Latest news with #LightItUp
Daily Mirror
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Will Young details heartbreaking 'mini traumas' of being openly gay in 2002
Will Young has reflected on his coming out experience in a new interview for Pride Month. He was pressured into revealing his sexuality after winning Pop Idol in 2002. Will Young has paid tribute to those who came before him to fight for equal rights while reflecting on his own coming out story. The 46-year-old singer shot to fame in 2002 when he starred on, and won, ITV's singing talent show Pop Idol. After winning the show, Will enjoyed huge success, with debut single, the double sided Anything Is Possible / Evergreen, becoming the fastest-selling debut single in UK history. His first album also topped the charts - with all of his subsequent records making the top five, including three further number ones and three at number two. Shortly after winning Pop Idol, Will came out and he told fans he had no shame about his sexual identity and that he had not hidden it from those in his life. In a new interview with Metro, the singer has reflected on this moment from 2002 and shared his thoughts on how the world has changed. He told The Metro:"It's like chalk and cheese now. I don't often really remember the sort of mini traumas that would occur being openly gay and a public figure in the early 2000s. It was so different then." He continued to highlight the ways the country has changed since he burst into the spotlight. He said: "There was no legal support, you couldn't get married. "You just operated within how it was then, which was like, 'Well, I'm going to get shouted out, I'm going to get threatened. No one's gonna care.' That was a given, which seems bonkers now to think like that." And paying tribute to equal rights campaigners, he added: "We have to remember those people and those before them, because they were pretty seminal." Will first opened up about his sexuality in March 2002 in an interview with the since defunct News of the World. He told the publication: "I feel it's time to tell my fans I'm gay. "It's totally no big deal, just part of who I am. For me it's normal and nothing to be ashamed about. I'm gay and I'm comfortable with that. I really don't know what the fuss is about." It has been over two decades since the singer found fame and he continues to enjoy chart success. His 2024 album, titled Light It Up, peaked at the top of the downloads chart and reached number 5 on the official albums chart. He embarked on a tour in support of the record last September - with extra dates added due to demand. More recently, Will has been sharing gardening tips with fans and uploading videos of his green work to social media. Over the decades, the star has become a campaigner for mental health, winning praise from fans for sharing his own struggles and spotlighting resources so others can get help. He also, tragically, lost his twin brother, Rupert, to suicide in July 2020. He shared his story and grief as well as the life of his brother in the acclaimed Channel 4 documentary, Will Young: Losing My Twin Rupert.
Daily Mirror
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Will Young gives rare update on his 'wonderful partner' as he talks about plans
Pop Idol winner Will Young has opened up about his private life after the popstar previously spoke about his desire to start a family and potentially foster children Will Young has opened up about his personal affairs and the blossoming hope of starting his own family someday. The inaugural Pop Idol champion, 46, has poured out details about his "wonderful partner" and the enriching life they're creating together. This heartfelt insight comes after he previously disclosed last year his aspirations to have a family and even venture into fostering children. In an interview The i, Will said that his heart had finally unfurled, attributing this change to overcoming the limelight's challenges that once complicated his love life, in part due to the relentless paparazzi pressure he said he used to experience, reports Devon Live. He explained: "I'm in a lovely relationship. I'm having a wonderful time with a wonderful partner. I had a closed heart, but it's opened up now. Why has my heart opened up?" "Meeting the right person. And making the choice to be open to someone. If you're waiting for that Hollywood moment, you might be waiting for the rest of your life, so you've got to make a choice that you want to be in a relationship. I was restricted by the mainstream music industry. "Being followed by the paparazzi used to be stressful, but it's just not a thing any more. Maybe it was quite exciting for partners of mine in the past or maybe not; I don't know, but I don't think it made dating more difficult." Last year Will shared with Attitude magazine his dream to father a family following the release of his album Light It Up. He told the publication: "I'm quite interested in fostering... I think I'd be very good at being emotionally available and emotionally validating." Reflecting on his dating life, Will shared that he, like many others, uses dating apps. He said: "It's a bit of a lottery. My last boyfriend was off an app. And the person I'm dating at the moment's off an app." Will has been open about his personal journey, including his battle with PTSD, and how gardening has become a therapeutic outlet for him. In an interview with the Telegraph, he said: "When I first went into treatment for PTSD, I had just begun work on one of my gardens. I think because I totally focused on that, it really helped me get better. "I've found that the simple act of putting my hands in the soil helps because it's grounding... it literally grounds me, it grounds my whole body.... I find one little job to focus on, it calms me down. It is meditative." On top of his musical endeavours, Will is set to feature in the 22nd series of the BBC 's ancestral exploration programme Who Do You Think You Are?, airing tonight (Tuesday, June 3) at 9pm on BBC One.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Union Co. group raises awareness for rare diseases
UNION COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – The last day of February is Rare Disease Day, and one Union County group wanted to shine a light on those living with rare diseases. Warriors for Rare Diseases held the third annual Light It Up event at the Union County Stadium. Organizers said the event is crucial for bringing awareness to challenges faced by people living with rare diseases. 'Fire departments, ambulance services, anybody that can be here, they're always here,' said attendee Tammy Jones. 'This is the third one we've done.' Jones said she hopes the event can go beyond Union County in the future. 'We would like to reach out to other counties, surrounding counties, as far out as it will go because I know our families aren't the only ones being affected,' she said. Rare Disease Day falls on the last day of the February, so during leap years, it's the rarest day. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
