On the latest ITV Pridecast, Liam is joined by Baraka Meena, one of the contestants on this year’s series of I Kissed a Boy. The BBC Three dating show which is presented by Danni Minogue first hit our screens in 2023 giving a group of singletons the chance to find love in the setting of an Italian masseria. 

Baraka was unfortunately unable to find love in the masseria but he says he was really proud to be part of the experience. The 24-year-old whose family are from Tanzania only came out four years ago and he says his time on the show really helped build his confidence. Despite not finding a partner he says he was able to build strong connections with the other boys and learn so much more about himself.

During this episode of the Pridecast, Baraka talks about some of the poignant moments he had whilst in the masseria including Lars talking about coming out as a trans man as well as Adam discussing his HIV diagnosis. He says he took a lot from conversations with Reuben and Jas about intersectionality and navigating being a gay man with African heritage. He says he’s now using the platform from the show to raise issues around identity and race.

This ITV Pridecast has been recorded in conjunction with the ITV Embrace network as a marker for Black History Month which takes place each October. 

* A warning this episode includes the use of swear words from the outset

On the latest ITV Pridecast, Katie Garwood hosts the episode where she interviews some of the cast from the new BBC hit programme, What It Feels Like for a Girl.  During the podcast, Katie speaks to Ellis Howard, Laquarn Lewis and Hannah Jones about starring in the show. The ‘coming of age’ drama has been inspired by the memoir of the same name by the award winning writer and journalist Paris Lees.

The series has been produced by Hera Pictures in association with ITV Studios. It centres on 15 year-old Byron (Ellis Howard), who’s from a small town just outside of Nottingham. The show tracks their escape to the big city and exploring Nottingham’s underworld in the UK's early 00s club scene. Life explodes for Byron when they discover drink and drugs and are adopted by Lady Die (Laquarn Lewis) into her family of troublemakers, known as “The Fallen Divas”.

They beg, steal and skank their way on a rollercoaster ride of hedonism. But the party can't last forever, and when Byron is seduced by Liam, a shocking encounter occurs that will change life forever.

What It Feels Like For A Girl is a raw, heartbreaking and hilarious drama which explores escape, self-discovery and self-destruction. It delves into everything from drug abuse to underage sex work, abusive parents, transphobia and homophia. All eight episodes are now available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Feeling proud to be LGBTQ+ can sometimes come with many layers and complexities. For a community of people who are still discriminated against just for their very existence, it can be hard to sometimes ignite that sense of pride in one's self. However, the coming together of that community in one large group can stoke a sense of pride in place of the adversity put upon them by wider society. 

That is of course, the basis of all Pride marches that we see across the globe - to allow LGBTQ+ people to come together in their shared experience and remind decisionmakers as well as the wider public of the pursuit for equality and inclusion. That was the aim of those who organised Wales’ first ever Pride march in 1985. 40 years ago a small group of students came together in Cardiff to take a stand against the hostility that existed towards the community and show their sense of pride in one another.

Now four decades on ITV Cymru Wales has produced an hour long documentary called Proud which looks back at that historic day. In what is a beautifully produced programme, that can make you laugh and cry at the same time, it shares the stories of the LGBTQ+ people who have lived through that time and the trials and tribulations they’ve faced along the way. 

On the latest ITV Pridecast, Liam chats with Nicola Hendy who is bringing Proud to our screens. Nicky, who is a Producer and Director at ITV Cymru Wales, tells the story of how Proud came about and some of the inspiring people she has interviewed who make up the programme. She also shares the importance of remembering those LGBTQ+ people who have fought for our liberties and how those rights are being tested today more than ever. 

Joining Liam to co-host this episode is Carl Edwards, a journalist and presenter for ITV Wales. As well as his day job, Carl works hard to champion and promote diversity and inclusion within ITV and seeks to provide greater opportunities for people of all backgrounds to get into the media.

• Proud is available to watch on both ITV1 Wales and ITVX from 9pm on 17th June.

Having children is of course something many people in society will aspire to. It’s a social norm ingrained within us that most people will become parents one day. But that’s not always been the case for people who are LGBTQ+. Society can often assume people within the community will not want children simply because of their sexuality and in turn, those who are LGBTQ+ themselves may veer away from parenthood because of that stereotype. However over the last decade or so that seems to have changed with more LGBTQ+ people becoming parents in a variety of ways.

On the latest ITV Pridecast writer and TV Producer, Dominic Treadwell Collins joins the show to discuss what it’s like to be a gay man and a father. He chats about how he and his husband went down the route of adopting their young son and the challenges and hurdles they faced along the way. Dominic also discusses how perceptions around being a parent and being gay have changed hugely for him, his family and the wider public. 

As well as discussing being a father, Dominic also talks about the work he’s done on some incredible TV shows as well as the storylines he’s written. Currently busy working on the Disney+ hit Rivals, Dominic has an array of titles to his name, including You and Me, A Very English Scandal, and A Very British Scandal. On top of that, he also shares some of the LGBTQ+ storylines he brought to viewers when working on Eastenders including the famous affair between Syed Masood and Christian Clarke. 

Joining Liam to co-host this episode is Lisa Milestone, who is a Senior Casting Producer for ITV and currently works on The Chase on ITV1. Lisa along with her wife went through the process of IUI to have their two boys and she shares her experience of becoming a parent. She talks about how all parents face challenges but LGBTQ+ parents can face particular issues due to the stereotypes over parenting that still exist in society today. 

If you want more information about becoming a parent if you’re LGBTQ+ head over to the NHS website which offers useful advice and information to people in the UK.

• Warning: some listeners may find this episode of the Pridecast and the documentary upsetting. Details of advice and helplines are listed below.

Brianna Ghey: A Mother’s Story (with Esther Ghey)If you’ve followed the story of Brianna Ghey, the 16-year-old who was brutally murdered in 2023, you’ll have seen the incredible strength and courage of her mother, Esther Ghey. Over the past year, Esther has turned her tragedy into powerful activism, shining a spotlight on some of the dangerous content young people can access online to campaigning for mindfulness lessons to be introduced into schools. Now, Esther is sharing her story in a new documentary on ITV, Brianna Ghey: A Mother’s Story.

On 11th of February 2023 Brianna was savagely killed in a park in Warrington. Her killers Scarlett Jenkinson, and Eddie Ratcliffe - who were only 15 at the time - were both given life sentences after their frenzied attack on the 16 year-old. In court the judge said the “exceptionally brutal” murder had elements of both sadism by Jenkinson and transphobic hate on the part of Ratcliffe. 

The documentary follows Esther’s journey since losing Brianna, a loss that also deeply affected the transgender community. It’s a personal and intimate look at grief and the deep love between a mother and her daughter, as well as Esther’s tireless work to create positive change in Brianna’s memory.

In the latest ITV Pridecast, Esther sits down with Liam McConkey to talk openly about making the documentary, what motivates her activism, and why she’s campaigning for more compassion and mindfulness in schools. She also discusses the importance of speaking out for young trans people and highlighting the ongoing struggles they face.

The documentary’s release, which is just days before Trans Day of Visibility on 31st March  adds a powerful and poignant layer to its message; that trans lives must be seen, supported, and safeguarded.If you’ve been affected by any of the issues raised, you can visit itv.com/helplines or itv.com/advice. 

Brianna: A Mother's Story airs at 9pm on Thursday 27th of March on ITV1. An extended version is available to stream on ITVX. Also available on STV and STV Player 


Available support from charities: 

Mind: 0300 102 1234
[email protected]
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helplines/

Young Minds Parents helpline:
0808 802 5544  [email protected]
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-helpline/
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/

Childline / NSPCC 0808 8005000
Childline - 0800 1111
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/reporting-abuse/nspcc-helpline/
https://www.childline.org.uk/

Samaritans116 123
Chat Samaritans: https://chat.samaritans.org/Chat
Samaritans: https://chat.samaritans.org/

Alumina / Youth Scape
Email address - [email protected]
https://www.selfharm.co.uk/

Stop Hate Crime
0800 138 1625
[email protected]
www.stophateuk.org

Victim Support
Victim Support England and Wales: 08 08 16 89 111
[email protected]
https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/help-and-support/get-help/supportline/

Victim Support Scotland - Victim Support Scotland
0800 160 1985
https://victimsupport.scot/

Victim Support Northern Ireland
02890 243133
[email protected]
https://www.victimsupportni.com/

B-eat
England: 0808 801 0677
Scotland: 0808 801 0432
Wales: 0808 801 0433
Northern Island: 0808 801 0434
[email protected]
https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-information-and-support/

LGBT Foundation
0345 3 30 30 30
[email protected]https://lgbt.foundation/contact-support/

The Proud Trust
0161 660 3347
[email protected]https://www.theproudtrust.org/

MiSP
[email protected]https://mindfulnessinschools.org/

Cruse
CRUSE England:
0808 808 1677
https://www.cruse.org.uk/
CRUSE Scotland:
Helpline: 0808 802 6161
Email: [email protected]
www.crusescotland.org.uk

Gendered Intelligence
admin@genderedintelligence.co.uk
Support Line: 0800 640 8046 / 07

NB: This is for over 18's only. The website outlines their youth groups and montor services - youthwork email addres can help triage the best

admin@@genderedintelligence.co.uk
[email protected]
https://genderedintelligence.co.uk/

*A warning this episode contains strong language. 

For many our first introduction to Rob Rinder was when his hit show Judge Rinder began on ITV back in 2014. The daytime programme, which propelled Rob to fame, saw him oversee civil cases in front of TV audiences from all over the UK. A decade on and a range of TV shows under his belt as well as books written, Rob is now a household name on television screens up and down the country. He joins Liam McConkey and Jo Lewis on the latest ITV Pridecast to discuss his career and the importance of supporting LGBTQ+ people for companies like ITV. 

His most recent show, Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour, saw him team up with his friend Rylan Clark where the pair visited some of Italy’s iconic cities to follow in the footsteps of the likes of 18th century socialites by immersing themselves in some of the finest art and culture in the world. Viewers get to see the incredible bond and friendship that the pair share and how they both encourage and challenge one another to take on new exploits during their travels. 

And since the show was first broadcast, a second series has been commissioned with Rob and Rylan recently returning from India and filming their latest travel adventures there. During this episode of the ITV Pridecast, Rob also discusses how TV can have a limitless value in helping changing minds and attitudes. He says that TV has a huge power in transmitting people’s lived experiences to huge audiences that can actually bring about real change. He says we only have to see the impact of ITV’s hit drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office  to see this.  

Since becoming a well known figure, Rob has been vocal about being an openly gay Jewish man. During this episode he discusses how he had unconditional love from his mother but how he grew up during a time when it was concerning to be a gay man when society just depicted LGBTQ+ life in a very negative way.

In the episode Rob also chats about the advances the LGBTQ+ community has made, with regards to the law. He says that he is hopeful for the future and if we are to protect our LGBTQ+ rights we need to have a capacity to listen and rationally debate our concerns.

The gender that we’re assigned to at birth means that we’re expected to have certain characteristics and live by unwritten rules. These can dictate how we see the world, and in turn how the world sees us. In some ways gender can create a sense of togetherness and belonging among those that share the same gender and it can foster particular bonds. 

But gender can also divide. Being socially conditioned from early on, on how we should behave due to expected characteristics that go with being a man or a woman, can be very limiting indeed. And for someone who doesn’t feel they fit within one gender or the other, life can feel isolating when the rest of society is conforming to the ‘norm’ that has been created. 

For some people, they may see themselves as possessing both masculine and feminine traits and that simply choosing to either solely present as a man or a woman doesn’t feel akin to their true experience. They may also feel that sometimes they identify as one of the genders more than the other. In this instance, people may choose to be fluid with their gender identity in order to not feel confined or restricted because of societal expectations. Therefore they may change their gender over time. 

For Sophie Scott, she has recently come to terms with recognising her own gender fluidity and she shares her story on the ITV Pridecast. Sophie works in content digitisation at ITV where she works on getting all the tape archive digitised and she is based in Leeds. As well as her day job, Sophie also volunteers at an event called Leeds First Friday which is the UK’s biggest trans social event which happens every month. You can also listen back to when Sophie was last on ITV Pridecast when she caught up with Emmerdale’s Ash Palmisciano to visit Leeds First Friday: https://bit.ly/3Al9tNI  



If you’ve been affected by anything discussed in this episode of the Pridecast then head over to ITV’s general advice and helplines website for more information and support.

For anyone who’s been watching Coronation Street of late, it would be hard not to be moved by the motor neurone disease storyline which has affected the lives of Paul Foreman and Billy Mahew. Seeing Paul suffer with the illness that has made his body and speech gradually deteriorate, has brought home the harsh reality of those with MND. The climax of this tragic story is to hit our screens on Monday 9th September when Paul passes away after his 18 month heartbreaking ordeal.  

There’s no doubt that Peter Ash, who plays Paul in the soap, has done superbly at performing the stages of decline from this illness with such authenticity. And the same can be said of Daniel Brocklebank who plays his husband Billy. He has to watch the man he loves suffer as this cruel disease plays out. Daniel and Pete join Liam McConkey on the latest ITV Pridecast to discuss the story and how they hope to make more people aware of the disease. 

The storyline has had a particular poignancy for Daniel because his grandfather had MND. He has spent years raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association which works to improve access to care, research and campaigning for those affected by the disease. 

Awareness of MND has also increased over the last few years, due especially to the story of the rugby league player Rob Burrow who was diagnosed with it in 2019. Along with his family and best friend Kevin Sinfield, Rob raised millions of pounds for MND charities. Sadly he died in June this year but through his work and also the likes of the Coronation Street storyline, efforts can continue to tackle the disease. 

Joining Liam to co-host this episode is AJ Dean who is a Publicity and Engagement Manager for ITV in the North and she works closely with the teams at Coronation Street and Emmerdale. AJ has done huge amounts in supporting the ITV Pride network and earlier this year she was one of Liam’s guests on the podcast where she discussed the part she played in helping to set up the network. 

If you need any help or support about MND then head over to itv.com/advice. You can also access more information about the disease and find out about the work of the Motor Neurone Disease Association by going to mndassociation.org. Tune in to watch Peter Ash’s final episode on Coronation Street on Monday 9th September at 8pm on ITV 1. Or you can catch up on ITVX.

The transcript of this episode is available here: Pridecast with Corrie's Paul and Billy - transcript

For anyone who is LGBTQ+, navigating your sexuality along with other aspects of your life can bring challenges. Mohsin Zaidi knows this more than many. Growing up in a strict conservative Muslim family, he had to balance the expectations of his faith and culture against his sexual orientation. On top of that, social class has been a characteristic that Mohsin has become very aware of in his life, most notably when he went to study at Oxford University. 

It was these different intersectional experiences that led him to pen down his story. In 2020 A dutiful boy: A memoir of a gay Muslim’s journey to acceptance, was published and allowed Mohsin to share an intimate tale which included both joyful moments but also one’s that were simply gut wrenching. He joins Liam McConkey on the latest ITV Pridecast to discuss what it was like to write the book and what life is now like having moved to New York with his husband Matthew.

During the episode, Mohsin also chats about writing a second memoir which tracks the process of how he and Matthew are trying to become parents through surrogacy. As well as that, he also talks about how he no longer works as a criminal barrister but has ventured down a new career path, in the form of playwriting. 

To find out more about the work Mohsin does, head over to his website: https://www.mohsinzaidi.com/

The transcript of this episode is available here: Pridecast with Mohsin Zaidi - transcript

Over the last few years we’ve all become more used to seeing trans issues dominate the headlines. The discussion has become part of our political discourse in which decision-makers are using it to create debate and sometimes even division. In such instances, trans people have been portrayed in a negative way, with the conversation around trans issues becoming incredibly heated and toxic. 

Any trans person in the public spotlight undoubtedly has to face the challenges and attention  that currently surround this issue. Jake and Hannah Graf know that more than most. As the UK’s most visible trans couple, their journey has been widely followed and publicised and they have had to put up with intense scrutiny of their relationship. 

But for them it’s about changing the narrative around trans issues and showing they, like so many others, just want to go about their lives without fear or judgement. Sharing their story on the ITV Pridecast, they chat to Liam McConkey about working to champion the rights of the trans community and the wider LGBTQ+ community.

During the episode they talk about how they both individually went through their transitions and what life was like when they were finally able to be their true selves. Hannah discusses coming out as one of the highest ranking transgender soldiers in the British Army and Jake chats about being a film director, writer and actor and having starred in films like The Danish Girl. 

They both also talk about the joys of getting married as well as having their two young daughters and showing the rest of society they can live an ordinary life like anyone else. You can find out more about some of the work Jake and Hannah do by going to their website www.jakeandhannahgraf.com