🎙️ What’s This Episode About?

Natasha Von Spirit is a drag artist, DJ, comedian, and all-round scene staple, known for her quick wit, bold looks, and ability to keep it chaoticandcaring.

Natasha joins John to talk about her route into drag, training in technical theatre in Wales, and how performance became both a creative outlet and a form of survival. She speaks candidly about her experiences with alcoholism, recovery, and learning to sit with herself outside of the spotlight.

Of course, there are tangents… lots of them… but also deep reflections on queer joy, camp resilience, and finding your voice (sometimes through a mic, sometimes through a mess).

It’s warm, raw, funny, and full of heart. Just like Natasha.

🗣️ Why Listen?

If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.

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🎙️ What’s This Episode About?

Precious is a Liverpool-based storyteller, creative, and the founder ofKoko Kollective: an Afro-inclusive community platform centring BIPOC and queer joy through art, conversation and celebration.

Precious joins John to talk about living out loud, building spaces that feel like home, and the intention behind everything she creates, from content to community events. They chat about growing up, identity, softness, and the need for spaces where Black and brown queer people can gather without needing to explain, shrink, or translate themselves.

ThroughKoko Kollective, Precious is nurturing a community grounded in creativity, healing, and unapologetic joy, and in this conversation, we get to hear the heart behind it.

It’s soft, powerful, and rooted in the belief that joyisresistance.

🗣️ Why Listen?

If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.

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🎙️ What’s This Episode About?

Keri Stanistreet is the founder ofSapphic Socials– a Liverpool-based group creating space for women and femme-identifying people to connect, laugh, and just be themselves.

Keri joins John to talk about building community from the ground up, and why queer women need spaces that aren’t centred around nightlife, dating apps, or needing to explain yourself. She shares the story behind Sapphic Socials, the challenges of carving out something new, and the joy that comes from watching strangers become chosen family.

They also talk about Keri’s own experiences as a lesbian – from growing up and coming out, to navigating the awkward, funny, and sometimes frustrating parts of queer life that don’t make it into the rom-coms.

It’s down to earth, full of heart, and a celebration of queer women showing up for each other.

🗣️ Why Listen?

If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.

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🎙️ What’s This Episode About?

Lianne Terry is a Liverpool-based psychotherapist, writer, and wellbeing advocate whose practice is rooted in empathy, honesty, and the power of personal growth.

Lianne joins John to talk about her work as a counsellor, her own journey through healing, and what it really means to support others in finding happiness. They explore the impact of childhood wounds, the complexity of relationships, and how tools like CBT and person-centred therapy can help people move forward, without pretending it’s easy.

They also chat about Lianne’s wellbeing magazine, her creative approach to care, and the reality of holding space for others while still navigating your own life with intention.

It’s thoughtful, affirming, and full of heart – a reminder that healing isn’t linear, and that being gentle with yourself is often the most radical thing you can do.

Find out more through Lianne’s link tree: https://linktr.ee/lianne.terry

🗣️ Why Listen?

If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.

📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.uk

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🎙️ What’s This Episode About?

Darren Suarez is the founder of House of Suarez and the force behind Liverpool’s annual Vogue Ball – an icon and trailblazer who’s been shaping queer dance culture in the North for over two decades.

Darren joins John to reflect on growing up gay in 80s and 90s Liverpool, discovering the world of dance, and falling in love with the art of vogue. They trace the journey from underground club nights to sold-out theatre stages, and how the Vogue Ball became one of the most iconic events on the UK’s queer calendar.

Darren speaks candidly about legacy, leadership, and what it means to build something that lasts – not just in name, but in impact. They also chat about the future of ballroom, the next generation of performers, and how House of Suarez continues to create space for self-expression, excellence, and joy.

It’s fierce, heartfelt, and full of movement – onstage and off.

Find out more at houseofsuarez.co.uk

🗣️ Why Listen?

If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.

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🎙️ What’s This Episode About?

Athena Barbital is a Liverpool-based alternative drag queen with a look that could kill — and a voice that just might heal you first.

Athena joins John to talk about their journey from PhD researcher to spiked-out, sci-fi drag siren, and how creating their own looks became a form of self-expression and survival. They chat about the origin of the name ‘Athena Barbital’ (yes, it’s pharmaceutical), their place in the alt-drag and club kid scene, and why singing torch ballads in full head-to-toe latex feels perfectly natural.

It’s a deep dive into aesthetic evolution, camp with a chemical twist, and the beautiful tension between visual chaos and emotional clarity.

Expect spikes, stories, a few surprises — and a reminder that not all queens lip sync.

🗣️ Why Listen?

If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.

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🎙️ What’s This Episode About?

Anthony Proctor is the General Manager of Liverpool’s iconic Epstein Theatre – and a lifelong lover of all things theatrical.

Anthony joins John to talk about his journey from student, wanting to be a vet, to panto regular, to running one of the city’s most beloved stages. They chat about the magic (and madness) of live theatre, his time working onFarmaggedonand fringe shows, and the importance of keeping spaces like the Epstein alive – not just for performers, but for the communities that fill the seats.

It’s a love letter to local theatre, backstage gossip, and the joy of watching something come to life under the lights – glitter, gaffs and all.

Expect laughs, ghost stories, panto chaos… and a proper Scouse appreciation for the show always going on.

🗣️ Why Listen?

If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.

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🎙️ What’s This Episode About?

Eddie Fortune is a Scouse comedian, writer, and actor with a gift for making people laugh… often about the things we’re not supposed to.

Eddie joins John for a conversation that’s full of sharp wit (kind of), big heart (er…), and a healthy amount of camp chaos (absolutely). They talk about being gay in Liverpool, finding humour in dark places (usually Basement Sauna in Manchester), and how comedy can be both a coping mechanism and a form of entertainment.

From stage shows to panto scripts, Eddie shares his experience navigating the entertainment industry as a working-class queer voice – and why being funny isn’t the same as being taken seriously.

🧼Content Warning (sort of):This episode contains stories that may cause side-eye, snorts, and possibly mild nausea. Listener discretion advised — especially if you’re eating.

It’s smart, cheeky, and painfully honest. Just like Eddie..

🗣️ Why Listen?

If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.

📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.uk

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🎙️ What’s This Episode About?

Carmen Sutra is a Liverpool drag queen known for her fierce stage presence, sharp aesthetic, and love of bringing people together through performance.

Carmen sits down with John to talk about the evolution of her drag – from picking a name that turns heads to building a persona that gives her life. They talk about how drag brings her joy, the freedom it offers, and the community she’s helped shape by producing shows that centre creativity, fun, and fairness.

Whether she’s hosting a cabaret, supporting emerging talent, or sharing her take onDrag Race, Carmen brings intention, warmth, and a lot of sparkle to everything she does.

It’s a chat about craft, care, and why there’s nothing more powerful than making space for others while still shining in your own right.

🗣️ Why Listen?

If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.

📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.uk

Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes.

Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful.

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