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Gay Britannia on 4 Extra

Radio 4 Extra

Radio 4 Extra joins in the BBC’s Gay Britannia season marking the 50th anniversary of The Sexual Offences Act 1967 – which partially decriminalised homosexual acts in private between two men over 21 in England and Wales. Join BBC journalist Ben Hunte as he curates our season and interviews some of his LGBT heroes... 

BBC Radio 2’s Paul O’Grady talks the secret gay slang of Polari ahead of The Bona History of Julian and Sandy (29 July) plus that bold edition of Round The Horne featuring Bona Law (30 July).

Ben Hunte meets Stephanie Hirst (29 July) discussing the BBC broadcaster’s gender reassignment – and talks to lesbian publisher, Linda Riley – ahead of the first of two episodes of EM Forster’s tale of early 20th-century gay love, Maurice (30 July).

HIV activist Greg Owen chats to Ben – ahead of Andy Kirby’s two-part 1980s drama about a hospital’s first ever AIDS patient, starring Michael Cashman: Compromised Immunity (31 July).

Inspirational gay journalist Dean Eastmond tells Ben about his brave battle with cancer – ahead of Armistead Maupin’s acclaimed tale of the denizens of the mythic apartment house at 28 Barbary Lane, San Francisco – set in the free and easy era of 1976: Tales of the City (31 July).

The Comedy Club welcomes Stephen K Amos telling Ben about the perils of coming out – ahead of the edition of What Does the K Stand For?  where he tries to tell his family... (2 Aug) plus more chat with Paul O’Grady (3 Aug).

Get the confetti ready – as Ben meets BBC Three’s “Queer Britain” host Riyadh Khalaf – ahead of Ian and Adam’s 2006 Ambridge civil partnership in The Archers' Gay Wedding (4 Aug).

Week 2 of Gay Britannia kicks off with Ben’s chat with Stonewall’s CEO, Ruth Hunt – ahead of Patrice Chaplin’s Edwardian drama charting Meriel’s growing obsession with a local girl – chosen by a 4 Extra listener and starring Deborah Makepeace: The Tinker's Daughter (5 Aug).

Ben talks to Paul O’Grady about the impact of his alter ego Lily Savage (5 Aug) – and later PinkNews chief, Benjamin Cohen – ahead of the comedy featuring the only gay in the village: Little Britain (5 Aug) starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams.

Ben meets LGBT YouTuber, Calum McSwiggan – ahead of Nicholas McInerny's autobiographical tale of a husband coming out as gay after 19 years. Julia Ford and Greg Wise star in How To Have A Perfect Marriage (7 Aug).

Peter Tatchell chats to Ben about his role in gay activism – ahead of Phil Willmot’s drama about a 17-year-old and the lead-up to the 1994 age of consent protest by gay action group, Outrage, starring David Curtiz, Stealing the Scene (9 Aug).

And don’t miss the Comedy Club when Gina Yashere tells Ben about life as a lesbian comic – ahead of our special compilation of the best out and proud BBC Radio comedy from the past five years, Happy That Way (10 Aug).

You can find features and details of all the Gay Britannia programmes across BBC Radio networks, with links to TV programmes, here.  

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