Celebrity Big Brother's Danny Beard reveals the lessons he learnt from the death of best friend The Vivienne, why he STILL has time for Mickey Rourke and learning to be loved out of drag

Daily Mail​

03-05-2025

Within seconds of Danny Beard entering the Mail's offices, it's clear to see why his Celebrity Big Brother housemates warmed to him so quickly - his personality is infectious.
It's perhaps not surprising that a drag queen is a pro at commanding a room, but what's unusual now, is that Danny is not in drag.
Danny - who uses he/they pronouns when out of drag - is standing in front of me as the stripped back, vulnerable and raw, Daniel Curtis - the person behind Danny Beard.
I first came to know of Danny, along with millions of others, when he swept to victory on the fourth series of RuPaul 's Drag Race UK in 2022.
With his distinctive makeup, giant wigs and cheeky wise quips, it was clear Danny Beard was a force to be reckoned with.
Yet on Celebrity Big Brother, Danny decided to spend the next three weeks in the social experiment as themselves - showing the public a whole other side.
It's a move that went down a treat, with viewers voting Danny to second place.
He was just pipped to the post by Coronation Street's Jack P. Shepherd, who won by a tiny two percent margin.
'I was robbed!' Danny laughs, with a twinkle in his eye. 'Mugged! But jokes aside, Jack is an incredible winner.
'I'm so pleased for him. He's a nice guy. He was himself the whole time. And he's been on telly for 25 years, so to be sat next to someone that iconic, I'm blessed.'
It's true that the public got to see a different side to Jack - it must be hard shaking off being known only as the villainous David Platt.
Yet the same can be said for Danny - and in the final few days, viewers witnessed a touching moment when he broke down discussing being accepted outside of drag.
Addressing his vulnerability, Danny continues: 'I think I had the best training in the world doing a show like Drag Race.
'Drag Race teaches you the importance of showcasing your talent, but also showcasing your vulnerability, because that's where connections are made with people. I found it comforting.
'The best part of doing any kind of TV show to me is always making friends with the crew and production, but that's one thing you don't have on Big Brother.
'The Diary Room is just a black room with a camera, and so that really does become your stream of consciousness, your confidante.'
And there was certainly a lot to confide in Big Brother about - including controversial housemate Mickey Rourke.
The Hollywood actor, 72, was kicked off the show in the first week after hurling homophobic slurs at 21-year-old queer popstar JoJo Siwa, making sexual remarks towards TOWIE's Ella Rae Wise, and squaring up to Love Island's Chris Hughes.
So some may be surprised that Danny, who champions himself on being inclusive, has offered out his phone number to the actor.
'Listen, I didn't agree with everything the man said or did,' Danny explains. 'But there's a part of me that really saw into Mickey's soul. And I think he just needed a bit of looking after.'
But, I have to ask, surely there are times he felt uncomfortable around Mickey?
'I felt comfortable enough,' Danny continues. 'Certainly after the first time when I'd had a word with him in the garden [after his slurs towards JoJo].
'I was like, "this isn't about you. This isn't about your feelings. You've made someone feel a certain way."
'And it kind of got into him. And I think he kind of respected that I didn't pussyfoot around him. I think actually that was the start of a little blossoming friendship.
'Again, I don't agree with everything he said or did, but had I gone in all guns blazing, we'd have gotten nowhere.
'In fact, when he was removed from the house, I felt like we were actually breaking through.
'I get he's a grown man. I get he's a Hollywood star, but I could kind of see through that a bit. And I really felt for him. I think he just was a bit lost.'
I first came to know of Danny, along with millions of others, when he swept to victory on the fourth series of RuPaul 's Drag Race UK in 2022
Danny also made an unlikely friend in former Conservative MP Michael Fabricant.
'If you'd have told me three weeks ago I'd have an ex-Tory MP in my phone...' Danny laughs.
'The truth is, I thought I was this real open book. I'm all for everyone, but actually I would have written off a Tory like that... but I had a lot more in common with Michael Fabricant than I would have been willing to admit.
'I admired him as an older bisexual man, older, of very old age,' he laughs. 'I've got to be thankful for someone like that because the life he's lived, he's made it possible for me to be a young guy that can be myself on the telly.
'If I was born before I wouldn't have been able to be me if it wasn't for people like Michael.
'So while all of our political views don't align, the things I admire about him, there are things we connected with him on, and I think that's great.'
In turn, Danny has also helped younger members of the LGBTQ community.
One notable moment in the house, came when JoJo opened up to Danny about questioning her sexuality, admitting she now considers her identity as queer rather than a lesbian.
Explaining that it's not the first time Danny has had such a conversation, he continues: 'I've been a drag queen for over 10 years.
'I've cut my teeth in gay bars, small queer spaces up and down this country and when you go through that route, this is a conversation I've had - I couldn't tell you how many times I've spoken to younger ones in the club.
'So I've had that convo before. That's the community I'm from. We just help each other out. When I was coming up through that scene, peopled help me. That's what we do. We pass it on.'
While Danny and JoJo shared a tender moment with each other, there was tension when the Dance Moms star ended up delivering a killer nomination to Danny during face-to-face nominations, ensuring they'd end up for the public vote.
Yet Danny holds no grudges.
'I don't hate the player, I hate the game,' they laugh. 'I'm a massive fan of Big Brother, but I didn't think I'd find it so hard to nominate. That whole process made me feel upset.'
The pair have exchanged numbers and Danny hopes to visit her in Los Angeles.
So what does Danny make of the situation between JoJo and Chris?
The pair's flirty antics raised eyebrows in the house and the rumour mill went into overdrive when JoJo dumped her partner Kath Ebbs at the CBB wrap party.
Yet following the duo's claims that they are 'platonic soulmates', Danny can't understand the fascination.
'I think whatever they want to do is between them - if they want to remain friends, or if they never want to speak to each other again, that's between them.
'I don't get the fascination! Leave them to it.'
Danny adds of JoJo: 'This girl has been working since she was five and she's got an amazing head on her shoulders.
'Chris was there for her and she needed him, and I think he needed her. So for them to have each other as friends, however weird it may look to other people, let them have fun.'
One thing the scenario has done, however, is cement Danny's love for their boyfriend Kye.
'I love my partner,' he gushes. 'I missed him every single day. Every single night I kissed his picture!
'The house made me realise how strong a lot of my relationships are, actually. Not just with my boyfriend.
'I have people around me that have supported me and loved me for so long, and I speak to them all of the time.
'So to be put in a situation where that's taken away from you, you have nothing but your own thoughts.
'So I'm incredibly proud of the journey I've been on to come out to this reaction.'
Now, Danny is focused on the future and is hoping to front a cabaret style late night TV show.
'I just love entertaining people and making people feel good,' he muses. 'Because when they feel good, I feel good.'
This attitude is one that Danny hopes to live by.
We find ourselves discussing the legacy he wants to leave behind.
The topic of death, while morbid, hangs in the air. When we speak, it's been only a day since the tragic death of fellow Drag Race star Jiggly Caliente.
Bianca Castro, rose to fame in 2011 on the US version of the show, but tragically died on Sunday morning at the age of 43, just days after having their right leg amputated due to a 'severe infection'.
Meanwhile, fellow Drag Race star and one of Danny's closest friends James Lee Williams - known as The Vivienne - tragically passed away in January after suffering a cardiac arrest caused by ketamine.
Discussing their death, Danny chokes up.
'I hope one thing I took from Viv,' he starts. 'Is she would not have believed the outpouring of love when she passed away. She wouldn't have.
'She would not have realised from corner to corner of this globe, people would have celebrated her.
'And I took from that - tell your friends now that you love them, tell your friends now how proud you are of them. We don't do that. We always wait until it's too late.
'So if I put myself in that position, what would my legacy be? I'd like people to go, "God, they were fun. God, they made me laugh. God, when I saw that show, it was such a good night".
'Because that's the power of entertainment. I'm just lucky that this is my job.
'It's saved me in many ways that you will never know. It's kept me on the straight and narrow.'
And there seems to bring a natural end to our chat. Danny it as at peace with who he is and who he hopes to become in the future - something we should all aspire to be.