LGBT+ History Month: Lauren Rowles, Stephen Fry, Nicola Adams, Jake Daniels and other stand-out episodes
- Published
Jack Murley looks back at the BBC's LGBT Sport Podcast
I'm gay, I love sport - and I know I can't be the only one.
It may sound simplistic, but that really was the only thing I had in mind when I launched the BBC's LGBT Sport Podcast back in 2018.
Although perhaps that's not quite true?
Because niggling away somewhere in my psyche was a growing sense of frustration with the fact that the majority of stories I saw about LGBTQ+ people in sport were overwhelmingly and unavoidably sad.
They were about homophobic chanting or on-field abuse, the pain of being disowned by team-mates or the trauma of living a lie.
And while those were, and continue to be, important topics, I couldn't help but feel there was so much more to the sporting experience that members of the LGBTQ+ community simply weren't being asked to talk about.
So, that's what we set out to change.
Over five years and nearly 300 episodes, we've spoken to some of the biggest names in sport about coming out and the importance of being your authentic self.
But we've also delved into how it feels to stand on a podium with an Olympic gold medal around your neck, or to look at a clock and see you've smashed your own world record.
We've been in changing rooms with referees as they prepare to officiate their first World Cup final, and trackside as motorsports champions complete their final lap.
And along the way, we've even helped some sportspeople share their stories for the very first time.
There have been conversations with everyone from surfers to stuntmen - and while all of our guests are either LGBTQ+ or allies of the community, the tales they tell are for absolutely anyone who enjoys a cracking sporting yarn.
So if you're looking for a place to start, here are six of the best episodes to check out.
The One with Lauren Rowles
"As I got older I realised if I wasn't truly being myself, nobody truly knew me"
Lauren Rowles is one of Britain's most successful rowers, with a clutch of Paralympic, World and European titles to her name.
She's also a powerful advocate for talking about mental health and the reality of life as an elite athlete, as she proved when she spoke to us about the 'post-Paralympic blues' she felt after Rio, accepting her own sexuality and her love of gaming as well!
The One with Stephen Fry
"Sport, like comedy or literature - you don't have to be a practitioner to be involved," says cricket fan Stephen Fry
Sport isn't just about the playing.
It's about the highs and lows of life as a supporter - and when we started the podcast, one person we were desperate to speak with was national treasure and cricket fanatic Stephen Fry.
We finally got the chance when he was appointed to a 12-month term as president of Marylebone Cricket Club.
From stories about cadging a signature from Tony Greig at Lord's to his plans to open up the game to everyone, Fry's passion for the game came through loud and clear in a conversation that was everything we could have hoped for and more!
The One with Nyla Rose
"I can't think of a person who has ever won a match because of their sexuality"
We've always loved talking about professional wrestling on the podcast, from the rise of shows featuring LGBTQ+ talent to the success of out talent like Anthony Bowens - who currently holds gold in the All Elite Wrestling promotion as one half of The Acclaimed tag-team.
Sitting alongside Bowens on the AEW roster is Nyla Rose, who joined us to talk about breaking into the industry, honing her character and making history as the first trans wrestler to win a women's world championship in a major American promotion.
The One with Nicola Adams
"I didn't want anything to be hidden, but I wanted my sexuality to be one part of me and not the whole focus"
Nicola Adams has been one of the biggest sporting personalities in the country since she burst on to the scene as one of the faces of the London 2012 Olympics.
But fewer people know about the struggles that the boxer had to go through in order to reach that point.
She spoke to us about the work she did renovating houses to make ends meet as an amateur, some of the challenges she faced when it came to competing in the first place and how it felt to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals.
The One about Jake Daniels
'A watershed moment' - Jake Daniels was the first male professional footballer to come out in 30 years
Sometimes, our most powerful episodes haven't been about a person - but a moment.
We've put together special shows looking at the history of iconic LGBTQ+ sporting events like the Gay Games and the Bingham Cup.
And in 2022, we left the microphones running to document our day as the footballing world reacted to the decision of Blackpool's Jake Daniels to open up publicly about his sexuality.
We gathered the thoughts of people from across the world of football, and ended up with a time-capsule of sorts that recorded why Daniels' decision was a moment that mattered to so many in the beautiful game.
The One for Manchester Pride
Rugby player Hannah Davis (top left), wheelchair basketball star Laurie Williams (top tright), football referee Lloyd Wilson (bottom left), and Olympic swimmer Dan Jervis (bottom right), joined Murley at Manchester Pride
What's the only thing better than one brilliant LGBTQ+ guest?
Well, how about bringing together four of them?!
That's what we did in Salford before Manchester Pride, as football referee Lloyd Wilson, Olympic swimmer Dan Jervis, wheelchair basketball star Laurie Williams and rugby player Hannah Davis joined us for a cracking roundtable discussion about their journeys inside and outside sport - and the dangers of overindulging on Canal Street!
You can hear new episodes of the BBC's LGBT Sport Podcast with Jack Murley every Wednesday on BBC Sounds.