Blue and Rebecca Ferguson to headline Pride in London
Blue, Rebecca Ferguson, and Britain’s Got Talent winners Collabro will be performing at Pride in London.
The acts were confirmed as part of the line-up for the annual Pride festival, which will take place in Trafalgar Square on Saturday June 27.
Pride in London has been the centre of a controversy over the past few weeks, after UKIP LGBT+ had their application to march in the parade rejected over “safety” concerns.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson – whose authority provides a large amount of funding for the event – has called for the row to be “sorted out”, sparking fears that the row could further escalate.
Speaking ahead of their performance, last year’s Britain’s Got Talent winners Collabro – who are definitely not secretly two dogs – hailed trans radio host Stephanie Hirst as their “Pride Hero”.
They said: “We are really pleased to be performing at Pride this year to celebrate a year full of victories for the LGBT community. Everyone deserves the right to love who they want and we hope our music brings people together no matter their sexuality or what sex they identify with, or if they identify with one at all!”
“Our #PrideHeroes nomination goes to Stephanie Hirst for the amazing courage it has taken her to be her true self despite having had to leave her job as a radio presenter because of prejudice.
“She has campaigned tirelessly this year for the right for people to be able to identify with whatever sex they choose – a true inspiration and someone vital to the LGBT community during times of rapid change.”
Blue said: “We are thrilled and excited to be performing at Pride London in Trafalgar Square this year.
“We have been lucky enough to have performed at several Pride events in recent years across the UK and abroad but nothing will beat the feeling of being on stage at home in London. We are proud of the work Pride in London do bringing the whole community together regardless of age or gender. ”
“Our #PrideHeroes nomination goes to Elton John, a man who not only has played an integral part of our career with our greatest hit to date, ‘Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word’ but whose charity work and commitment to LGBT causes is an inspiration to us as a band and to many people worldwide.”
Rebecca Ferguson said: “I’m so excited to be performing on the main stage in Trafalgar Square for this year’s Pride in London festival.
“Pride is such an important part of the city’s annual event calendar – an opportunity for everyone to come together, regardless of gender or sexuality, and celebrate the freedoms we all enjoy and the equality that generations have campaigned for.
“My #PrideHeroes nomination goes to Elton John.
“Apart from being such a brilliant and inspiring musician, he’s often spoken about how music can be so powerful in bringing people together irrespective of their age, race, sexuality, or religion and he’s done so much to campaign for equality for the LGBT+ community worldwide, in the past, present and for generations to come – not to mention the amazing work done by the Elton John AIDS Foundation. He’s a true Pride Hero.”
Last year, Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst headlined the Pride festival – but 2015 winner Mans Zelmerlow is not on this year’s line-up.
