The LGBT Sport Podcast

Olympic boxing legend Nicola Adams is the one answering the questions, guests include Sarah Bern, Lauren Rowles and Dame Kelly Holmes. They chat about dancing with a same-sex partner on Strictly, managing ADHD as an elite athlete and the pressure of defending Olympic gold. Nicola opens up about injury setbacks, growing up in Leeds and how she found new purpose in acting after retiring from boxing. Producer: Jennifer Nelson. Sounds Producer: Tom Ryan. Executive Producer: Emma Clements.

England's Red Roses Prop Sarah Bern talks to Nicola Adams about body image, coming out and inclusion. Funny, fierce and full or heart, Sarah reflects on growing up in boys’ teams and what it's like to scrum against her girlfriend in a rugby final. Presenter: Nicola Adams. Producer: Jennifer Nelson. Sounds Producer: Tom Ryan. Executive Producer: Emma Clements.

Trailblazing trans racing driver and LGBTQ+ activist Charlie Martin talks to Nicola Adams about her journey, from childhood to Le Mans. They dive into identity, mental health, motorsport culture and the power of visibility. Presenter: Nicola Adams. Producer: Jennifer Nelson. Sounds Producer: Tom Ryan. Executive Producer: Emma Clements.

Ryan Atkin, the first openly gay professional football referee, joins Nicola Adams to talk coming out, toxic masculinity and how football can be better for everyone. Presenter: Nicola Adams. Producer: Jennifer Nelson. Sounds Producer: Tom Ryan. Executive Producer: Emma Clements.

Triple Paralympic gold medalist Lauren Rowles shares her powerful story with Nicola Adams. From feeling shame about her disability and identity to being a champion who embraces queer love and motherhood. Lauren and Nicola also discuss how ADHD and living authenticity has helped both their careers. Presenter: Nicola Adams. Producer: Jennifer Nelson. Sounds Producer: Tom Ryan. Executive Producer: Emma Clements.

Dame Kelly Holmes shares her extraordinary story, from serving in the British Army under a ban on being gay, to becoming a double Olympic champion. Speaking candidly with Nicola Adams, Dame Kelly talks about the fear of being outed, the trauma of hiding her identity and the toll it took on her mental health. She shares her pride about the moment she finally came out publicly. Presenter: Nicola Adams. Producer: Jennifer Nelson. Sounds Producer: Tom Ryan. Executive Producer: Emma Clements.

Taking a look at LGBTQ+ issues in sport. Double Olympic gold medal winner Nicola Adams is joined by inspirational people from different sporting backgrounds to chat about their careers and their experiences of being in the LGBTQ plus community. Presenter: Nicola Adams. Producer: Jennifer Nelson. Sounds Producer: Tom Ryan. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Emma Clements. Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin.

When it comes to the ice, Conor McDermott-Mostowy is fast – like, really fast! A national speed-skating champion and a member of US Speedskating who has won medals across the world, the American knows all about what it takes to compete at the top-level – and how to do it while balancing his sport with a university degree. Conor came out publicly in 2021 – and now he’s here with us on the podcast to talk more about his sporting career and his journey with his sexuality. We talk about all sorts of things in this episode – including some of his most memorable moments from the past season, how it feels when everything is just clicking on the ice, representing Team USA, coming out, looking up to Gus Kenworthy and others – and loads, loads more. Conor may be one of the most laid-back guys we’ve ever had on the podcast - and we love this chat, and think you will as well! WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST? @conor.mm on Instagram GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST: @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

You may well have seen Nick Ransom reporting on Sky, ITV, BBC and plenty of other outlets – covering everything from the footballing stories of Afghan refugees to LGBTQ+ representation in the media. He’s also worked as a producer, bringing together content for events like the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Wimbledon, the Euros and more – basically, this is someone who lives and breathes sport. It’s no real surprise that Nick ended up on telly – in fact, he basically spent his childhood banging out reports for anyone who would watch, honing the skills that would eventually take him into the industry. And on a podcast that is all about representation, Nick is here not just to talk about being authentic as a member of the LGBTQ+ community – but also about his experiences as someone who is autistic, and who is passionate about spotlighting neurodivergent individuals on-screen as well. So, loads to get into in this conversation with Nick – from his love of sport to his autistic experience to bringing all of his authentic self to the screen, to the stories he’s telling and championing as part of Neurodiversity Celebration Week across BBC Sport! WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUESTS? @MrNickRansom WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST? @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

Big games deserve the big build – and that’s what John Reavey does when it comes to the Premier League. The director and creative producer is responsible for some of the video packages that you’ve seen hyping a number of the beautiful game’s massive matches – including the Manchester Derby and the start of the new season. It’s not just there that you’ll have seen his work either – from a West Ham kit launch to Anita Asante’s retirement to a documentary on out gay footballers, John has spent years combining his love of film with his love of football. And when he’s not capturing the game on screen, he’s playing as a member of the London Titans side in the GFSN – and he’s an absolutely brilliant guest on the podcast today. There’s loads in this episode that is absolutely fascinating – the joy of storytelling, the importance of visibility, combing sport and LGBTQ+ identity, plus how a story from John’s past inspired both an incredibly powerful short film and the next thing that he’ll be working on. This is a cracking listen, and we really think you’re going to love it! WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST? johnreavey.com @johnreavey WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST? @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

We feature professional wrestling on the podcast a lot – but this is only the second time that we’re speaking to someone from the world of freestyle wrestling. And honestly, what better way to do it than with Samantha Stewart?! The Canadian is a multiple-time medallist and a Pan-American champion who has been involved in the sport for more than twenty years – and has seen it take her right around the world. There’s a world championship bronze at Oslo in her trophy cabinet from 2021, along with a silver from the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham a year later as well. And having just come back from the Pan-American Games, we couldn’t have picked a better time to speak to this amazing athlete – who is an absolute gem of a guest, she really is. Finding your sport, finding your identity, pushing boundaries and making memories – it’s all in this conversation which is an absolute joy with a guest who we wished we’d had on years ago! But we’re making up for lost time with this episode, and we hope you love hearing it as much as we loved making it. WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST? @sam_stewart53 WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE PODCAST? @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

‘It’s my church’ – that’s how Lucy Clark has previously described her love of football, and the meaning that she attaches to her involvement with the beautiful game. Her appointment at the end of January as the new manager at Sutton United Women was therefore not just a moment of personal achievement, but a landmark for the game as well – with Clark becoming the first transgender woman to manage in the top five divisions of the UK women’s game, just years after she became the football’s first transgender referee. And honestly, this is an amazing conversation with an individual who lives and breathes the beautiful game – in fact, when we tried to get Lucy to talk about anything other than football, it turns out she absolutely couldn’t do it! We talk about Lucy’s love of the game growing up, coaching, refereeing, her return to management – and her personal journey as she discovered her authentic self and found a way to bring that to the beautiful game as well. It’s a conversation that is genuine, uplifting, fun and everything you could want from a guest – and we’re massively grateful that Lucy took the time to join us for this chat. WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST? @lucyclarkref WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST? @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

When Robbie Manson announced that he was hanging up his oars ahead of the Tokyo Games, he’d already achieved a bucket-load of amazing sporting achievements. The New Zealander had competed at back-to-back Olympics in London and Rio, had secured a spot for Tokyo – and, with multiple World Rowing Cups and a World Rowing Championship bronze medal in 2015 under his belt, no-one would have blamed him for wanting to do something new. But as much as he enjoyed coaching, something about the sport kept pulling him back – and, after returning to full time competition, Robbie has earned himself a spot at the Paris Olympics in just a few months from now. So, we needed no further excuse to get Robbie on the podcast than that to talk all about his amazing journey and this is a fascinating conversation. It touches on mental health, burnout, stepping away from the sport you love and finding a way back again, being your authentic self, the importance of visibility amongst others and so much more. It’s considered, it’s powerful, it’s never anything less than real – and we’re really grateful for Robbie for making the time to join us for it. WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST? @robbie_manson WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST? @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

If you were watching professional wrestling in the mid-2010s, you’d have seen Gabbi Tuft in action – where she was better known as WWE superstar Tyler Reks. There were matches at the Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, appearances on many of the WWE’s flagship shows – but it was only when wrestling came to an end that Tuft was able to become her authentic self as a trans woman. She shared her story publicly in 2021 – and one look at her Instagram now shows Gabbi sharing her love for fitness, and teasing, potentially, a return to wrestling as well. Hundreds of thousands of people follow Gabbi across all her platforms, and this is a chance to have a conversation with someone that we think you’re going to love. If you love wrestling, you’ll love the stories about Dusty Rhodes and working with the Undertaker and how the business makes Gabbi feel – along with why she’s got the itch to return. And if wrestling isn’t your thing, there’s still so much in this conversation for you – as Gabbi talks openly and authentically about the journey she’s been on discovering her true self, and sharing that truth with both herself and the world. WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUESTS? @gabbituft WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST? @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

For as long as Chris Paouros can remember, she’s been a proud supporter of Tottenham Hotspur. But while she’s always loved her football team, she’s not always been sure that football has loved her back – which is why she’s spent years trying to transform the game into somewhere that everyone feels welcome. Her CV is formidable enough – a vice-chair and trustee at Kick It Out, a Board Member at the Football Supporters’ Association, a Supporters Representative on the FA Council, and the co-chair and co-founder of Proud Lilywhites, to name just a few. She’s also a brilliant talker and a fantastic guest to have with us on the podcast, as we talk about her love of football and her desire to change it for the better in whatever way she can. There’s so much in this conversation with Chris – where that love of Spurs comes from, her drive to open the game up to everyone, some of her proudest achievements with Proud Lilywhites, where the game goes next, even some cheeky film recommendations as well – and it’s a cracker with one of our favourites on the pod. WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST? @chrispaouros @SpursLGBT WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST? @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

Take a look at the CV of Jason Webber, and you’ll see that a passion for equality and diversity is burned into everything does. For more than a decade, he was a campaign co-ordinator with Show Racism the Red Card – and since 2020, he’s been a key part of trying to make the beautiful game something for everyone in Wales as the senior EDI Manager at the Football Association of Wales. That love of the beautiful game runs deep in this man – with stints as an Academy Coach at Cardiff City and Merthyr Town alongside his EDI work. And now, it’s part of a commitment that runs through him to open up football to people who have traditionally felt the game isn’t for them. So, that’s what we talk about in this episode – everything from starting Wales’ first LGBTQ+ supporters group for the national team, some of the challenges that still exist in the game, what to say to people who say football shouldn’t be ‘political’ – honestly, it’s a fascinating chat that we think you’ll love. WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST? @WebberTJason @fawales WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST? @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

If there’s anyone who knows about what it takes to make football inclusive, it’s James Laley. As the founder of Rainbow Blades, he’s helped embed diversity in the heart of what Sheffield United does, and it’s not just us saying that either – as James has been recognised not once but twice as this year’s Football v Homophobia Awards. So, we felt it was the perfect time to get James onto the podcast to talk about his journey in football, and the difference he’s making in the beautiful game. We chat about how he discovered Sheffield United at university and fell in love with the club; about the incident that led to him starting Rainbow Blades (and how in some ways, the timing couldn’t have been worse); about the way it’s been embraced by the club; about some of the challenges and goals for the future – and being recognised by the Football v Homophobia Awards in two different categories this year. It’s a cracking conversation with someone who just exudes positivity, and we think you’ll love it! WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST?: @james_laley @rainbow_blades WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST?: @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

In a way, Mikey Connor has his nan to thank for his love of football. It was her who took him along to Everton games, who encouraged him to give the game a go, and told him that he should give refereeing a go as well. So really, it’s her who Mikey has to thank for his love of the beautiful game which – by his own admission – is now a sport that he absolutely can’t live without. As a former semi-pro ‘keeper, he’s done it as a player – and now, he’s making his way up through the pyramid as a referee, with his eyes firmly set on making it at the highest level that he can as a professional. And as if all of that wasn’t enough, Mikey is also a content creator and a former star of the ground-breaking BBC Three reality TV show ‘I Kissed A Boy’ – so there’s absolutely loads for us to talk about in this episode, which is an absolute corker. We talk about Mikey’s love of football, how it feels when he’s refereeing, his goals and ambitions in the game – as well as why he still fears receiving homophobia on the pitch, his time as a star of ‘I Kissed A Boy’, his own journey with his health and so much more in an absolute corker of a conversation. WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST? @MikeyConnor94 on Twitter @MikeyConnor22 on Instagram WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST?: @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

There are so many strings that Pollo Del Mar has to their bow that it’s hard to know where to begin! A performer, journalist, activist, philanthropist and campaigner – but our interest today is in Pollo’s position as one of the most prominent LGBTQ+ wrestling personalities out there today. First as a wrestling journalist, Pollo began participating in wrestling personally – as the host of EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch and a manager in various promotions across the West Coast and beyond as well, including as a key part of the NWA. Although Pollo is reluctant to refer to themselves as a pioneer, that’s really what they are – because honestly, how many drag queen wrestling managers have you ever seen?! – and beyond that, they’re an extraordinarily eloquent individual who we think you’ll love. We talk about so much on this pod – where Pollo’s love of wrestling came from, their most memorable moments in the industry, being recognised by others, driving yourself to succeed, the growth of the LGBTQ+ community in wrestling and so, so much more. WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST? @TheGlamazonPDM on Twitter @pollodelmarfans on Instagram WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST? @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk

With a mother and a father who amounted to bowls royalty, it’s really no surprise that David Gourlay found his way into the sport. But David was determined to make his own way in bowls, and has amassed a whopping seven world indoor titles – including the 1996 World Indoor Singles Championship, as well as three World Men’s Indoor Pairs Championships and three World Mixed Indoor Pairs Championships. And as if success as a player wasn’t enough, David also coached Scotland’s bowls players to four medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games – and as if that weren’t enough, he was also appointed as an MBE for his services to the sport. David is now the longest-serving player in the World Bowls Tour Top 16 – and with the World Indoor Bowls Championship in full swing at Hopton on Sea, now seemed like the perfect time to get David on for a chat. This is a cracking conversation with a brilliant guest in a sport that we’ve never covered before – as we talk about some of David’s top moments, his experiences in the sport, receiving that MBE, his personal journey and loads, loads more. WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PODCAST: @jack_murley jack.murley@bbc.co.uk