DR RANJ SINGH & JANETTE MANRARA
Strictly Dr Ranj Singh, Come Dancing 39, teams partner up with Janette former Manrara, he once had 35, with as he his revisits sexuality the tough tango
Why do you think you’re a perfect pairing for the front cover?
R: We became really close [ on Strictly].
I’m also proud of the fact that she’s a huge ally, and one of the things the LGBTQ community is heavily reliant on is our allies. Janette has proved time and again how much the community matters to her. Have you ever kissed before? J: We did get really close in rehearsals because it’s physical contact all the time. I was putting his body in [ so many] positions, and, if anybody knows Ranj, he’s quite shy when it comes to getting that close to people. I released his inner diva! What advice would you give to your younger self?
R: Everybody around you wants what’s best for and they think they know what’s best for you, but only you know. Until you discover and learn that for yourself and really go with it, you won’t be happy. You deserve — and are supposed — to be happy. When did you realise you were “different”?
R: I’ve always known, but when did I accept it? Quite late, when I was 30. My life completely changed direction, but for the better. It’s a shame that the process of coming to that realisation was quite painful. However, I cannot stress enough how liberating it has been, how much more I’ve got out of life.
Can you single out a moment where the queer community has lifted you up?
R: One of the toughest times in my life was when my marriage broke down. I went through a dark period. I had the support of amazing friends and some of my family as well, which was great, but I discovered a new family and that was my LGBTQ family. Those were the people who pulled me out of that dark place and said: “Right, come on, you’re fractured, but build yourself back together.” I’m for ever indebted to the community. I can never repay that debt, but I’ll try.