Proudly Said

John Hyland
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Proudly Said is about being LGBTQ+ in the UK without compromise. Hosted by John Hyland (he/they), a Liverpool-born activist and advocate, the show brings real conversations to the forefront. No studios, no scripts - just people, where they’re most at home, speaking in their own words. Each episode centres voices you don’t hear enough, talking about what it means to live out loud, hold space, and just live. There’s no performance. Just queer stories, proudly said.

  1. 1D AGO

    Ep 46: Millie Dollar said

    🎙️ What’s This Episode About? Millie Dollar is, in John’s words, local legendary burlesque royalty. A performer, producer and storyteller who has spent years helping shape Liverpool’s cabaret scene, Millie brings glamour, grit and a deep love of performance to every stage she steps onto. Millie joins John to talk about her journey into the world of burlesque, from growing up in a strict religious environment to discovering a form of performance that allowed her to reclaim her body, her voice and her creativity. They discuss what it means to build a career in cabaret, the discipline behind the sparkle, and how burlesque continues to evolve while honouring its rich history. As a deaf performer, Millie also shares how she navigates performance and communication within an industry built around music and sound, and how those experiences have shaped both her resilience and her artistry. The conversation also takes a nostalgic turn as they reminisce about Liverpool’s cabaret and queer nightlife history, including Millie being the face of the city’s first Liverpool Pride in 2010 with its unforgettable Rainbow Circus theme. It’s a warm, reflective and often hilarious chat about performance, identity, and why a little bit of glamour can sometimes be an act of defiance. 🗣️ Why Listen? If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives. 📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.uk Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes. Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful. Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions. Support: Join The Front Row for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! :) rBkRNJqTxOUVaLsH7bJP

    38 min

  2. APR 9

    Ep 45: Rosie The Fearless said

    🎙️ What’s This Episode About? Rosie the Fearless is a TikTok and Instagram comedian with a sharp northern wit, a love of character work, and a knack for capturing the absurdity of everyday life. Rosie joins John to talk about building an online audience from scratch, and why social media comedy isn’t as effortless as it looks. They dive into theatre roots, growing up, the pressure of going viral, and what it actually means to try and turn “probably gonna be a star” into something sustainable. Rosie reflects on finding her voice online, navigating criticism, and the strange intimacy of having hundreds of thousands of people watch your face while you pretend to be someone else. There’s also chat about ambition, identity, creative risk-taking, and protecting your joy in an algorithm-driven world. It’s funny, thoughtful, and very northern... a conversation about backing yourself, even when the internet’s watching. 🗣️ Why Listen? If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives. 📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.uk Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes. Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful. Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions. Support: Join The Front Row for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! :)

    37 min

  3. MAR 31

    Ep 44: Toni (Hennessy) said

    🎙️ What’s This Episode About? Toni, also known as Hennessy, is a queer pole dancer, dance instructor, and performer who has turned movement into both power and protest. Toni joins John for an open conversation about her journey into pole, from first stepping into a studio to becoming Xpert qualified in Pole Fitness Levels 1 & 2, and performing under the name Hennessy. She talks about the discipline behind the glamour, the bruises behind the confidence, and the work it takes to build strength in a world that constantly critiques bodies. They unpack the stigma that still surrounds pole dancing, especially for queer women - from fitness to performance pieces, she reflects on how pole has allowed her to explore sensuality, queerness, control and vulnerability on her own terms. There’s also honest discussion about teaching: what it means to hold space for beginners, to help others feel safe in their bodies, and to create an environment where strength and softness can co-exist. Toni speaks about community, self-belief, and how pole gave her not just confidence... but ownership. It’s thoughtful, empowering and refreshingly real, a reminder that movement can be healing, and that taking up space isn’t something you have to earn. 🗣️ Why Listen? If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives. 📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.uk Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes. Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful. Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions. Support: Join The Front Row for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! :)

    37 min

  4. MAR 24

    Ep 43: Shania Pain said

    🎙️ What’s This Episode About? Shania Pain is a Manchester-based drag queen with Scouse, theatre-kid roots, big pop energy, and a healthy sense of humour about the expectations placed on her. Shania joins John to talk about her early ambitions of being a full-on musical theatre boy... followed by the realisation that drag let her do all of that… and more. They chat about finding her feet on the Liverpool scene, the running joke of being “The Vivienne’s replacement” when she moved to Gran Canaria, and what it actually means to carve out your own lane in a city that loves its legends. From relocating to Manchester to thinking about what’s next, this is a conversation about ambition, identity, and allowing yourself to evolve without losing your sparkle. It’s funny, reflective, and full of future-facing energy, just like Shania. 🗣️ Why Listen? If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives. 📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.uk Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes. Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful. Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions. Support: Join The Front Row for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! :)

    42 min

  5. MAR 17

    Ep 42: Dr Rory McGill said

    🎙️ What’s This Episode About? Dr Rory McGill is the Director of Public Health for Sefton Council, as well as a lifelong horror nerd who grew up in Derry idolising Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Resident Evil's Jill Valentine, and Kitana from Mortal Kombat. Rory joins John to talk about the journey from small-city childhood (an actual Derry Girl) to senior leadership in public health, and how queerness, resilience, and a love of powerful women shaped the man he became. They chat about navigating identity in Northern Ireland, finding your tribe (or his own Scooby gang!), and building a career dedicated to improving people’s lives, very often behind the scenes. Rory reflects on the path that led to him being recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 LGBTQ+ FLOWERS Awards, and what it means to lead with empathy in a world that doesn’t always make that easy. It’s thoughtful, funny, and occasionally geeky; a reminder that the kids who grew up obsessed with slaying monsters sometimes end up tackling the real ones. 🗣️ Why Listen? If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives. 📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.uk Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes. Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful. Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions. Support: Join The Front Row for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! :)

    34 min

  6. MAR 10

    Ep 41: Divina De Campo said

    🎙️ What’s This Episode About? Divina De Campo is a singer, Drag Race UK legend, producer, activist, and all-round powerhouse. John and Divina sit down for a brilliantly chaotic chat that veers between heartfelt and hilarious, from their shared history on the queer scene to what it’s like balancing visibility, creativity, and exhaustion in a career that doesn’t slow down. Divina opens up about her current vocal concerns and what it means when your voice, quite literally, starts to feel fragile. They also dive into her role as producer for the upcoming Drag Race UK Series 7 tour, and the realities of making queer work happen on a big scale (spoiler: it’s not all rhinestones and rapture). Of course, this wouldn’t be a Divina conversation without tangents: from opera and northern drag politics to burnout, biscuits, and backstaging a wig line. It’s honest, messy, smart, and deeply human, exactly like the queen at the centre of it all. 🗣️ Why Listen? If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives. 📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.uk Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes. Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful. Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions. Support: Join The Front Row for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! :)

    36 min

  7. MAR 3

    Ep 40: Jayy Dring said

    🎙️ What’s This Episode About? Jayy Dring is a young Scouse lad with a big personality, a sharp (sometimes dark... lol) sense of humour, and a story that deserves to be heard. Jayy joins John to talk about life behind the bar at Superstar Boudoir, navigating Liverpool’s queer nightlife scene, and some of the unexpected turns along the way... including a brief foray into adult work. Most importantly, Jayy speaks openly about living with HIV: from diagnosis and stigma to self-worth, community, and learning to live with pride again. It’s a conversation full of honesty, laughter, and strength, about the realities queer people still face, and the importance of speaking up so others don’t feel alone. 🗣️ Why Listen? If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives. 📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.uk Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes. Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful. Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions. Support: Join The Front Row for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! :)

    33 min

  8. FEB 24

    Ep 39: Kiki Pain said

    🎙️ What’s This Episode About? Kiki Pain is a fierce AFAB drag queen, singer and content creator making waves both on stage and online - and she’s not afraid to speak up for herself, or others. Kiki joins John to talk about growing up surrounded by music, finding her way into drag, and the reality of being a woman in a world that still questions who “should” be doing drag. They chat about the joy of performing, the hate she’s faced (especially online), and how her drag has become a way of taking up space, loudly and proudly. From gigging across the North West to going viral on TikTok, Kiki proves that talent and tenacity always speak louder than trolls. Expect humour, heart, a few diva notes… and an unfiltered reminder that drag is for everyone. 🗣️ Why Listen? If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives. 📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.uk Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes. Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful. Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions. Support: Join The Front Row for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! :)

    39 min
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About

Proudly Said is about being LGBTQ+ in the UK without compromise. Hosted by John Hyland (he/they), a Liverpool-born activist and advocate, the show brings real conversations to the forefront. No studios, no scripts - just people, where they’re most at home, speaking in their own words. Each episode centres voices you don’t hear enough, talking about what it means to live out loud, hold space, and just live. There’s no performance. Just queer stories, proudly said.

Information

  • Creator
    John Hyland
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Proudly Said
  • Show Website
    Proudly Said