Pride takes centre stage at the 2026 Rainbow Honours
The annual event - held at London's Hilton on Park Lane - celebrates those making a real difference for the queer community
Last updated 2 hours ago
It has been a huge night in London - as the Rainbow Honours retuned for 2026 - shining a light on the people and groups making a difference for fairness and equality all year round.
Famous faces from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum - as well as some of the community's most inspirational allies - descended on the red carpet for the star-studded event, but it was those pushing for change who truly took the centre stage.
The capital's Hilton on Park Lane sparkled with colour to celebrate nominees from right here in the UK and all over the world, from innovative charities to celebrity champions and campaigners, including Paralympian Claire Harvey MBE and TikTok star Tyreece Nye, just to name two.
And certainly, the one word everyone has kept sharing – at the heart of it all – is pride.
'I'm proud I've passed my allyship on to my two sons'
The vibes on the Rainbow Honours Red Carpet were delicious, with the likes of Eurovision legends The Fizz joining Vanessa Feltz, Kate Butch and Sinitta joining a star-studded line-up of celebrities, all showing their love and appreciation for the LGBTQIA+ community.
A 'who's who' of who's stepping-up at a time when it's needed most, the legend that is Denise Welch told Hits Radio Pride how she 'might as well' be queer herself.
She said: "I might as well be queer, basically - I've done everything with the gays!
"I love these awards - my friend Linda Riley, and now Kat Parsons, does a brilliant job every single year.
"I think people know by now that I am a firm ally of the community, and always have been, and certainly always will be.
"It started very early for me, with my dad being a heterosexual drag artist, and there weren't many of them.
"It was a world, and he loved my gay friends and the gay world - they embraced him, and he, them.
"So, my association with this community has gone on a long way, and I'm proud that I've passed the allyship on to my two sons, Matty and Lewis as well."
'I'd just like to say 'thank you''
Another legend - who made their mark slaying it in the Werk Room on RuPaul's Drag Race UK, as well as Drag Race UK vs The World - Kate Butch, strutted onto the Red Carpet, whilst carrying a handbag in the shape of a chicken.
Despite being a vegetarian, she called it her 'emotional support' clutch.
But away from the food, and Kate told Hits Radio Pride how there's just one thing she'd like to tell the dozens of changemakers who made the shortlist.
She said: "I'd just like to say 'thank you', really.
"Around me, I can see queer performers, queer musicians, queer icons, trailblazers...
"These people are doing amazing work to elevate the community and keep us progressing forwards in these very trying times."
And for the host of the Awards, Stephen Bailey, it was his second stint getting involved, having also fronted the 2025 edition - something he joked, to 'not get booked for next year'... well, he'd go even further with the inappropriate jokes.
Aside from the comedy, he called the feeling 'emotional'.
Stephen added: "Everyone's doing really important things for the queer community and we still need it.
"That's why I think it is so emotional, because it's such a shame we see things in society take one step forward, then one step back.
"So, it's nice that we have people that are really pushing us forward all the time."