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Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
I'm a drag queen and there's one thing so many people don't understand
I'm a drag queen and there's one thing so many people don't understand "It's an odd, really crazy time right now" Gigi Spot on why drag is so important ahead of Pride Cymru 2025 (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) A row of wigs in every colour you could imagine, a clothes rail jam packed with sequins and feathers, the floor lined with luminous high heels, fake nails, glitter, jewellery Bet Lynch would be proud of - it could only be a drag queen's closet. This closet belongs to Gigi Spot, a Cardiff-based drag artist whose career began just shy of five years ago when her alter-ego Alex bought her first wig. That wig, now "in bits", is still here in this closet, all part of a journey to the bedazzled Gigi now sat in front of me, with her thick lick of eyeline, purple eyeshadow and silver glitter and a first outing for a new dress, ready for its first big outing this weekend. Gigi is one of the acts at this weekend's Pride Cymru, and when we meet in the build up, her current worry is how she'll cope in the heatwave the weather forecasters are projecting, and who can blame her? Because being Gigi means a thick layer of make-up, bouffant wig, a lycra rainbow dress (plus rhinestones) and not forgetting the heels. You can read all about Pride Cymru, how to get tickets, where to see the parade and who is performing here. For Gigi, Pride isn't just another event, but a chance to show people how inclusive Cardiff is, how inclusive Pride is, and how inclusive drag is. Article continues below Gigi getting ready - she's taught herself how to do make-up (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Gigi was a singer, doing weddings until the night, while watching a drag act she watched on and thought she could do it - and could do it better. And then she bought that first wig. Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here . And the rest is history - a history documented in her closet packed with custom made outfits, from her very first dress (a sequinned short number with net underskirt) right through to festive outfits, a burgundy velvet number with Maleficent-style shoulder pads I've ever seen and a floor length, fuschia, feather-trimmed evening gown. She actually never intended to become involved in drag. "You just kind of fall into it. You buy one wig as a joke and you think 'this is going to be fine' and then you get a taste for it," she said. Her first performance was in Cardiff at a charity event. "I've deleted all the photos from it and videos," she laughs. "I do remember people saying you've got something and I should work at it but that was two weeks before the Covid lockdown. "Cut to five months later and I did a proper gig," she said. Her sister taught Alex how to do make-up, but there were mishaps when Gigi started doing her own, including not setting her make-up properly so it ran down her face, mid-set. "It's an evolutionary journey," she cackles. But don't ever think it's ever just about a great dress and some make-up. "Drag is such a craft, there's so many facets to it. You've got to have the hair right, the shape of your body right. The outfits need to be right. And then there's the makeup on top. "You're crafting the jokes that you're writing, that there's so many components to it. There's probably not many art forms have so much going on for just one show," said Gigi. Drag has been around for centuries, and the word 'drag' is believed to have theatrical origins from when the dresses men wore to play female characters would drag along the floor. Now? Now it's so much more. "I am clearly am a drag queen, and proudly so, but I'm completely accepting the drag spectrum now is is very broad," says Gigi. "There is no definition anymore for what drag is just. Drag means something completely different to each person who's performing. "There's drag queens, drag kings. It can be whatever you want it to be, but there's performers that aren't really queens or kings, for more androgynous, non-binary creative expression. "There's no judgement, you can be whoever you are, perhaps except a serial killer," she laughs. "You can be whoever you are, and you'll be accepted and feel welcome. "I think we're just changing the definition of what it means to be a man or a woman or anything in between. "There is no boundary in drag, we completely open it up. People clearly know I'm a man, but then I'm flouncing around a little bit on stage, so you're blurring the line a bit. "People respond well to it because you're just completely open and honest. "More and more as the years have gone on, it's really important for drag performers to use their platform not just to have a laugh and a joke and be part of someone's night out but to remind people that this is a community, people are safe here. Gigi's closet is full of custom outfits (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) "Even though we don't have to, we're paid to be entertainers but I think more and more as it's gone on we use that as a platform just to remind people about community," he said. That doesn't mean it's all about fun, jokes and songs. There have been political controversies, for example, Drag Queen Story Hour UK, founded by Aida H Dee, was met with protests and criticism. You can read that here. "There are groups of society that just don't understand the creativity and the the fun and joy around drag, but those people are never going to go away. "It's a very small minority of people with backwards views that cause the biggest ruckus, and that I think that's what we see a lot," she said. The ongoing battles of the trans community too have taken their toll. "It's not just my job but my friends. "When I was younger, just being gay was hard, and now these trans people have done nothing other than just decide they want to identify as who they actually are but there's been massive hurdles put up to make them feel unaccepted or not part of society," she said. That is the anthesis of drag, she admits. "We're there to be completely inclusive. Drag on stage is that everyone can take the piss out of everything, and we all laugh and joke about it because it's that one moment away from the real world but I guess what's upsetting is that when we take our makeup off and we lock the bar up at the end of the night, those people have gone back to a real world, which is not that particularly very nice at the moment. They are our friends or colleagues who work at the bars or on the doors or performing. "There's a lot going on and it just seems like even the politicians aren't particularly on side, so what do we do? And it shouldn't be like that in the UK. It's an odd, really crazy time right now," she said. Drag has stood the test of time, and will continue to, she believes. "I think prostitutes are the only thing that was going on before drag queens, and even then I think there was some crossover," she laughs. "Drag will always have a place in society that's not going away, and I think history has shown that already. The bars are becoming ever more important, and drag performers are becoming an even more important cornerstone of the community, especially with everything going on. Cardiff has a relatively small drag scene but all are welcome, Gigi said, and drag venues aren't just for the queer community, she says. "They are an open door not just to queer communities, but to other parts of society that just want to come in and have a good time and enjoy themselves and not show judgement. We perform a lot of straight people and that's fine," she said. She is a proud supporter of Pride Cymru because it's important for Wales to have such a thing. "I think it's important in Wales because we we're separate from the rest of the country. "We still make our own laws and make our own decisions. Having a Pride here is really important for the people of Wales, because we are different things happen differently here. "So even though it's small, it's still a brilliant event and probably has more of a community feel than most Prides," she said, "It's just so important that we don't stop celebrating and protesting". Every year, in Pride month, there are comments which ask why Pride is needed. To that, Gigi says this: "I'd like to think that within our community, our queer community, that we maybe no, we don't need Pride. Because every day is Pride. We're always doing it every night but we're not in our queer community all the time. We're often in the real world and we all face judgement, sometimes insecurity, embarrassment, or, sometimes persecution just for who you are. "With the stuff that's going on in the media and going through Parliament, government and the Supreme Court is just showing us that Pride is even more important now than it's been in the past, because we thought we were making progress, but it seems to be going backwards a little bit," she said. This year's Pride Cymru will look back at the first march in Cardiff, which took place 40 years ago. "It breaks your hearts that they had to live their lives going through all of this. But we're taking the baton on that they started. You're carrying it forwards because it's still so important," she said. Asked why anyone should go along to Pride, Gigi said: "We're in a country where we should be aiming for reallycomplete, happy, wholesome society and it's only when everyone in society is given the rights that they deserve to be themselves to to just be the best person they can. "If you can't be yourself, you're going to struggle being the best at your job, being the best at this, that, and the other, because you're being held back. "It's only when everyone is at that level, when we're living in a nice society that our society will be better generally for everyone. Everyone is part of Pride, it's not just the scene. It's important that everyone gets part of it," she said. Article continues below And with that, she declared, "let's get this wig off".
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Vera confirms Brenda Blethyn's unexpected return to screens after exit
Vera star Brenda Blethyn will be making an unexpected return to screens on Sunday night Fans of ITV's hit drama Vera can look forward to a Sunday night treat as Brenda Blethyn makes an unexpected return when the series airs a repeat. The second episode of Vera's twelfth series will be showcased on ITV at 8pm, with viewers set to reunite with Brenda's character, DCI Stanhope, and her right-hand man, Aiden Healy, played by Kenny Doughty. The storyline for this instalment centres on Lance Corporal Conn Burns, who has struggled to adjust to civilian life and ended up destitute on the streets of Newcastle, but who is determined to turn his fortunes around. According to the episode synopsis: "Adapting to civilian life was not easy for Lance Corporal Conn Burns, and after a series of bad life choices, he found himself desolate, down and out on the streets of Newcastle." It continues: "Attempting to get his life back on track, Conn had recently been making moves that would see him repay old debts, rebuild relationships, and get him off the streets," reports Wales Online. As the tale unfolds, DCI Stanhope is brought into the investigation following the shocking discovery of Burns' body, which leads to revelations of secrets from his past and current betrayals. Brenda acknowledged earlier in the year that she was ready to retire her iconic hat and coat for good. While acknowledging how hard it was to step away, Brenda shared her desire to reduce time spent apart from her loved ones. Speaking at a Q&A, she disclosed: "It was a big decision because I love the job, I love the people I was working with, and I know they loved it too, so it was a little bit of an emotional responsibility as well because if I stop, it's going to stop. "I saw on the catering list one day, just on a typical day, there were 76 people, so that's all those people. I console myself with the fact that there's a big studio opening in Sunderland next yea,r so there will be lots of jobs available." She continued: "I was aware that people who would like to continue on it wouldn't be able to and that made me feel sad but as much as I like my Newcastle family, I have a family at home and I hadn't had a summer for 14 years and I thought, 'Bren, go and have a summer. Go home'. So it was a difficult decision." Brenda's exit was not the only one to tug at viewers' heartstrings, as Kenny Doughty announced his own departure from the series in 2023. In the fifth instalment of the ITV drama, Aiden stepped in to fill the shoes left by Vera's original partner, Joe Ashworth (David Leon). Yet, come spring 2023, he shared his "difficult decision" to depart. His heartfelt thanks were shared on Instagram: "I want to thank everyone who's made this amazing time so joyous, ITV, Silverprint, all the brilliant cast and crew BUT of course my buddy and inspiration Brenda Blethyn. The perfect leading star who I owe so much to. I feel lucky to have you as a friend, you make me howl with laughter and have been a rock for me over the years. I can't thank you enough. Precious times." He ended his touching tribute by expressing gratitude to the show's loyal following, saying: "And finally, the Vera fans: without you and your support, I would never have made so many films. You really are the best fans in the world. Thank you so much for your loyalty and love for the show." After Kenny Doughty's exit, David Leon reprised his role as Joe on Vera until the series concluded. Vera airs at 8pm on Sunday on ITV.
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Mum shares sunburn treatment she guarantees will offer relief in just 30 minutes
Cindie Allen-Stewart says her method to soothe sunburn was originally shared by a doctor 40 years ago and has since been invaluable to generations in her family A mum has detailed her sunburn treatment which she says will soothe pain within 30 minutes. Temperatures peaked at 32.2C in west London on Thursday, and were widely around the 30C mark elsewhere as Brits rejoiced another day of sizzling weather. It comes with its pitfalls too, as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued nine heat health alerts across all regions of England, and doctors have warned Brits to apply suncream regularly. Even with the protection, the risk of sunburn remains - and it can become serious if left untreated. However, Cindie Allen-Stewart, a mum from Texas, has encouraged anyone with sunburn to apply menthol foam shaving cream on the affected skin, as she says this will bring out the heat. This then should be rinsed off after 30 minutes in a cool shower or bath and the pain will soothe, Ms Allen-Stewart added. The alternative treatment, she says, was recommended by her mother-in-law, who originally got the advice from a doctor some 40 years ago. However, Ms Allen-Stewart stressed prevention is better than cure and recommended people apply sunscreen before going out in the heat. READ MORE: UK weather maps show dark red as half a month's rain to brutally end heatwave The unconventional advice has been lauded on social media by people who fallen foul of the scorching heat so far this week and, with it set to continue for several days yet, could become useful for other Brits. Doctors, though, stress traditional approaches, such as the use of aftersun cream or spray found at pharmacists, will help treat any sunburn. "First, buy some menthol foam shaving cream. It has to be the foam and it has to have menthol in it. Next, apply the shaving cream on the burn. It may seem like it's a strange shaving ritual, but trust me," Ms Allen-Stewart wrote on social media. "Don't rub it in, just let it sit on your skin. It will start bringing all that heat out (you'll be able to feel it). You may feel like you are itchy too, but that's a good thing! Itching means healing." According to Wales Online, the shaving cream will quickly break down into spots and become dry. The mum continued: "You will feel as if you're becoming a little cold. At least on the sunburned part of your body. THAT IS A GOOD SIGN! Next, rinse it off in a lukewarm or cool shower or bath. It's just to get the residue off. "Finally, if you still need it, do it again the next day. Usually after that second treatment, the sunburn disappears. I use this on my kids too! I'm not saying to go out and do this, I was just showing my friends what I do. Please remember to always use sunscreen! "Too much sun exposure can be dangerous and lead to cancer. By no means am I endorsing going out without sunscreen! I burn with sunscreen as well and know of the hassle, but it is worth it to wear it!" Writing online, social media users praised the tip. One responder shared: "This works amazing! With aloe you have to keep putting it on and it doesn't help for very long. But the menthol shaving cream stopped the burning feeling after the first use permanently, and after the second I hardly feel the sunburn." Another enthused: "This is a godsend and saved my life already this summer!". But the NHS website highlights the seriousness of sunburn, particularly if the skin gets blistered or swollen, or if you have a headache or muscle cramps following the exposure to the heat. In these cases, you should call NHS 111 for further advice.
Wales Online
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Council's cavalier attitude criticised as Stevie Wonder and Alanis Morissette music events are set to take over city centre park
Council's cavalier attitude criticised as Stevie Wonder and Alanis Morissette music events are set to take over city centre park Council leader Huw Thomas hit back highlighting the economic contribution the events will have on the city The first gig of Blackweir Live will take place on Friday, June 27, (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Cardiff residents have expressed their concerns during a public meeting called to discuss a series of upcoming music events happening at Blackweir Fields. The gigs, named Blackweir Live, will see names such as Noah Kahan, Alanis Morissette, and Stevie Wonder appear on stage at Blackweir Fields over a number of days in June and July. However, there have been concerns raised about the potential for large-scale gigs on the Fields, which are part of Bute Park, with park users citing the impact it could have on access to green space and grassroots sport. You can read more about this here. At Cathays Community Centre on Thursday evening, Cardiff residents, including members of the Cardiff Civic Society and Friends of Bute Park, voiced their worries, with Councillor Huw Thomas - the leader of Cardiff Council, in attendance to answer questions and speak on behalf of the council. Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here . The speaker at the meeting, Fiona Peel, stressed that while residents were "in favour of the council being a good steward of [the] park" and that most were in support of the arts, she added: "But we also support our park and that's the dilemma, of where to put an ability where the council does rightly want to make some money, but to what cost?" The fencing area for Blackweir Live has recently been put in place for the summer shows in Cardiff (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Jim Bischoff, a member of Friends of Bute Park, carried the same sentiment and said: "I would totally support the music scene for Cardiff. Article continues below "The Cardiff Council's idea into a welcoming place for such stars are Stevie Wonder, Alanis Morissette. But what we do object to is the council's cavalier attitude towards Bute Park, which is managed for the people of Cardiff." Jim Bischoff, a member of the Friends of Bute Park, at the Cathays Community Centre (Image: WalesOnline ) Key decision makers at Cardiff Council and the leader of the local authority, Cllr Huw Thomas, have previously argued that funds from the events will help protect grassroots music venues and the city's parks. There is already a licence covering Blackweir Fields for events of up to 25,000 people and the land has been used for a firework display in the past. In order for the events to run as planned, a licence to allow events of up to 35,000 people was needed. The licence that's now been approved for Blackweir Fields has 46 conditions attached to it to manage future events correctly and to try and mitigate any potential negative impacts. Under the licence, there can only be six main event days during the year, which you can read more about here. However, various concerns were brought up during the meeting in Cathays, including the adverse effects the corporate events at Blackweir Fields could have on local residents, the loss of access for the general public during various times in the summer and the felling of trees in Bute Park for access to these events. The treasurer of Friends of Bute Park, Ashley Martin, said: "We're here tonight because we're very concerned about the future of Bute Park. Ashley Martin is the treasurer of Friends of Bute Park (Image: WalesOnline ) "The council's short term gain policy has seen commercial interest take precedence over the rights of the residents of Cardiff who use and enjoy Bute Park every day of the year. "Blackweir Live will attract an audience largely from outside the city, making money for the council and the promoters, but disrupting the lives of local residents and taking the fields out of use for sports and leisure. "Blackweir Fields has been designated as an events site. A license is for a capacity of up to 35,000 people and has been granted in perpetuity - forever. We want to see this overturned". In response, council leader Huw Thomas highlighted the economic contribution such events would have on the city, which would then allow the council to continue maintaining its parks for the future. Fiona Peel called on a review following the meeting (Image: WalesOnline ) While he acknowledged that one of the council's ambitions was to make Cardiff a "greener city", he also said he wanted to make the Welsh capital a "music city". He said: "We are building an indoor arena down in Cardiff Bay to meet that gap in the city's music venue offering. "But what's happened over the last three years is a huge growth in appetite for live music, outside, in the summer, in particular in the grounds of Cardiff Castle but with larger acts attracting bigger crowds." He then added: "The opportunity came to us as a council last summer. Depot, which is obviously a Cardiff-based promoter, had this opportunity to bring acts. "They identified Blackweir as a location where this could be held. From our perspective, it's certainly ticking a huge box in terms of a further live music events in the cities. "Let me be absolutely clear there is a financial upside to the council as well. The financial upside allows us to avoid making difficult cuts to council services or indeed, as will be happening, to reinvest, particularly into the parks and the cultural offer of the city." The councillor then expressed his desire to see a similar series of gigs take place in 2026, when asked why such events could not take place in venues such as the Principality Stadium, he said: "Some of them won't be able to sell the stadium, and the stadium will be limited by the number of events it can offer". A large fence has been built around the site (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Melissa Boothman, the owner of Secret Garden Cafe at Bute Park, particularly expressed concerns about the felling of trees in the area, claiming that some had been cut down "for no reason". "I think as a council, you can achieve great things by protecting that woodland and bringing in tourism for that," she said. "I think there's been a lack of funds and investment in that, and I think that's a really missed opportunity on your part. "But I think there's an opportunity moving forward where you can change that around, especially with your planet scheme and with you declaring the climate emergency in 2019." She then went on to ask the head of the council about the need in investing in the park. She said: "I put in hundreds of hours of volunteer time into that park over the of course of seven years, I've put back £20,000 into that park. "Do not tell me that this is the right decision. It's not about you not putting in on events - of course put on events. But there needs to be a balance, the council needs to bring in money, it needs to make money. The meeting was held at Cathays Community Centre (Image: WalesOnline ) "We all know that none of us are stupid, we're adults, we all understand that. But what is the tipping point? What is the balance? Where does that stop?" She later added: "It's not free to look after Bute Park, but people are willing to help and work with you. You must put money back into the park and woodland areas and maintain it. "You can do this better. You can turn it into a good news story, but once again, the opportunity is completely missed. "From my perspective, I have people that come into the cafe every single day and I hear them and I listen to them and I hear their concerns, and they're not being listened to." Fiona Peel concluded the meeting by calling for a review, which would look at the long term effect on the park, with residents and representatives involved in organisations who care for the park could get involved in. In reply, Councillor Huw Thomas said: "I have no objection to that, whatsoever. It's entirely reasonable, so let's do that. "We want to get this right, and if it can't be done right, then we reflect and change our plans. You talked about balance, this is exactly what we are trying to achieve here." Article continues below
Wales Online
a day ago
- Climate
- Wales Online
Heatwave weather maps show how hot it will get in every part of Wales this weekend
Heatwave weather maps show how hot it will get in every part of Wales this weekend Wales is heating up this week as summer feels like it's in full swing Temperatures could reach highs of 30°C in parts of Wales (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) All you need to do is open a window to know that Wales is heating up this week and the sun is shining across the country. A heatwave is expected to sweep Wales throughout this week heading to the weekend with highs of 30°C, and the Met Office has pinpointed what is expected to be the hottest dy. The Met Office expects the heatwave to last from Thursday, June 19, to Sunday, June 22. However, whilst the high temperatures are set to stay, isolated showers and potential thundery weather is predicted for this weekend. Thursday and Friday this week will be the hottest, with places such as Monmouth and Abergavenny reaching 30°C, but Saturday could be the hottest in the UK with temperatures of 34°C in some areas. Places such as Cardiff, Pontypridd and Cardigan will not be far off with temperatures reaching 29°C. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here The Met Office forecast for today, Thursday 19, says: "Another dry day with prolonged amounts of sunshine. Some wispy cloud drifting through at times. A south-easterly breeze picking up but feeling very warm in shelter. Maximum temperature 29 °C. "A fine evening but turning cloudier with the odd shower in the southwest by dawn, but most of the country remaining dry. A very mild night with a strengthening breeze. Minimum temperature 16°C." Article continues below The Met Office forecast for Friday, June 20, says: "Patchy high-level cloud and the odd shower, during the morning. "Drier with sunny spells by the afternoon. Staying very warm, humid and breezy. Maximum temperature 29°C." (Image: Met Office ) The Met Office forecast for Saturday, June 21, to Monday, June 23, says: "Hazy sunshine on Saturday with isolated showers, perhaps thundery." (Image: Met Office ) For Sunday it says: "Occasional bright spells on Sunday with cloudier skies arriving into Monday. Feeling warm to start then turning fresher on Sunday." (Image: Met Office ) Deputy chief meteorologist, Dan Holley, said: 'The highest temperatures from this hot spell are forecast for Saturday, with low 30s Celsius fairly widely across England, and up to 34°C possible in eastern areas. Despite this, the more uncomfortable heat will be in northern and western areas initially, where despite somewhat lower temperatures the air will be more humid. 'While Saturday will be a dry and fine day for many, a few showers or thunderstorms will be possible across northern and western parts of the UK, with an increasing risk of some intense thunderstorms developing across portions of north Wales, northern England and southern Scotland later in the afternoon and into the evening hours, which could bring heavy downpours, frequent lightning, gusty winds and possibly large hail. 'The nights will also be quite warm, with the possibility of temperatures not falling below 20°C in some areas, making it hard to sleep. This is what we term a 'tropical night'. 'Temperatures will ease from the west on Sunday as fresher air arrives from the Atlantic, although parts of East Anglia and the far southeast of England could still see 28-29°C for a time.' Article continues below Temperatures are forecast to drop on Sunday, though the far east of England could hold on temperatures up to 28°C through Sunday. Elsewhere, the Met Office says that westerly mobility will move in bringing fresher air, cloud and outbreaks of rain. These conditions are expected to continue through next week, with spells of brighter and drier weather too.
