Latest news with #EllisHoward
Daily Mirror
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Meet What It Feels Like For A Girl creator as BBC trans drama is praised by fans
BBC's What It Feels Like For A Girl has been praised by critics for being bold and unapologetic, but who is the LGBTQ+ activist and writer behind it, and where can you watch more episodes BBC's new show What It Feels Like For A Girl has just landed ready for London's Pride - but who is the writer who's memoir it's based on? The memoir-turned-TV-show is a 'coming of age' eight-part series set in Nottingham in the early 2000's which dives into the universal feeling of 'being stuck' as a young person growing up in a small unchanged town. The show follows trans teenager Byron, played by breakout star Ellis Howard, who lives in a suffocating home with an abusive father. Finding solace with a group called The Fallen Divas, he is eventually led into exploitative sex work. Following shocking events, Byron, assigned male at birth, transitions into a woman. RadioTimes reported creator Paris Lee asking: "Who can't identify with that feeling of being stuck when you are younger, trying to figure things out?". The author decided "it was important to show the journey of Byron, owning their sexuality and trying to discover their sexuality whilst figuring out their gender." . Unapologetically, the working-class experience appears integral to Lee's adaption, where she said: "This is a working-class story. This isn't a cosy middle-class drama. There are plenty of those on television, this offers something different". Who is Paris Lees? An accomplished presenter and journalist, Paris Lees, 38, is the author behind the 2021 memoir What It Feels Like for a Girl, now a series adaption on exploring gender identity, sexuality, class and relationships. Widely published, Lees has written for Vogue, Gay Times, PinkNews, Diva, and Vice, to name a few. Notably, the LGBTQ+ activist founded META, Britain's first magazine focused on the trans community, and became the first trans woman to present on BBC Radio 1 and Channel 4, and the first openly transgender panellist on Question Time. Lees - from Hucknall, Nottinghamshire - produced insightful documentaries The Hate Debate and My Transgender Punk Rock Story, exploring trans experience. Who is Ellis Howard? Ellis Howard is a 28-year-old Liverpudlian who plays Byron in What It Feels Like For A Girl. With dreams of his name "to be uttered anywhere near Jodie Comer or Stephen Graham," the actor is on his way up as Lee's lead in BBC's newest and more 'out-there than usual' show. After a five-stage audition, Howard became the perfect choice to present the experience of being working class, queer, and transitioning later in life. Speaking to The Standard, he said: "It doesn't feel like a BBC show. It feels very dangerous in its proposition. It's a valiant cry from a council estate. It's unashamed, and unrelenting. I thought, 'Whoa. I can't believe they're making this. I just have to be involved in any way, shape or form.'" Where can you watch What It Feels Like For A Girl All episodes of What It Feels Like To Be A Girl are available on BBC iPlayer, as the first two episodes already broadcasted on BBC Three and BBC One. The third instalment will air on June 10 at 9pm on BBC Three.
Telegraph
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
What it Feels Like for a Girl, review: an addictive and shocking adaptation of Paris Lees's memoir
The well-trodden tale of a misunderstood child coming of age in a small town receives a glorious glow-up in the gripping What it Feels Like for a Girl (BBC Three). The eight-part adaptation of author and TV presenter Paris Lees 's memoir about her early life as a trans woman brims with raw, bawdy energy and is caked in the grime of life on the margins. It is snappy, addictive, often shocking. Shocking? How about an explicit 'd--k pic' sent to 15-year-old Byron (Ellis Howard) as the tale opens in the year 2000 and the young protagonist is getting to grips with the early internet – already populated with perverts – and sexual awakening in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire? Or a lengthy set-piece in which Byron (still at school and under-age) achieves self-actualisation by dispensing sexual favours (for a fee) to closeted men in a stygian public toilet? It isn't for the squeamish, that's for sure. There are a lot of lewd scenes, starting with Byron – named after Lord Byron, buried near Hucknall – spotting a couple in flagrante down a dirty laneway behind their house. And that's before Byron embarks on an enthusiastic career as an under-aged sex worker, and the series treats us to a beginner's guide to cottaging in early 21st-century East Midlands. The show must also be viewed in the context of the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that 'sex' in equality law refers to biological sex. It's the portrayal of Byron's disapproving family that hits the hardest. When his child is attacked by bullies and called a 'p--f' at school, Byron's dad (an excellent Michael Socha) is horrified at the lack of fightback. As the hard man on his estate, he has a reputation to protect. Just as devastating is a later sequence in which Byron's mother (Laura Haddock), confronted by their child in a blonde wig and skirt, bows their head and walks away. Rejection takes many forms in Byron's life, all equally shattering. Byron starts the story as victim – resented by an angry father, preyed upon by thuggish school-mates. Yet as the character becomes more comfortable in their skin and finds their tribe on the Nottingham gay circuit, they are revealed to have a dark side of their own. A burning desire to break free of the banalities of suburban life leads down a dangerous path when Byron helps sociopathic pimp Liam (Jake Dunn) stage a hold-up on a client. Convicted of armed robbery, Byron ends up in prison – a red letter moment that convinces them to put their life back together and escape Hucknall for good. A few fewer X-rated moments might not have gone amiss. There is a sense, after a while, that the series is just looking for attention. Similarly, an insistence on giving all the characters a happy ending in the final episode feels trite: damaged people don't miraculously heal because the script demands it. However, Ellis is magnetic as the sassy, sarcastic Byron. Largely through the force of that performance and regardless of the ongoing debate around trans rights, their story has the sprinkled-in-stardust quality of a real-life fairytale.
Elle
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
‘What It Feels Like For A Girl': Meet The Cast And Characters Of BBC's 'Visceral, Wild' New Drama
Since its resurgence, the Y2k wave has shown no signs of slowing down, be it in fashion and culture, and such is the case in BBC Three's latest drama, What It Feels Like For A Girl. The show is set in the early 2000s in Nottinghamshire, through the eyes of teenage Byron who is beginning to grapple with his sense of identity and sexuality in a small regressive town that doesn't seem to accept nor tolerate him. Byron yearns for life beyond what he knows. His journey of self-discovery and eventual transition into a woman begins when he becomes a part of 'The Fallen Divas', a queer group of teens who riotously and often dangerously, together, begin to come into their own through a series of alcohol and drug-fuelled escapades. Based on Paris Lees' coming-of-age memoir of the same title, the series has already been heralded as one of this year's leading drama - a title which is largely in part due to the series' cast ensemble. From breakout actors Ellis Howard, Laquarn Lewis and Hannah Jones to the more seasoned, including Michael Socha, we break down all there is to know about the cast and characters of What It Feels Like For A Girl. FIND OUT MORE ON ELLE COLLECTIVE Who is Byron? The series' protagonist - a teenager living in a small town where no one seems to understand their gender expression and identity. That is until he meets the Fallen Divas, a queer group of friends who, together, are able to grow into their identities. Who is Ellis Howard? A breakout actor, Howard has previously starred in Red Rose, Romeo & Juliet and Catherine The Great Who is Lady Die? Big on fashion and style, Lady Die is one of the central members of the group, similar to Byron, she is very much ready for all things fun and wild. Who is Laquarn Lewis? An actor from Nottingham, Laquarn is best known for starring in the TV series Jamie Johnson. Who is Sasha? Another member of the group, Sasha can often come across as brash and aggressive, but is quite sensitive and caring, especially when it comes to her friends. Who is Hannah Jones? She is an actor, who made their debut on screen role in What It Feels Like For A Girl. Who is Dirty Damian? A member of The Fallen Divas, and similar to Sticky Nikki, he is one of the more well-behaved members of the group. Who is Adam Ali? He is an actor and director who is best known for appearing in Waterloo Road and Europa. Who is Sticky Nikki? She is slightly older than the girls, meaning she often approaches their wild behaviour with a sense of empathy, understanding and support. Who is Alex Thomas-Smith? They are a singer, dancer and actor who has appeared in a number of on stage and screen projects including The Cereal Café at The Other Palace, Bat Out of Hell and The Revenge Files of Alistair Fury. Who is Steve? He is Byron's father, who is dissaproving of their femininity and lifestyle, causing the pair to have a strained relationship. Who is Michael Socha? A seasoned actor, Socha has starred in the likes of Summer, This Is England, Being Human and Once Upon In Wonderland. Who is Lisa? She is Byron's mother, who has tried her best to raise Byron in the way she best believes, but often falls short of understanding and accepting his gender and sexuality. Who is Laura Haddock? She is an actor best known for appearing in White Lines, Guardians Of The Galaxy and Transformers: The Last Knight.
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Dark true story behind hit drama What It Feels Like For a Girl: Transgender author Paris Lees endured horrific sexual abuse and was jailed at 16
A trans woman who was sexually assaulted as a teenager and endured a stint in prison has been praised for the 'raw' and 'totally fearless' new TV show about her life. Critics have commended the BBC 's adaptation of journalist Paris Lees' memoir, What It Feels Like for a Girl, which looks at the British writer's tumultuous history and at times dark journey with self-discovery. The presenter, now understood to be around 37, grew up in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, where she at the time identified as a gay man, and at 18 served eight months in prison for a robbery she committed two years earlier. She previously spoken openly about the shocking abuse and bullying she faced in school - including being groomed by 'grown men' who she had sex with in 'public toilets. The show explores her painful past, injected with optimism humour, and bright Y2K aesthetics, with actor Ellis Howard at the helm as protagonist Byron - initially percevied by those around them as a boy. 'Byron' is a pseudonym Paris used in her book as well - an homage to the Nottinghamshire poet. The first episode sees them introduced to 'sex work' - although they're underage and cannot truly consent - through boyfriend Max (played by Calam Lynch), before later becoming embroiled in a robbery plot with dangerous and enigmatic character Liam (Jake Dunn). In her memoir, Paris detailed an account, during this time of her life, that saw her going into a public toilet and being sexually abused on her 14th birthday. In an interview with The Guardian, she explained however that it took her years to understand the gravity of what had happened. 'Listen, I was a rent boy,' she said. 'Because it's written from my perspective at that time... And, of course, you can never completely remove your perspective of now, and what you want to say today, but I really tried to make it authentic to that time, and I didn't realise quite how bad it was. 'It's taken me many years to realise that it was abuse. I wasn't forced, but it was statutory rape. What would you call it? If somebody in their 30s or their 40s was having sex with a 14-year-old? It's abuse. And I wanted you to be horrified.' Remarking on seeing old childhood photos of herself, she added: 'But I look at this body, and this is the body of a 14- or 15-year-old, and this is the body that older men were lusting after, wanting to grab hold of, wanting to have sex with. 'And it makes me really sad. And it makes me sick, actually. It's weird thinking about myself in the third person, but I really want to go and just give that person a hug. And say, "You poor baby, please keep yourself safe. Please look after yourself."' Paris has also been open about her at times difficult relationship with her parents - but has also said their relationship has evolved a lot since her childhood. When she was 16, Paris was arrested after she and another rent boy she was 'sweet on' decided to rob a client - a plotline that is also explored in the BBC adaptation. They stole his bank cards and took out large amount of cash - but the writer has admitted jail was far from the worst time of her life. Reflecting on it on Lorraine in 2021, she explained: 'Weirdly prison for me was a real turning point. 'There are some really difficult things in there [her book] and a lot of this was abuse, and prison wasn't the worst time of my life ironically. 'I've been thinking about prison during lockdown, because I've been here before when you don't have your freedom and we really take our freedom for granted sometimes. It gave me a real space to think and think about the direction I wanted to go in, in my life. 'I look back at that screwed up kid, who is desperately unhappy and would do anything to escape, did do anything to escape, and got into a lot of trouble and look at this person on the screen and think, "This is two different people."' 'It's why it's taken me so long and it's really emotional to be here today,' she added. 'It's taken seven years to tell this story. It's not been easy story to write and it wasn't the easiest story to live to tell you the truth. 'It has been a difficult one for my family, my mum and dad don't read this with undiluted pleasure. It's dealing with some really tough issues, but I think we need to have that conversation because that was my childhood.' 'I was just a naïve teenager when they sent me away,' she said to the BBC, of her eight-month stint in jail. 'I had dropped out of college. Basically, I had gone off the rails because I was terrified of going to prison. I ended up taking lots of drugs. I had a lot of time for thinking when I was in prison.' Once she was out, Paris focused on getting her A-levels - but was still not out as trans. 'I didn't feel like I could transition at college because it was a little bit rough. I didn't think I could face it,' she explained. It was when her grandmother - who she was living with for the duration of her studies - passed away that she got a wake-up call. 'She died and I just thought, "do you know what, life is too short. I can't do this, I need to express myself and who I am",' Paris said. 'In the space of six weeks I went from living in Nottingham as a boy with my grandma still alive, to living in Brighton as a girl.' It wasn't always easy, and 'blending in' was tough. Paris admitted she was not only discriminated against for her identity, but struggled to get work because of her criminal record as well. Eventually, a doctor referred her to Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic - later founding META, a magazine for the trans community. Over the years, she began writing as a freelancer for national titles before getting some impressive accolades in the industry; Paris was Vogue's first trans columnist, as well as being the first trans woman to present shows on BBC Radio 1 and Channel 4. In 2021, she released her lauded memoir - now revered in its BBC adaptation. Describing it as both 'deeply disturbing and totally fearless', The Guardian 's Rachel Aroesti praised the optimism and joy inherent in the series despite the at times difficult subject matter. 'Despite... the fact they are repeatedly groomed and exploited by older men – Byron never comes across as a victim,' she penned. 'We are not invited to pick holes in the fearlessness they display when propositioning a police officer while sporting a wig and mini dress. Once Byron starts regularly dressing in women's clothes, sex takes on a new meaning. 'Risky, borderline violent encounters aren't self-destructive – they're self-affirmative, an opportunity to achieve something crucial.' 'This series is very bingeable,' Carol Midgley of The Times also said. 'It is funny, heartbreaking, occasionally disturbing, sharply written and well acted, most notably by Ellis Howard, who plays Byron with wit and, at times, devastating poignancy. No one was more surprised than me that I quickly watched all eight episodes. 'Lees became the first trans woman to present shows on BBC Radio 1 and Channel 4 and also became a Vogue columnist. There is much humanity and sadness in the writing, but there is a great deal of humour too.' Elsewhere, The i 's Emily Baker praised the series as an 'absolute riot'. 'In having such a strongly realised, fully formed character in Byron, What It Feels Like a Girl can push the envelope into territory often seen as far too ghastly for television, particularly on the BBC,' she penned. 'By the end of tonight's two opening episodes, Byron finds his tribe in the "Fallen Divas" – a gang of trans girls and gay men who show him a different side to his hometown and the possibilities within it. 'It is joyful and funny, but that dark streak returns when Byron falls in with another pimp, Liam, who involves him in a crime that will turn his life upside down.' And writing for The Independent, Nick Hilton felt the 'messy coming-of-age tale is both universal and also rooted in the transgender experience'. The series is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Tom's Guide
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
How to watch 'What It Feels Like For A Girl' online and from anywhere
At the turn of the Millennium, teenager Byron (Ellis Howard) discovers that in order to find themselves, they have to lose themselves in this journey of love, danger, self-discovery and self-destruction. Here's how to watch 'What It Feels Like For A Girl' from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for FREE! "What It Feels Like For A Girl" premieres on Tuesday, June 3 at 9 p.m. BST.• WATCH FREE — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free Inspired by the memoir by Paris Lees, the new coming-of-age drama follows Y2K teen Byron as they yearn to escape their small, run down, ex-mining town. Travelling to Nottingham, Byron is immersed in a hedonistic underworld, and is soon taken under the wing of chaotically fabulous gang 'The Fallen Divas,' led by podium dancer Lady Die (Laquarn Lewis). However, when bad-boy Liam (Jake Dunn) enters the scene, events occur that will change things forever. Set in the kinetic early 2000s U.K. club scene, 'What It Feels Like For A Girl' is a bold exploration of growing up and coming out that star Howard calls 'anarchic, punk and edgy, but also joyful.' The new drama promises to be a thought-provoking and unapologetic tale of gender identity, sexuality, friendship and love. Read on to find out how to watch 'What It Feels Like For A Girl' online and from anywhere. "What It Feels Like For A Girl" will air weekly double bills starting at 9 p.m. BST on Tuesday, June 3 on BBC Three. All episodes will be available to stream free on BBC iPlayer from 6 a.m. BST the same day. You don't have to miss it if you a Brit abroad either because you can unblock BBC iPlayer with a VPN. Thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network), "What It Feels Like For A Girl" should be available to Brits no matter where they are. VPN software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you find yourself. Our favorite is NordVPN – and you can find out why in our NordVPN review. There's a good reason you've heard of NordVPN. We specialize in testing and reviewing VPN services and NordVPN is the one we rate best. It's outstanding at unblocking streaming services, it's fast and it has top-level security features too. With over 5,000 servers, across 60 countries, and at a great price too, it's easy to recommend. Get 70% off with this NordVPN deal Using a VPN is incredibly simple, just follow these steps. 1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite. 2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're away in the U.S., and want to view your usual U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list. 3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to BBC iPlayer and watch "What It Feels Like For A Girl". Although the book was a global hit, there's no news on international streaming for "What It Feels Like For A Girl." We'll be sure to update this section when we know more on global broadcasts for the BBC drama. Watch free now: If you are a Brit abroad, you can still watch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN to unblock the free BBC iPlayer platform. All eight episodes of "What It Feels Like For A Girl" will land on BBC iPlayer at 6 a.m. BST on Tuesday, June 3. The linear TV schedule for the series can be viewed below. International release dates are TBC. "What It Feels Like For A Girl" is based on the 2021 memoir of the same name by trans writer and activist Pairs Lees. You can buy it on Amazon. Lees was the first trans columnist at"Vouge," and the first trans woman to present shows on BBC Radio 1 and Channel 4. We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
