jasmin Fox, EA
Ruth Rowan, Avanade 
Liz Kelly, St James’s Place
Michael Salter-Church, Openreach
Alan Holmes, Clyde and Co
Rachel Pears, RPC

Lifetime Achievement Award

Announced at the ceremony

Metro Global Recognition Award

Announced at the ceremony

Outstanding Contribution to LGBTQ+ LIfe

Announced at the ceremony