ATTITUDE AWARDS 2019
The great and the good — and maybe a rogue or two — came out to play on another Attitude star- studded night at London’s iconic Roundhouse
Highlights from the biggest - and starriest - night in our calendar
The Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by
Jaguar, stormed London’s Roundhouse on Wednesday 9 October, bringing the glam to Camden with our signature blend of worthy award- winners, celebrity presenters and sparkling friends, supporters and sponsors. This year, for the fi rst time in its eight- year history, the event was live- streamed, with Sink The Pink’s Glyn Fussell on hand to chat with stars as they walked the red carpet, before Katherine Jenkins and Tsemaye Bob- Egbe, from the Tina Turner musical, opened the event in style with special performances.
After a three- course dinner, the 600- plus guests were fed a baker’s dozen of awards, with pronoun proroguer Sam Smith taking home the top gong as our fi rst- ever Person of the Year, presented by non- binary friend and part- time drag queen Tom Rasmussen. The night’s Icon Award was collected by Dame
Joan Collins, and rugby star Gareth Thomas gave an emotional speech as he collected the Game Changer Award, just weeks after revealing his HIV- positive status.
In the year that the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of New York’s Stonewall Uprising, Stonewall Inn bartender Tree Sequoia accepted the Activism Award — presented by Dustin Lance Black — on behalf of all those who took part in the rebellion, as he did on that fateful night in 1969.
Actor and former cover star Taron Egerton collected the Film Award for Elton John biopic Rocketman, presented by Queer Eye’s devilishly dapper Tan France, while Christine and the Queens bounded on to the stage as the winner of the Artist Award.
Our Hero Award honoured Ruth Coker Burks, a true ally who cared for hundreds of dying gay men during the Aids epidemic. Appearing via video link to present her award was her friend, the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton.
Other winners were Dr Ranj ( TV Award), Armistead Maupin ( Literary Award), Russell T Davies ( Culture Award), and Peppermint ( Inspiration Award). Ava Max, winner of the Breakthrough Award, performed her single Sweet but Psycho, and Music Award winner Mika treated guests to a fi ve- song set to close the ceremony, while host Ross Mathews had the audience in fi ts of laughter throughout the evening.
There were plenty of sore heads at Attitude Towers the next morning, but we don’t regret a second . To all our winners, we salute you. Time to start planning how to top it next year...