G-Spot News Wrap: Justin Bieber, Anthony Cotton, Holby City and It Gets Better

{jcomments off}A round up of LGBT related news from the past few days including: Justin Bieber visiting a gay bar, Anthony Cotton in I’m A Celeb, Corrie filming scenes for its lesbian wedding and the latest high profile people to record a message for the It Gets Better campaign.

 

Pop sensation Justin Bieber has reportedly visited a gay bar in Belfast. The teenager was in the city for the 2011 MTV EMAs at which he won Best Male and Best Pop. However, it is for his reported visit to a gay bar that Bieber has attracted press attention. The Sun reports the singer and actor visited the Kremlin bar in the early hours of Monday morning. Bieber is also making headlines at the moment because of claims by Mariah Yeater that he is the father of her child – Bieber has denied the claims and stated he will take a DNA test.


Sacha ParkinsonCoronation Street has been on location in Hale, Cheshire, to film scenes for the forthcoming wedding between lesbian couple Sian (Sacha Parkinson) and Sophie (Brooke Vincent). The scenes are expected to air at Christmas and as any soap fan know weddings rarely go smoothly and this one will be no exception. Earlier this year it was reported that actress Sacha Parkinson would be exiting the Granada soap and the press has been full of stories about a love triangle between Sophie, Sian and Amber (Nikki Patel), daughter of Corner Shop owner Dev.

In related Corrie news actor Anthony Cotton has stated that his forthcoming stint in the Australian outback for I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! doesn’t mean he’s quitting the soap. Cotton was revealed as one of this year’s contestants alongside the likes of Mark Wright, Freddie Star and Dougie Poynter. ‘Coronation Street is very special and I love Anthony Cottonbeing in the soap. I would never have done this without the blessing of Corrie’ the actor has said. Cotton signed a new multi-year contract with Corrie earlier this year to continue playing Sean Tully.

His participation in I’m A Celeb will mean he will be absent for Katherine Kelly’s last scenes and possibly for any scenes to mark the on-screen sending off for the late Betty Driver ‘Katherine is filming her last scene and then having her leaving do. I am sad I won’t be there for that. They are also going to plan a send-off for Betty. I am keeping everything crossed I will be there for that.’

The new series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here launches on Sunday at 9pm. Find out who’ll be alongside Cotton in the jungle here >>


Holby City gay kissHolby City’s Edward MacLiam has discussed how his character of Greg Douglas catches Dan Hamilton (Adam Astill) kissing another man – a former flame who turns up at the hospital for treatment. Although the kiss between Dan and his former flame is brief it just happens to be witnessed by Greg who later talks to Dan about it.

MacLaim told What’s on TV ‘I think his suspicions have been aroused previously. He doesn’t pursue him about it, but when they’re having a coffee, he says, ‘You really have to tell Chrissie about what’s going on. You’ve just got to be open about it – that you are possibly gay’.

A gay kiss (pictured right) between Dan and Malick (Jimmy Akingbola) in June of this year prompted a handful of complaints from viewers who felt it wasn’t suitable but the BBC defended the scene.


The appeal by Peter and Hazelmary Bull against the court case earlier this year which concluded they acted unlawfully by denying civil partners Martin Hall and Steven Preddy to religionshare a room together in their Bed & Breakfast is being heard this week.

The law now states that people can not be discriminated against on grounds of their sexuality orientation. However, the appeal is fighting the court ruling against the two with their QC claiming ‘religious beliefs might be considered outdated, or uneconomic for those operating a private hotel, or both, but it is respectfully submitted that, in the particular circumstances of the case, [they] are entitled to manifest them.

The Bulls claim that they do not allow any unmarried couples to share rooms at their B&B but the counter-claim against that is civil unions give gay couples that same rights – legally – as married heterosexual couples. Another argument is that a heterosexual couple could easily claim to be married when in fact they are not. The case, when it went to court earlier this year, received wide-spread media attention and divided public opinion.

(Via Pink News)


The shortlist for this year’s LGBT literary awards has been announced but notable writers such as Philip Hensher, Ali Smith and Alan Hollinghurst are noticeably absent. John Savidge, chair of the Judges of the award, told The Guardian newspaper ‘People make the assumption that certain authors, because they are more famous … will be a shoo-in for the prize, but that’s not always the case

The award has been opened up to include lesbian, trans and bisexual authors after previously just being for gay male writers. The winner will be announced on the 7th December. Amongst this year’s nominees are Patricia Duncker, Bob Smith, Catherine Hall and Colm Toibin.


Gay TimesPeter Burton has died at the age of 66, it has been reported. Burton has been dubbed the ‘godfather of gay journalism’ as he was at the forefront of the early days of gay journalism in the UK.

Burton worked on early gay magazines such as Spartacus and Jeremy and also for the Gay News in the 1970s – the publication was famously taken to court for blasphemy in a campaign lead by Mary Whitehouse (who also led various campaigns against television broadcasters and programmes such as Doctor Who which didn’t make her universally popular).

In more recent years Burton worked for the Gay Times as a features editor up until 2003. (Pictured right, a more recent edition of Gay Times)


And finally the four openly gay members of the current American Congress have recorded a video message for the It Gets Better campaign which was set up to tackle homophobic bullying of teenagers. Tammy Baldwin, Barney Frank, Jared Polis and David Cicilline join the likes of Hilary Clinton and President Barack Obama, amongst others, who have previously recorded videos for the campaign.

 



 

Don’t forget that Judas Kiss and The One are both out now on DVD. You can read ATV Today‘s review of Judas Kiss, starring Charlie David and Richard Harmon, here >>