As part of LGBT History Month in the UK, we're celebrating queer celebrities who have shaped this country. Last week we looked at the ten most influential queer women still living, and this week we list the most influential queer men in Britain.
Sir Ian McKellen
Best known for his roles in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, as well as X-Men and a multitude of Shakespeare plays, Sir Ian McKellen is a patron for LGBT History Month, and the co-founder of UK charity Stonewall. He had been in two long-term relationships with men - first with a history teacher named Brian Taylor and latterly with filmmaker Sean Mathias - before he came out in public as gay in 1988, and he has been a staunch activist in all matters LGBT+ related ever since.
Sir Elton John
He's one of the most successful recording artists of all time with hits like Rocket Man, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me and Candle in the Wind, and he's been just as important an icon for the LGBT community. Having previously been married to a woman, Renate Blauel, Elton has been openly gay since 1988. He has been with David Furnish since 1993 - the same year he founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation - and they entered into a civil partnership in 2005 before being legally wed in 2014. The pair have two children.
Stephen Fry
This legendary comedian, best known for hosting QI and starring in Blackadder and Kingdom, has been aware of his sexuality since attending public school, though he was voluntarily celibate for 16 years from 1979 to 1995. He then embarked on a 15-year long relationship with Daniel Cohen, before marrying fellow comedian Elliott Spencer in 2015. He's a national treasure, adored for both his intellect and his charming wit.
Matt Lucas
Being gay was a part of Matt Lucas' rise to fame thanks to the comedy sketch show Little Britain which featured a number of gay characters. He's previously confessed to knowing he was gay since childhood, and was in a civil partnership with Kevin McGee from 2006 to 2008. Since Little Britain, he has had roles in Doctor Who, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, and Bridesmaids where he met best friend Rebel Wilson.
Derren Brown
A world famous mentalist and illusionist, Derren Brown has won numerous awards for his spellbinding live shows and TV specials. He came out as gay in 2007, at the age of 30, and was in a relationship with a designer for eight years. His Christian upbringing had a huge impact on his self-esteem and sexual identity when he was a teenager, and he identifed as asexual for several years. Now a staunch atheist, he's became an important role model for young gay people.
Mark Gatiss
He's famously written for Doctor Who and starred in the comedy sketch show The League of Gentlemen, as well as playing Mycroft Holmes in Sherlock. Mark Gatiss' latest work was in the television movie Brexit: The Uncivil War. This is not the first time he's been named as one of the most influential gay men in Britain, nor will it be the last. He has been married to fellow actor Ian Hallard since 2008.
Gareth Thomas
Being a rugby player has meant that coming out as gay isn't quite as simple as it is in other industries. But since he came out in 2009, he has been a hugely important figure in the LGBT community, winning the Stonewall's Hero of the Year award in 2010. He came out following the dissolution of his marriage to Jemma Thomas. Last year, he was the victim of a homophobic attack in Cardiff but requested that the perpetrator be dealt with using restorative justice.
Tom Daley
This multi-award-winning sports personality is an Olympic bronze medallist diver who came out as gay in the year following his participation in the 2012 Olympic Games. He came out in a video on YouTube where he announced that he was in a relationship with a man. He married filmmaker Dustin Lance Black in 2017 and they have one child together.
Judge Robert Rinder
Britain's answer to Judge Judy, Judge Rinder became a UK TV personality in 2014 with his courtroom series. He's a criminal law barrister who was educated in a public school, and his best friend is Benedict Cumberbatch who he met at Manchester University and who conducted his civil partnership to Seth Cumming in 2013. Rinder split from Cumming in January last year.
Sam Smith
The Academy Award and four-time Grammy winning popstar, whose hits include Stay With Me and Writing's on the Wall, has been openly gay since the release of his first album in 2014. He has previously been in relationships with Jonathan Zeizel and Brandon Flynn, and in 2017 he came out as genderqueer and admits he used to enjoy wearing clothes and accessories made for women.
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