title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: Pride Toronto had been in closed-door talks about the TPS returning to the parade after controversially being banned in 2017. Progress was made but criticisms following McArthur's arrest led to an April 2 statement by Pride's executive director and five LGBT organizations asking the TPS to withdraw its application to march in uniform. The statement cited community feelings that investigations were "insufficient" and that concerns were "dismissed". Saunders had hoped that participation would demonstrate a "shared commitment to progress and healing", and considered the many TPS members who identify as LGBTQ and wished to march in the event built on inclusiveness.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: In a March 9 statement, Saunders said that he understood the public's frustrations with the limited information that had been released during the investigation. He announced finalized plans for a dedicated missing persons unit, community outreach, and a professional standards review of the Richey and Wells cases. He also stated that he believed there were serious issues of systemic bias which required an independent external review, and that he had been working with other officials on how to hold such a review without affecting investigations and prosecutions.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: The missing persons unit, staffed by six police detectives and an analyst, began work in July 2018. They have been tasked with digitizing and reviewing thousands of missing persons files dating to 1953, and to act as a central hub to review each active missing persons case. Their protocols are intended to flag suspicious disappearances in the early hours of an investigation and detect if broader investigations are warranted. Investigations will continue to be run by officers in each of the TPS's seventeen divisions.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: The Missing Persons Act would make it easier for police to obtain judicial orders for access to phone records or financial information in a missing persons case. Previously police could only obtain such records if a crime was suspected. The Act was passed in March 2018 by Ontario's Liberal government as part of Bill 175, but it has been stalled by the new Progressive Conservative government of Premier Doug Ford with no timeline for bringing it into effect.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: In January 2018, the Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP) demanded that the TPSB commission an external review of the investigation. In late February Saunders came to the conclusion that the public could not get clear and credible answers without an independent external review, and suggested as much to Tory and Andy Pringle, chair of the TPSB. He further suggested that the review consider systemic bias in the force. Tory's March 7 call for a public provincial inquiry was reviewed by Ontario's attorney general, who cautiously suggested that it wait until after criminal proceedings.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: In mid-March, a group of LGBTQ advocates demanded an immediate inquiry. Legal experts suggested that criminal investigations and prosecutions be protected by a publication ban on witness testimony, or by preserving records and taking witness statements under seal until the trials were over. Protocol for an external review was debated on March 22 by the TPSB, which voted to back an external review that would exclude the McArthur serial murder investigation.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: In mid-April, the board unanimously approved a working group to define the specifics of the external review. The group consisted of TPSB member Ken Jeffers, ASAAP board member Shakir Rahim, sex-worker advocate Monica Forrester and lawyer Sara Mainville who specializes in cases involving indigenous peoples. The TPSB named Breese Davies, vice-president of the Criminal Lawyers' Association, in a facilitator role. The TPSB had to request $25,000 from the city's budget committee for the working group and its legal consultation fees. The working group reported on June 15 that the missing-persons investigations of McArthur's alleged victims could be examined up to the point at which the investigations involved McArthur. They estimated that the inquiry would take 15 months and cost $2.5 million. Tory was adamant that the community be adequately consulted and increased this figure to $3 million, which would go before city council.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: The review is to examine TPS handling of missing-persons reports, biases within the service, and any obstacles that prevented Lisowick and Kanagaratnam from being reported missing. Specific investigations to be examined will include Project Houston, Project Prism, and the investigations into the deaths Alloura Wells and Tess Richey. Past reviews are also to be examined including the review into the 1981 bathhouse raids, the city auditor's report following the Paul Callow investigation, and the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry following the Robert Pickton case in British Columbia.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: On June 25, on the recommendation of the working group, the TPSB announced that it had retained Justice Gloria Epstein, who would retire as a part-time Ontario Appeal Court judge on September 1 to lead the review. Epstein had been appointed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in 1993 and made a prominent ruling that the Ontario Family Law Act definition of "spouse" was unconstitutional because it discriminated against homosexual couples. Epstein asked Mark Sandler to serve as the review's legal counsel.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: In October, the review was compiling documents and establishing an advisory panel to aid "extensive outreach to the community." The advisory panel was named in January 2019, and included Forrester, ASAAP executive director Haran Vijayanathan, activist Ron Rosenes, Indigenous lawyer Christa Big Canoe, former Ontario Court of Justice chief Brian Lennox, former member of the Gay Officers Action League Michele Lent, workplace human rights lawyer Andrew Pinto, and Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre executive director Angela Robertson.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: When McArthur pleaded guilty to eight murders on January 29, 2019, it removed concerns regarding his fair trial rights. Epstein wrote a letter to the TPSB requesting a mandate to fully examine the investigation and perform a more thorough review. Pringle was taking it under advisement, while consulting with the Ontario Attorney-General; a public inquiry can only be ordered by the provincial government. The same day, Tory spoke in favour of a "broader inquiry". A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Attorney General declined to comment as the matter was still before the courts. Civil litigation lawyer Douglas Elliott suggested that rather than conducting separate investigations, that Epstein be named to lead a public inquiry with a provincial mandate and subpoena powers.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: Canadian media have drawn criticism for the imbalance in images of McArthur and his alleged victims. One widely published picture is of McArthur smiling at the camera as he posed at Niagara Falls. Lisowick, in comparison, was mostly known by a police mug shot. TPS spokesman Mark Pugash explained that they only release pictures if there is a "valid investigative purpose".


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: Media outlets with tight deadlines obtain photos from the Internet, and copied pictures from McArthur's Facebook page and online dating profiles within minutes of his arrest. Flattering pictures that he had used to define himself thus became his image in the media. The slain men who had Facebook accounts posted fewer pictures and Lisowick, a homeless man, had no digital footprint; so the first available picture was a police-released mug shot.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: Editor Kathy English said that the "Toronto Star" would continue to publish Facebook photos of McArthur as a journalistic duty to report reality. Editor Sylvia Stead of "The Globe and Mail" stated that "true news photos" should be recent, like courtroom sketches, and that the balance should be in favour of the victims. Nikki Ward, a director of the Church-Wellesley Neighbourhood Association and graphic artist, obtained a photograph of Lisowick at a vigil which she cleaned up and shared with media outlets so that his mug shot would not have to be used.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: Another controversial photo was that of a dead man which police released in hopes that the public could help identify him. The "Star" chose not to publish the photo because of its disturbing nature. A version cleaned up by Ward to better represent the man in life and a sketch by a TPS forensic artist were released at an April 11 news conference.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: A free concert called #LoveWins was initiated by Kristyn Wong-Tam, the only openly LGBTQ member of city council. In production since December 2017, the event went public on March 7 through a news release and Facebook page, described as "part vigil, part celebration". The proposed March 29 event drew criticisms, from logos of corporate sponsors to holding a celebration when the unnamed dead were still in forensic laboratories. The event was chaired by Salah Bachir, president of Cineplex Media, who identified as a "queer Arab man" and was both sad and angry about the crimes, having known some of the victims personally while his sister was a landscaping client of McArthur's.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: Sara Malabar, who produced the opening and closing events for 2014 WorldPride, started a Facebook page titled "Stop Love Wins Concert" and threatened to organize a protest if it was not cancelled. Another critic noted that events are pressured to go mainstream when attracting corporate sponsors, and overlook the needs of the community that they are meant to address. It was also noted that marginalized communities could make better use of the resources than by throwing a party.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: On March 10, Wong-Tam's website announced that the event would be postponed to address concerns, admitting that the event had sparked unnecessary division at a historic moment for the community. Malabar offered to help in creating a more appropriate event, with more LGBTQ performers.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: The investigation, and its possible link to the still-unsolved 1970s murders, were the subject of Bob McKeown's television documentary "Murder in the Village", which aired in April 2018 as an episode of CBC Television's "The Fifth Estate". Researcher Leslie Morrison won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Visual Research at the 7th Canadian Screen Awards.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: In 2019, Justin Ling delved into the murders in "Uncover: The Village", the third season of the CBC investigative journalism podcast "Uncover". In August 2019, the CBC announced that "Uncover: The Village" was in development as the basis for a documentary television series.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: Also in 2019, the CBC aired Michael Del Monte's documentary film "Village of the Missing" as an episode of its documentary series "CBC Docs POV". The film was nominated for the Donald Brittain Award at the 8th Canadian Screen Awards.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: In 2020, the CBC docudrama "The Detectives" explored the TPS investigation in two episodes, the first covering Project Houston and the second Project Prism. Canadian actor Dave Rose portrayed Bruce McArthur. In the same year Ling published the book "Missing from the Village: The Story of Serial Killer Bruce McArthur, the Search for Justice, and the System That Failed Toronto's Queer Community", which won the Brass Knuckles Award for Best Nonfiction Book at the Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence in 2021.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: In 2021, Swedish radio station P3 aired the documentary series "Verkligheten i P3" and the episode "På barrunda med en seriemördare", where Swedish gay man "Anders" told the story of how he had met McArthur in a Toronto bar in 2009, and gone on a drinking spree with him. He reports leaving McArthur after feeling increasingly uncomfortable in his company. It was only in 2019 that Anders made the connection between the convicted killer McArthur and the man called Bruce that he had met in Toronto. Also in 2021, Oxygen and Super Channel aired "" a documentary film about the case by James Buddy Day.


title: 2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

text: In 2022, British journalist Mobeen Azhar presented a six-part true-crime series on McArthur titled "Santa Claus the Serial Killer", broadcast on BBC Three. The series explores themes of race, faith, culture and sexuality.


title: Denise Gough

text: Denise Gough (born 28 February 1980) is an Irish actress. She is the elder sister of the actress Kelly Gough. She has worked in film, television, video games and theatre.


title: Denise Gough

text: Born in Ennis, County Clare, daughter of an electrician, Gough is the seventh of eleven siblings. One of her younger sisters is the actress Kelly Gough. She trained as a soprano before leaving Ireland for London at 15. She was awarded a grant to study at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) in Wandsworth aged 18, and graduated from ALRA in 2003.


title: Denise Gough

text: In 2012, she was nominated for the Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards for her performances in Eugene O'Neill's "Desire Under the Elms" at the Lyric Hammersmith and Nancy Harris "Our New Girl" at the Bush Theatre. In January 2014 she was Julia in "The Duchess of Malfi", the inaugural production at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London. At the National Theatre, London, in September 2015 she presented an "electrifying" performance as a recovering substance user in Duncan Macmillan's "People, Places and Things", directed by Jeremy Herrin. She reprised the role when the production transferred to the Wyndham's Theatre in March 2016, and subsequently won the Olivier Award for Best Actress. She returned to the National Theatre in April 2017 playing the role of Harper in Marianne Elliot's revival of Tony Kushner's play "Angels in America," for which she won the 2018 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Gough then returned to "People, Places & Things" for its New York transfer. Gough returned to the role of Harper in the Broadway transfer of the National Theatre's production of "Angels in America", alongside the majority of the London cast, in February 2018.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Absolutely Fabulous (also known as Ab Fab) is a British television sitcom based on the "French and Saunders" sketch, "Modern Mother and Daughter", created by Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. The show was created and written by Saunders, who also stars as one of the main characters with Joanna Lumley and Julia Sawalha.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: The series features Edina Monsoon, a heavy-drinking, drug-abusing PR agent who spends her time failing to lose weight and chasing bizarre fads in a desperate attempt to stay young and "hip". Edina is joined by magazine fashion director Patsy Stone, whose drug abuse, alcohol consumption and desperate promiscuity far eclipse Edina's. Edina is reliant upon the support of her daughter Saffron, a student and aspiring writer whose constant care of her immature mother has left her a bitter cynic. The series also stars June Whitfield in a supporting role as Edina's dotty, sarcastic, and often thieving mother who appears in nearly every episode. Jane Horrocks as Edina's utterly brainless personal assistant Bubble also features frequently.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: The first three series of "Absolutely Fabulous" were broadcast on the BBC from 1992 to 1995, followed by a series finale in the form of a two-part special entitled "The Last Shout," in 1996. In 2000, the show was ranked number 17 on the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes by the British Film Institute. It was revived for two more series and two one-hour specials, airing from 2001 to 2004. Three new episodes, collectively titled "", were released in 2011-2012. Two sketches for charity specials were also released, for Comic Relief in 2005, and Sport Relief in 2012. A film version of the show, "", was released to theaters in 2016. On 29 November 2016 Saunders confirmed that she is "not doing anything more with "Ab Fab"", as she wanted to focus on new projects.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Edina "Eddie" Monsoon (Saunders) and Patricia "Patsy" Stone (Lumley) are a pair of high-powered career women on the London fashion scene. Eddie runs her own PR firm, and Patsy holds a sinecure position at a top British fashion magazine.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: The two women use their considerable financial resources to indulge in cigarettes, alcohol and recreational drugs and to chase the latest fads in an attempt to maintain their youth and recapture their glory days as Mods in swinging London. The partnership is largely driven by Patsy, who is both co-dependent and an enabler to Eddie.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Their lifestyle inevitably leads to a variety of personal crises, which are invariably resolved by Eddie's daughter, Saffron "Saffy" Monsoon (Sawalha), whose constant involvement in their exploits has left her increasingly bitter and cynical.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Eddie's mother is also present in their routines, often helping Saffy with the cooking and cleaning at home; despite this, though, Eddie and Mother have a strained relationship, rarely being left alone together and disagreeing on virtually everything.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Also recurring in their lives are both of Eddie's ex-husbands, Marshall and Justin, and their respective new partners, the American hippie Bo, and the acidic antique dealer Oliver.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: "Absolutely Fabulous" evolved from a "French and Saunders" sketch called "Modern Mother and Daughter" (from series 3 episode 6), which starred Saunders as the mother (named Adrianna) and French as the daughter, already named Saffron. The sketch revolved around a middle-aged, single mother who acted like a teenager, and was reliant upon the emotional and financial support of her teenage daughter, who behaved like a middle-aged woman.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: It has no connection, other than the character's name, to the earlier film, "Eddie Monsoon: A Life?", a comedy play written by Saunders' husband Adrian Edmondson in 1984 for the TV series, "The Comic Strip Presents...". The name "Edina Monsoon" is derived from Edmondson's name and "Eddy Monsoon" is a nickname of his.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Saunders revealed in 2012 that she was inspired by pop band Bananarama, with whom she and Dawn French had become friends after their Comic Relief collaboration in 1989.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: "The nights with Bananarama were some of the best nights of my life, and I got a lot of gags from Bananarama because they were big vodka drinkers...when I started doing AbFab, I remembered all of the falls that I saw Bananarama do. I once saw one of them coming out of a cab bottom first and hitting the road, and I thought 'that's class'".


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Although "Ab Fab" was produced by Saunders and French's company, Saunders & French Productions, Dawn French appeared on the show only once, in a cameo in the first-series episode "Magazine", before making a brief cameo in the 2016 film. French was originally intended to play Edina's daughter, Saffron.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: The first three series were broadcast on the BBC from 1992 to 1995, followed by a series finale in the form of a two-part television film entitled "The Last Shout" in 1996. Saunders revived the show for a fourth series in 2001, after having written and submitted a pilot entitled "Mirrorball", which recruited nearly all of the original cast in new roles. The pilot was intended to be turned into a series of episodes. However, Saunders felt the characters were too rich and interesting to put aside, and were far better suited for her new story ideas. Instead of "Mirrorball", a new series of "Absolutely Fabulous" was proposed to the BBC, which later commissioned the fourth series in 2001. From 2001 to 2004, two full series were produced, along with two one-off hour-long specials; "Gay" (retitled and issued as "Absolutely Fabulous in New York" for the United States) in 2002, and "White Box" (another series finale), which aired in 2004. A Comic Relief sketch was broadcast in 2005.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In November 2010, Lumley revealed to "Playbill" magazine that she had recently spoken to Saunders about the possibility of filming a new series. Lumley and Saunders reunited for the M&S Christmas advert in 2009, along with other stars such as Twiggy and Stephen Fry.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In August 2011, Lumley confirmed the planned filming of three new episodes. In 2011, plans for a 20th anniversary revival were welcomed in "The Guardian", which applauded the show as "prophetic". The first new special of "" was broadcast on 25 December with the second episode being shown on 1 January 2012. The third and final special, aired on 23 July 2012, coincided with the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, with Stella McCartney appearing in a cameo role. A sketch for Sport Relief was also broadcast in 2012. A film version of the series, "," was released to theaters in the summer of 2016.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Three new specials were announced to celebrate the show's 20th anniversary with the first special, "Identity" airing on 25 December 2011. Jon Plowman, executive producer and original producer of the series, said: "Viewers have been fantastically loyal in their devotion to our show, so we're really thrilled to say that it's coming back for three new shows to celebrate our 20th anniversary. All of the originals who are back together again are still truly absolutely fabulous and the new adventures of Edina, Patsy, Saffy, Bubble and Mother, plus a few surprising guests, will be a real treat for viewers." Saunders announced in November 2011 that she had begun work on a film version of the series.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In the United States, the episodes were jointly co-produced by Logo, and BBC America in the US. and aired in January 2012 for broadcast by both BBC America and Logo Channel. Both channels also co-produced the 20th Anniversary episodes, although Logo removed some scenes for its airings. BBC America broadcast it in full. Both channels aired the episode in a 40-minute block to allow for commercial interruptions.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: On 3 January 2012, following the success of the 20th anniversary specials, it was rumoured that Saunders was set to write another Christmas special for 2012. The BBC were rumoured to also be urging her to write a sixth series for 2013. Saunders denied the reports of additional episodes via her Twitter account.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: The theme song for "Absolutely Fabulous" is "This Wheel's on Fire", written by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko and performed by Julie Driscoll and Saunders' Comic Strip fellow and later husband, Adrian Edmondson. The song was also sung by Marianne Faithfull and P. P. Arnold for the two-part special, "The Last Shout", in 1996. Hermine Demoriane sang the theme song with a French accent over the closing credits of the series 4 episode "Paris" in 2001. At the end of the series 1 episode "Birthday", Edina and Patsy sang the song together on a karaoke machine. It was later performed by Debbie Harry and Edmondson in the 2002 Christmas special "Gay" (where Harry also guest-starred), as well as in series 5. For series 4, a line sung by David Bowie, "Ziggy played guitar", from his song "Ziggy Stardust", played at the end of each episode.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Due to copyright issues, the theme song is missing from many of the US Region 1 DVDs, being replaced by an instrumental version of the song. Also excised from the US DVD release is the musical number from "Chicago" performed by Horrocks, Gaffney, and Ryan, during a dream sequence in the series 5 episode "Birthin'".


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In addition to the official theme song, in 1994, Pet Shop Boys recorded a song for "Comic Relief" using excerpts of dialogue from the series put to dance music. The single was attributed to "Absolutely Fabulous produced by Pet Shop Boys". It peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart in July 1994. The music video featured clips from the show and specially recorded footage of the Pet Shop Boys with Patsy and Edina.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: On 10 June 2016, Kylie Minogue released a cover version of "This Wheel's on Fire" for the soundtrack to "Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie", prior to the film's release in July 2016.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: On 29 November 2016, Jennifer Saunders confirmed that "She was done" with "Absolutely Fabulous" and it would not be returning to television for another series, or specials, nor would a sequel to the film be made. Saunders said that she wished to focus on new projects and spend more time with her family. Even so, as soon after that as 2018, Saunders, when asked about the prospect of reviving the programme yet again, did not completely dismiss it, saying "I am thinking at the moment of writing a little something. It has to be age-appropriate otherwise we’d have to be in wheelchairs basically. I think Julia is old enough to be my mother now." Saunders said the prospect of writing new stories with those characters was "always on [her] mind, always".


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In November 2020, Joanna Lumley was asked about the possibility of another revival and said that that would be up to Saunders. Lumley said it was unlikely, as in her view Saunders did not seem to want to work on new stories featuring the characters at that time. Lumley said that June Whitfield's death in December 2018 also meant it was less likely to happen, but said if Saunders wished to write new "Ab Fab" stories, she would be up for returning to play Patsy; she said "wait and see".


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Many celebrities, mainly British or American, appeared in the series, most of them as themselves. They include:


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In Portugal, "Ab Fab" has been shown on RTP2. In Serbia, the first series was aired in 1998, through a network of local television stations. In 2004 the series was aired in its entirety on B92, while in the Czech Republic all episodes have been shown. In North Macedonia, all episodes have been shown a couple of times on Sitel. In the Netherlands and Flanders, the series is popular, still being regularly re-broadcast by the VPRO and Canvas, respectively. In Sweden, all episodes were first broadcast by SVT, but reruns have later appeared on other channels. In Germany, it was broadcast by the Franco-German TV network Arte and gay-oriented channel TIMM. In France, before it was rerun on terrestrial TV arte, it was successively premiered on pay TV channel Canal +, cable channel Jimmy, and is now broadcast on France 4. In Finland, the series was broadcast by YLE TV1. In Estonia, the series was broadcast by ETV. In Poland, two series were broadcast by Wizja Jeden, later by TVP3, TVN7 and BBC Entertainment.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In Australia, all series were originally shown on the ABC, and on cable on UK.TV, and moved to The Comedy Channel in 2007. Repeats of the first three series were also shown on the Seven network. The ABC continues to show it sporadically and shows Christmas Specials and occasional repeats of series 5 episodes. ABC2 also shows repeats of the show. As of 6–7 August 2016, the series was shown on Nine Network's sister channel 9Gem to promote the upcoming film adaption. In New Zealand all five series were broadcast on TVNZ. In India, all five series, including the specials, have been shown on BBC Entertainment.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In the United States, "Absolutely Fabulous" premiered on 24 July 1994 on Comedy Central with a 12-episode marathon. It has also been broadcast by some public television stations, but not as part of the PBS program offerings, BBC America, Oxygen Network, and as of 2011, Logo, a gay-oriented channel. In Canada, the programme has appeared on the BBC Canada, the CBC, The Comedy Network and VisionTV. In the United States at April 2021, the entire series is being included with Amazon’s Prime streaming service; while listed slightly differently, e.g., ‘Season 5” adds the final three episodes from 2011 to the British series 5 from 2003-2004, all episodes are available with a Prime membership. It is also available on the Britbox streaming service.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In Israel, some of the series was aired on Yes Plus and on BBC Entertainment. In Brazil, all episodes have been aired on Eurochannel & Multishow at late 90's & 2000's beginning, and in 2010's at GNT.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Tim Gray of "Variety" magazine said that ""Absolutely Fabulous", British sitcom about a rich, self-absorbed, falling-down-drunk woman, is not as funny as it intends to be, but it is absolutely unique, absolutely rude and absolutely politically incorrect". He also said that ""AbFab" offers no sense of justice, which may give viewers the heebie-jeebies, since Americans like to believe that the wicked, even if they are amusing, will get punished. But the characters are originals, and "AbFab" has the courage of its convictions, encouraging audiences to find humor in such recent comedic taboos as substance abuse or mistreated offspring."


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Michael Hogan of "The Daily Telegraph" gave the 20th Anniversary specials a negative review; following the "Olympics" episode, he commented, "The special Olympic edition of "Absolutely Fabulous" [...] would have won no medals for comedy." He added, "This was the last of three 20th anniversary specials, the first pair of which were shown over Christmas. Every single one of those 20 years showed on-screen during this torturous half-hour."


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In a more favourable review, Meredith Blake of "The A.V. Club" stated, "While longtime "AbFab" fans will enjoy this latest incarnation of the series, which has been reprised multiple times since its official end in 1995, 'Identity' most definitely isn't for "AbFab" neophytes, who will most likely be confused by the broad performances, the outré costumes, and the disembodied canned laughter."


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In 2000, "Absolutely Fabulous" was ranked as the 17th greatest British television show of all time by the British Film Institute (BFI). In 1997, the pilot episode, "Fashion", was ranked #47 on "TV Guide"s "100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time" list. A scene from the show was included in the "TV's 100 Greatest Moments" programme broadcast by Channel 4 in 1999. In 2004 and 2007, the show was ranked #24 and #29 on "TV Guide"s "Top Cult Shows Ever" list. In 2019, the series ranked #9 in "Radio Times"' top 20 British sitcoms of all time. "Absolutely Fabulous" has a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: From its very earliest series, "Absolutely Fabulous" won a devoted cult status with gay audiences, which persists to this day. There have been numerous tributes over the years, such as an "Absolutely Fabulous" drag show at Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and the song "Absolutely Fabulous" by synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. Later series of the show leaned in to its cult status, including more gay-related storylines, such as Edina's search for her estranged gay son, and Edina and Patsy marrying each other in a same-sex commitment ceremony.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: A proposed American remake that would have starred Carrie Fisher and Barbara Carrera was put into motion by Roseanne Barr, but never materialised. However, Barr did incorporate many elements of the show into the ninth season of her eponymous show "Roseanne", in which her character wins the lottery: Saunders and Lumley reprised their characters Edina and Patsy, and Mo Gaffney also appeared in the episode, though not as her character Bo. Two later American sitcoms, "Cybill" and "High Society", also adapted elements of "Absolutely Fabulous" for the American audience.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: It was announced on 7 October 2008 that an American version of the series was in the works. The series was to be relocated to Los Angeles. "Saturday Night Live" writer Christine Zander worked on the new scripts and would have been executive producer along with Saunders and BBC Worldwide's Ian Moffitt. Sony Pictures Television, BBC Worldwide, and indie Tantamount were producing the new series for Fox, which greenlighted the pilot as a possible Fall 2009 entry with Kathryn Hahn as Eddy and Kristen Johnston as Patsy. In May 2009, Fox decided not to commission a full series.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: The stage for the kitchen in "Ab Fab" was subsequently used as the stage for the shop in the British comedy "Miranda". Miranda Hart, creator of the show, had previously appeared on "Absolutely Fabulous".


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: "Mirrorball" was a pilot set in the London theatre scene, starring the cast of "Absolutely Fabulous" as alternative characters. While writing and filming the show, Saunders was inspired to revive "Absolutely Fabulous" for a fourth series, which resulted in her abandoning "Mirrorball". It was eventually aired as a television special, and is included as a special feature on the DVD of the fourth series. Some characters original to Mirrorball feature in the fourth series.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: A French film inspired by "Absolutely Fabulous", titled "Absolument fabuleux", was released in 2001. It was written and directed by Gabriel Aghion, and starred Josiane Balasko as Eddy and Nathalie Baye as Patsy. Saunders had a small cameo alongside Catherine Deneuve as a spectator at a fashion show. Amanda Lear was asked to play the part of Patsy but turned it down laughingly, saying she had "already lived it".


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In 2011, prior to the release of the new episodes for 2011/2012, "Deadline Hollywood" reported that Saunders planned to begin writing a script for a film of "Absolutely Fabulous" in 2012. The film would begin with Edina and Patsy waking up on an oligarch's deserted yacht, drifting in the ocean. Saunders later said that the film will be set on the French Riviera. In March 2012, Saunders confirmed that she was working on the script. She said of the film's plotline:


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Saunders also stated that now that she had announced plans for a feature, there was no going back. She would do it for no other reason than to have her alter-ego and Patsy walk down the red carpet at the film's premiere. In April 2013 Saunders said on the "Alan Carr Chatty Man" show that she had doubts about the film as she felt the cast were "too old". She felt pressure to write it and did not want to commit herself to it at this early stage.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: On 4 January 2014 whilst appearing on "The Jonathan Ross Show", Saunders officially confirmed that the movie will definitely be happening, as she felt obliged to write a script for a film adaptation after threatening it for so long. Saunders was quoted as saying: "Joanna Lumley kept announcing it and saying, 'Yes she's going to do it,' and then Dawn French on our radio show at Christmas said, 'I bet £100,000 that you don't write it,' so now I have to write it, otherwise I have to pay her £100,000'". In April 2014, Saunders again confirmed on BBC Breakfast that she was in the process of writing the film, and gave a prospective release date of sometime during 2015.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Principal photography on the film began on 12 October 2015 in the south of France and it premiered in London on 29 June 2016.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: "Absolutely Fabulous" was initially released on VHS in the UK by BBC Video ending with the eight-VHS box set "Series 1–4" in November 2002. In the United States, series 1 and 2 were released together on Laserdisc by CBS/FOX in a boxed set in 1995, followed by series 3, released by CBS/FOX the following year and "The Last Shout" released by Image Entertainment in 1997. All episodes were later released on DVD, including a five-DVD box set titled "The Complete DVD Collection: Series 1–4" in 2002. All releases were distributed by BBC Video and 2 Entertain (post 2004) except for "The Last Shout" which was released by Vision Video and Universal Studios. The entire series is also available on demand on iTunes. When the first three series were re-released on DVD, they did not include corresponding cover photography to their series: Series 1 included an image from the Series 3 episode "Jealous", Series 2 had an image from Series 3 episode "Doorhandle" and Series 3 is from the Series 2 episode "Poor". All other releases included imagery from the correct series, as do the original VHS releases.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In North America, all episodes have been released on DVD by BBC Video and Warner Home Video, including a complete collection named "Absolutely Everything". "The Last Shout" and "Gay" (which were released in the UK individually) were released as a collection called "Absolutely Special" in 2003. Another feature-length special "White Box" was released exclusively to the American market. It was eventually released in the United Kingdom on 15 November 2010 with its inclusion in the "Absolutely Everything" box set.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Other releases include "Absolutely Not", a bloopers and outtakes collection, and "Absolutely Fabulous: A Life" (released as "Ab Fab: Moments" in the United States exclusively to VHS), a mockumentary including 15 minutes of new material interspersed with clips from the series. Both were only released on VHS in the UK; the latter was also released as a special feature on the box set release "Absolutely Everything" in America.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: Save for "The Last Shout", and the specials "Gay" (aka "Absolutely Fabulous in New York"), and "White Box", the entire series is available to stream via Hulu. The series is also available on Netflix.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In the United Kingdom, VHS releases were distributed by BBC Video, except "The Last Shout" which was released by Vision Video, the final release being in 2002.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: All episodes have now been released on DVD in the United Kingdom. "White Box", which was released in North America, was never available individually in the UK and was not available until its inclusion in the 2010 "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything" box set. The North American release "Absolutely Special" has been released in the UK as two separate releases: "The Last Shout" and "Gay". All releases in the UK were distributed by BBC Video except "The Last Shout" which was released by Vision Video.


title: Absolutely Fabulous

text: In North America, every episode of the series has been released. All releases are distributed by BBC Video and Warner Home Video.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: RuPaul's Drag Race UK is a British reality competition television series based on the American television series of the same name. The television series, a collaboration between the BBC and World of Wonder, premiered on 3 October 2019. The show is the fourth installment of the "Drag Race" franchise, and the second fronted by RuPaul. The show documents RuPaul and a panel of judges' search for "the United Kingdom's next drag superstar", the first series title dubbed "UK's First Drag Superstar". RuPaul plays several roles on the show including host, mentor and head judge for the series, as the contestants are given different challenges to participate in each week. The show also employs a panel of judges: RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: The show was renewed for a second series in 2019; however, production was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Production of the second series resumed later in the year, with filming concluding in late 2020. The cast of 12 new queens was announced on 16 December 2020 and the series premiered on 14 January 2021. The show was renewed for a third (2021), fourth (2022) and fifth (2023) series. After the first series aired, the show received numerous award nominations from the twenty-fifth National Television Awards including: "The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award" and "Best TV Judge" with both Visage and RuPaul receiving a nomination.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: The show was critically acclaimed in the UK, with 15.6 million streams during the first season. The shows success is credited for being the driving force behind the BBC bringing back the defunct television channel BBC Three. Spin-off show, "" relaunched the television channel in February 2022. The return proved successful, with the show securing five times more viewers than any other show broadcasting during the programmes time slot. The show is now recognised as one of the BBC's most popular non-scripted shows. The show's success has also paved way for contestants to break into the music industry, as well as creating drag pop groups: Frock Destroyers and United Kingdolls, with both groups charting on the Official UK Charts. Bimini Bon-Boulash who was a member of the latter group, was the first drag queen from any Drag Race franchise to sign a major mainstream record deal, signing a joint deal with Relentless Records and Sony Music in July 2022. A number of contestants from the show have also signed major modelling contracts. The show also produced spin-off series "God Shave the Queens", which follows the Drag Race contestants on tour together after the completion of the show. The show's success also resulted in the BBC purchasing broadcasting rights for both "Canada's Drag Race" and "RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under".


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: "RuPaul's Drag Race" originated in the United States, where it was devised as a replacement for "" (2007–2009), and has been adapted in various countries. The show's aim is to find the next "Drag Superstar", with the winner occupying the traits of "charisma", "uniqueness", "nerve" and "talent". RuPaul has stated that the show looks for an entertainer who can stand out from the rest. Whereas Fenton Bailey has stated that: Everyone can relate to the feeling of being an outsider".


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: In 2014, it was speculated that Jonathan Ross was in talks to host a UK version of "Drag Race". Where he had stated that he was working on the version with UK drag queen, Jodie Harsh, along with Katie Price as one of the judges. However, production took a halt in April 2014, due to Ross having to work on family issues. A year later in 2015, Ross and Price assisted RuPaul in a one-off search of the "UK Drag Race Ambassador", which Series 1 winner, The Vivienne won in 2015. The Vivienne won a trip to the set of the American version of the show. Production of the show continued but again came to a standstill because TV show producers didn't think anyone would watch it.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: During Michelle Visage's time on "Celebrity Big Brother", she said; "I tell you what, I could cast "RuPaul's Drag Race" the British invasion or the UK version in five minutes because there's so much talent over there. It's so different, the Liverpool queens, to the Blackpool queens, to the Mancunian queens, to the London queens. I'm not going to stop until ["RuPaul's Drag Race UK"] gets made. Trust me." Channel 5 expressed interest in broadcasting the show in 2018. However, in June 2018, the producers of the American version hinted that a British version of the show was in the works. Fenton Bailey then confirmed that he, Randy Barbato and RuPaul had a meeting with the BBC and that "something is coming, be afraid – be very afraid. Nothing’s impossible."


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: Visage said about her driving force to get a UK version made: "Let me tell you I'm a big driving force behind it happening because I came over here like six or seven years ago and started performing in the gay bars. And I saw the love and the passion for "Drag Race" and that's the reason I did "Celebrity Big Brother" five years ago, was to bring attention to it. I knew that the LGBTQIA+ community in the UK needed their own version. These kids craved it, they deserved it. So, I fought really hard for this British version to happen. It took five years, but it ended up where it belonged at the BBC of all places. And it was a huge hit because there's so much heart and so much love in the UK for the art of drag." The show was commissioned by Fiona Campbell, Controller BBC Three and Kate Phillips, Controller, BBC Entertainment. The executive producers are RuPaul Charles, Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, Sally Miles and Bruce McCoy, and the BBC commissioning editor is Ruby Kuraishe. Bailey credits the show as a turning point, because it helped demonstrate the show's universality.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: Like the American version, RuPaul has several roles within the show, acting as host, coach and judge. As the host, RuPaul introduces celebrity guests, announces the challenges the queens will take part in each week, and reveals who will be leaving the competition. For his role as a coach, RuPaul offers guidance to the contestants through each challenge, and as a judge, he critiques the queens on their overall performance of the challenge. The show uses progressive elimination to reduce the number of drag queens in the competition from the initial field of ten contestants (series 1), down until the final three, who compete in the final challenge, and the final two lip-syncing for the crown. Each episode follows a format consisting of a mini-challenge, a main challenge, a runway walk (where the contestants model fashion on a runway, usually with a theme based on the main challenge), the judging panel, a lip sync battle, and the elimination of a contestant.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: Spin-off series "RuPaul's Drag Race UK: The Podcast", presented by Scarlett Moffatt and Baby Lame, airs on BBC Sounds, with interviews with the queens who "Sashay Away" each week, as well as guests.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: In mini-challenges, each contestant is asked to perform a different task with varying requirements and time limitations. Certain mini-challenges are repeated from series to series, or repeated from the original American season. For instance, the first mini-challenge is a photo shoot with a photographer or RuPaul himself, that includes a special twist (such as being doused with water while in full drag, having a high-powered fan turned on during the shoot, or being photographed while jumping on a trampoline): in the UK version, the queens had to do something with their own heads via Green Screen. Another recurring mini-challenge is dedicated to "reading", a drag term for making insulting observations about one's peers for comedic effect, inspired by "Paris Is Burning". The winner of a mini-challenge is sometimes rewarded with an advantage in the main challenge. Though most episodes have a mini-challenge, select episodes do not.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: The requirements of the maxi challenge vary across each episode and can be individual or group challenges. The winner of the maxi challenge also receives a special prize for their win, for example, a "RuPeter Badge" a spoof of the CBBC's famous "Blue Peter" badge, which would be received for doing something well. The final maxi challenge consisted of the queens taking part in an all-singing and all-dancing routine to one of RuPaul's songs.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: The goal of each maxi challenge involves a new theme and outcome. Contestants are often asked to design and construct a custom outfit, sometimes incorporating unconventional materials. Other challenges focus on the contestants' ability to present themselves on camera, perform with music, or perform humorously. Some challenges became a tradition across series, such as the "Snatch Game" (in which the contestants impersonate celebrities in a recreation of "Blankety Blank"s US equivalent, "Match Game"), a ball or a makeover, in which the contestants create drag personas for other people. The contestants walk down a runway presenting outfits. If the maxi challenge involves the creation of an outfit, that outfit is presented to the judges on the runway. Otherwise, a theme is assigned and the contestants must put together a look that fits the theme, which is presented to the judges. The runway looks and presentation are judged along with the maxi challenge performance.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: A panel of judges cast opinions about the challenge performances and runway looks, first to the contestants onstage, and then again with them offstage.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: RuPaul, as with the original American version, acts as both the host and main judge, with Michelle Visage supporting him on the panel every episode. Graham Norton and Alan Carr act as rotating supporting judges, with one of them usually appearing on the panel each episode. For the seventh episode of the fourth series RuPaul was absent from the panel and Visage acted as stand-in host and main judge.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: Guest judges in Series 1 included Maisie Williams, Geri Halliwell, Jade Thirlwall, Andrew Garfield, Michaela Coel, Cheryl, and Twiggy. MNEK and AJ & Curtis Pritchard served as guest vocalists and choreographers to the contestants during themed tasks. Dawn French revealed herself to be the first guest judge of the second series. She went onto reveal that the BBC had originally asked French to be a main judge on the first series. French said: "They did originally ask me if I would be a full-time judge, but I couldn't – because I just don't live in London. But I am going to be a guest judge in a couple of weeks." She further revealed that for the second series, due to COVID-19, that each of the judges would sit on their own panel, instead of sitting together on one panel. As well as a "sort of Perspex between each judge". Series 4 guest judges were revealed on 31 August 2022 to include: Olly Alexander, Boy George, Alison Hammond, Mel B, Dame Joanna Lumley, Lorraine Pascale, Leomie Anderson, FKA Twigs, Hannah Waddingham, and former "RuPaul's Drag Race" contestant Raven.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: The first series of "RuPaul's Drag Race UK" began airing on 3 October 2019 on the BBC Three section of BBC iPlayer in the UK and World of Wonder's WOW Presents Plus streaming service internationally, and ran for 8 episodes. The cast was announced on 21 August on YouTube and Instagram. Baga Chipz, Divina de Campo and The Vivienne made the final, with The Vivienne being crowned the UK's First Drag Superstar and heading to Hollywood to star in their own digital TV series. In October 2020, Series 1 contestant, Crystal sued Laurence Fox for defamation after he called them a "paedophile" on social media as he ranted at Sainsbury's for supporting Black Lives Matter. It was revealed that the contestants from Series 1 would all star in a documentary web television series about the tour following the first series of "RuPaul's Drag Race UK". The show originally premiered internationally on 10 September 2020 on WOW Presents Plus and will debut on BBC iPlayer on 15 November 2020. The eight-episode series follows "RuPaul's Drag Race UK" Series 1 contestants and it also features Alyssa Edwards from Season 5 of the American version as the host of the six-city tour across the UK, titled "God Shave the Queens". The first series was a massive success generating many memes, huge critical acclaim, picking up numerous award nominations, and even breaking into the music charts with a top ten single, series one of "RuPaul's Drag Race UK" was a triumph for BBC Three, with a huge 15.6 million requests on iPlayer so far.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: The second series of "RuPaul's Drag Race UK" was confirmed and casting was closed on 15 November 2019. Filming was indefinitely suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2020, Visage confirmed that the show would return once government guidelines were lifted. Visage said: "It's gonna happen but we just can't do it in quarantine. So once the guidelines are lifted then we'll have more information but we are excited to get underway." On 29 October 2020, during an interview on "Lorraine", Carr revealed that production had begun again and he was due to resume filming the second series of the show within two weeks. Carr revealed that RuPaul and Visage who go through the application auditions to choose which queens will make it onto the show, had more than double the applicants than the first series. Carr also revealed that he never knows who he is going to be on the show with, as it is so secretive and when he turns up to judge the show, he does not know which queens are still in the competition and who will be the guest judges. He said of his excitement of filming the show; "They've already filmed the first one. I can't wait. I'm going to be like that kid in that Alton Towers advert saying, One more sleep!" During an interview on judge Norton's show, "The Graham Norton Show", Dawn French revealed herself to be the first guest judge of the series. French revealed that the panel had now been changed to a socially distanced panel, and each of the judges had to sit at their own smaller panel, as opposed to the usual sitting together. French further revealed that the BBC had originally asked her to be a full-time judge for the first series, however she had to decline because she did not live in London and would mean a lot of travelling for her. In November 2020, BBC revealed that series two would air in early 2021. A spokesperson for the BBC said, "Our lips are still sealed with regards to the incoming queens, and extra special celebrity judges, BUT we can tell you that the second series will be even bigger than the first, with twelve queens battling it out for the title of the UK's Next Drag Superstar over ten weeks." There will be 12 queens competing for the title of "UK's Next Drag Superstar", over 10 episodes. RuPaul revealed he was "Looking forward to better days! I'm happy to announce the triumphant return of "RuPaul’s Drag Race UK". Early in 2021, season two will arrive with all the hope, joy, laughter and glitter you’ve come to expect from our brilliant queens. We're also currently casting season three with the best and the brightest Great Britain has to offer. We feel honored that you've embraced our little show, and our only wish is that we can offer a smile at a time when we can all use it the most." It was announced on 15 December 2020, that the second series would premier on 14 January 2021. Gemma Collins was revealed to be a panellist on the Snatch Game episode. Unlike Series 1, four queens made it to the finale with Lawrence Chaney being crowned the winner, and Bimini Bon-Boulash and Tayce as runners-up.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, World of Wonder Co-Founders and Executive Producers, revealed that 2021 would have two series of "RuPaul's Drag Race UK". Stating: "Sashay away 2020. 2021 is just around the corner, and with it not one but two seasons of "RuPaul's Drag Race UK". We are thrilled to be doing our part to make 2021 much betta!" Casting for the third series opened on 2 November 2020. One of the queens confirmed to compete is Veronica Green, who was promised an open invitation to return to the show after having to leave Series 2 due to a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. The series began airing on 23 September, and concluded on 25 November 2021. Ella Vaday, Kitty Scott-Claus and Krystal Versace made it to the final episode, with Krystal Versace winning the third series. It was the last series to aired on BBC One as BBC Three block before the return of BBC Three as a television channel. In October 2021, BBC Three announced the opening for the casting of the fourth series. Casting closed on 10 November 2021. Series 3 contestant, Victoria Scone, who had to withdraw from the series announced she would not return to the fourth series despite receiving an open invitation. "RuPaul's Drag Race UK" was nominated for two 2022 British Academy Television Awards including, "Must-See Moment" and "Best Reality and Constructed Factual Series".


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: Series 1 contestants Blu Hydrangea, Baga Chipz and Cheryl Hole partook in the spin-off series "" in 2022, which relaunched BBC Three as a television channel on 1 February 2022. The series was filmed in March 2021, in Manchester at the same location as the third series of the show. In this series, the two best performing queens of the challenge must "Lip Sync for the World", with the winner of the lip sync earning a golden "RuPeter Badge" and choosing which one of the bottom queens to eliminate. Blu Hydrangea emerged as the winner from the series, with "RuPaul's Drag Race" Season 10 and "All Stars" Season 4 contestant Mo Heart as the runner-up. The series premiered with impressive viewing figures drawing in 1 million live viewers.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: On 27 October 2021, it was announced via the show's official Instagram page that casting for Series 4 was now open. The deadline and casting close date was 10 November 2021. "Sex Education" star Hannah Waddingham was the first celebrity guest judge revealed to appear on the fourth series. Waddingham revealed she would be featured as a guest judge on the show during an episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" which RuPaul was the celebrity guest host. Waddingham disclosed; "I'm a guest judge on "RuPaul's Drag Race UK". I mean, I was giddy as all hell about that. Michelle [Visage] will tell you, I was like: 'Can't believe I'm here'". Judge Graham Norton revealed in an interview with "Gay Times" that the competitors that appeared on the fourth series were "some of the best queens we’ve ever seen". Norton said because the series was a post-COVID-19 season, the queens had a lot more freedom. Norton said, "It was very hard for the [season three] queens in COVID because they weren’t making any money and lots of the dressmakers had stopped working. I think it was really hard during COVID, so this is definitely a post-COVID season and it's great. You can look forward to it. You don’t need to worry!" BBC's chief executive's confirmed that the fourth season will be part of the autumn schedule, likely to begin airing in September. Mel B was revealed to be a guest judge on the series. Alison Hammond and Tess Daly were also confirmed to be making a cameo appearance. On 30 August 2022, BBC revealed a teaser of the show with the slogan "Bring it to the RUNW4Y". The following day, BBC confirmed the celebrity guest judges for the season would include: Dame Joanna Lumley, Boy George, Leomie Anderson, Olly Alexander, FKA Twigs, Lorraine Pascale and Hammond would in fact feature as a celebrity guest judge and not feature as a cameo appearance. Giovanni Pernice was announced as the shows resident choreographer for the season. Aisling Bea will also make a cameo appearance during the comedy challenge. Lumley stated: "It thrills me to be a part of "RuPaul's Drag Race UK". The show is astounding at every level, and I loved it from the very start. RuPaul is the definition of what it is to be fabulous, and the show is packed with mad creativity, humour, and drop-dead glamour." Whereas Boy George stated: ""Drag Race" is such a phenomena and it has unleashed intense creativity and debate. RuPaul has made the concept of drag into a household name! I’m part of the drag daisy chain. Every nice drag queen is my sister and the rest are second cousins! It was a lot of fun being part of the show." It was later revealed that Daly and AJ Odudu would feature during the Snatch Game episode. The BBC subsequently revealed the premiere date for fourth series would be 22 September 2022. By September 2022, "Drag Race UK" has recorded 51 million stream requests in the United Kingdom, becoming one of the network's most successful shows. On 2 September 2022, BBC announced the renewal of the show for a fifth series and casting was open, and would remain open for two weeks until 16 September. The competitors for the fourth series were revealed on 7 September 2022 on social media. The cast also featured Dakota Schiffer, the first openly transgender contestant to compete in the British version of the show. RuPaul was absent during the seventh episode of the fourth series, therefore Visage took place as main judge and host, whilst Raven took Visage's spot on the judging panel. It subsequently made it the first episode RuPaul had missed from across all the "Drag Race universe" hosted by RuPaul himself. Coincidentally, it made Raven the first former "Drag Race" contestant to judge on a RuPaul fronted franchise.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: On 23 September 2022, the BBC reported that Series 2 contestant, Cherry Valentine, had died at the age of 28. Cherry Valentine's family released the following statement: "It is with the most heart wrenching and deepest sadness to inform you that our George – Cherry Valentine – has tragically passed away. This will come as a profound shock to most people & we understand there is no easy way for this to be announced. As his family, we are still processing his death and our lives will never be the same. We understand how much he is loved and how many lives he has inspired and touched. All we ask is for your patience and your prayers in this time. We love you Georgie 30 November 1993 – 18 September 2022." Subsequently, the second episode from Series 4 was dedicated to Cherry Valentine in their memory on 29 September 2022. Cheddar Gorgeous, Danny Beard, Black Peppa and Jonbers Blonde made it to the finale on 24 November 2022, with Danny Beard winning the competition.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: There has been a total of 45 contestants featured in four series of "RuPaul's Drag Race UK" so far with The Vivienne, Lawrence Chaney, Krystal Versace and Danny Beard being crowned UK's Next Drag Superstar.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: On 21 December 2021, World of Wonder announced that a spin-off series "" would premiere on 1 February 2022, with the BBC announcing that the series would coincide with the relaunch of BBC Three as a television channel. The series will feature queens from the first three series of the show, along with international queens who have competed in the "Drag Race" franchise around the world. The winner of the first series of "RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World" was Northern Ireland's Blu Hydrangea, with Mo Heart of the United States as the runner-up.


title: RuPaul's Drag Race UK

text: The first series was broadcast on the Logo TV network in the US, on OutTV and Crave in Canada, on Vitaya in Belgium, on DR TV in Denmark, on Stan in Australia, on Yes Drama in Israel and on Star+ in Brazil, While the second series was broadcast on Real Time in Italy, under the name "Drag Race UK".


title: Ferrari F40

text: The Ferrari F40 ("tipo" F120) is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car engineered by Nicola Materazzi with styling by Pininfarina. It was built from 1987 to 1992, with the LM and GTE race car versions continuing production until 1994 and 1996 respectively. As the successor to the 288 GTO (also engineered by Materazzi), it was designed to celebrate Ferrari's 40th anniversary and was the last Ferrari automobile personally approved by Enzo Ferrari. At the time it was Ferrari's fastest, most powerful, and most expensive car for sale.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The car debuted with a planned production total of 400 units and a factory suggested retail price of approximately US$400,000 (fivefold the price of its predecessor, the 288 GTO) in 1987 ($ today). One of those that belonged to the Formula One driver Nigel Mansell was sold for the then record of £1 million in 1990, a record that stood into the 2010s. A total of 1,315 cars were manufactured with 213 units destined for the United States.


title: Ferrari F40

text: As early as 1984, Materazzi had proposed to Enzo Ferrari the idea of using the Group B 4-litre category (2.857-litre if turbocharged) to prove the performance of new road cars which with increased power could no longer safely display their performance on the road in the hands of regular buyers. Since Enzo Ferrari no longer had control over the production part of the business, Materazzi had to obtain permission from the General Manager Eugenio Alzati. Permission was granted but only at the condition that work would take place outside of the Monday to Friday work week. A very small team thus developed the GTO Evoluzione on Saturdays to compete in the same class entered by the Porsche 959 in FIA Group B.


title: Ferrari F40

text: However, when the FIA brought an end to the Group B category for the 1986 season, Enzo Ferrari was left with five 288 GTO Evoluzione development cars, and no series to enter them into competition. These were left for enthusiasts who might consider purchasing one until a validation driver convinced Enzo Ferrari that Materazzi could keep the base car concept alive and make it roadworthy. Enzo's desire to leave a legacy in his final sports car allowed the Evoluzione program to be further developed to produce a car exclusively for road use. In particular Ferrari had been impressed with the development of recent cars which claimed back much of the performance deficit inflicted by ever more restrictive emissions regulations.


title: Ferrari F40

text: In response to the quite simple, but very expensive car with relatively little out of the ordinary being called a "cynical money-making exercise" aimed at speculators, a figure from the Ferrari marketing department was quoted as saying "We wanted it to be very fast, sporting in the extreme and Spartan," "Customers had been saying our cars were becoming too plush and comfortable." "The F40 is for the most enthusiastic of our owners who want nothing but sheer performance. It isn't a laboratory for the future, as the 959 is. It is not Star Wars. And it wasn't created because Porsche built the 959. It would have happened anyway." In fact the reasons for the car's rawness and simplicity are very much linked to Materazzi's racing background (starting from the Stratos Gr.4, the Gr.5 Silhouette, then the Osella F2 and F1 cars, the 126C and eventually the 288 GTO).


title: Ferrari F40

text: The body of the F40 was designed by under the supervision of, soon to retire, Aldo Brovarone of studio Pininfarina. Nicola Materazzi meanwhile worked on evolutions of the engine, gearbox and other mechanical parts of the car to make them roadworthy. Many of these were well validated in the 288 GTO Evoluzione, from which the F40 takes many styling cues. From the beginning of the project on 10 June 1986 Enzo Ferrari asked for the car to be completed in a very short space of time (11 months) and be presented in the summer of 1987. For this reason he gave Materazzi permission to choose all the engineers in the team. Some of the development of the car, such as the bodywork was carried out at external companies like Michelotto Automobili (in Padua) who had experience in rally and race preparation (Stratos, GTO Evo, subsequently 333SP, 348, 355, 360, 430, 458).


title: Ferrari F40

text: Power came from an enlarged, high-revving version of the 288 GTO's IHI four-stroke 90 degree twin turbocharged and intercooled V8 engine generating a peak power output of at 7,000 rpm and of torque at 4,000 rpm as stated by the manufacturer. Gearing, torque curves and actual power output differed among the cars. The F40 did without a catalytic converter until 1990, when US regulations made them a requirement for emissions control reasons. The flanking exhaust pipes guide exhaust gases from each bank of cylinders while the central pipe guides gases released from the wastegate of the turbochargers.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The suspension setup was similar to the GTO's double wishbone setup, though many parts were upgraded and settings were changed; the unusually low ground clearance prompted Ferrari to include the ability to raise the vehicle's ground clearance when necessary for later cars via hydraulic lift chambers in the front dampers.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The body was an entirely new design by Pininfarina featuring panels made of Kevlar, carbon fibre, and aluminium for strength and low weight, and intense aerodynamic testing employed. Weight was further minimised through the use of a polycarbonate plastic windshield and windows. The cars did have moderate air conditioning, but had no sound system, door handles, glove box, leather trim, carpets, or door panels. The first 50 cars produced had sliding Lexan windows, while later cars were fitted with wind down windows.


title: Ferrari F40

text: All cars technically left the factory in "Rosso Corsa" colour and left hand drive. At least seven cars were modified and delivered to the Sultan of Brunei in right hand drive. The Sultan employed Pininfarina's prototype manager Paolo Garella to make modifications to the cars (colour, power, interior comforts).


title: Ferrari F40

text: Cooling was important as the forced induction engine generated a great deal of heat. As a consequence, the car was somewhat like an open-wheel racing car with a body. It had a partial undertray to smooth airflow beneath the radiator, front section, and the cabin, and a second one with diffusers behind the engine, but the engine bay was not sealed. It has a .


title: Ferrari F40

text: Owing to the fact that the car had an additional 80 bhp compared to the 288 GTO, a new tyre had to be developed to cope with power which was typically associated with racing cars. Materazzi leaned on his good experience with the Pirelli head of development Mario Mezzanotte, who he had known since the rallying years with the Lancia cars.


title: Ferrari F40

text: Pirelli made a carcass with light materials (including Kevlar) after the experience gained in the Formula 1 seasons of 1980 to 1985 and asymmetrical tread patterns to create the P-Zero specifically for the F40.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The F40 was revealed on 21 July 1987 at the Civic Centre in Maranello. Originally the presentation was due to happen at the Frankfurt motorshow according to Materazzi but FIAT needed to present the Alfa Romeo 164 at that show and the two would have clashed. Hence on insistence of Enzo Ferrari the launch was anticipated by more than two months. Counting from the project incipit (June 1986) until the launch, the car was developed in 13 months.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The promotion of the car was captured by the cameras in a documentary that included footage of Enzo Ferrari past interviews, work inside the factory and the F40 driving through the streets of Modena. F1 driver Michele Alboreto drove the car on several occasions including a Christmas 1987 special programme for the Italian TV and journalist , when the car was filmed driving from Maranello to Milan.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The racing cars were prepared by Michelotto (based in Padua) the Ferrari specialist who had already carried out work on the GTO Evoluzione and on parts of the road going version of the F40.


title: Ferrari F40

text: 3 chassis were prepared and 2 were used in races, with serial numbers 79890 and 79891. The third chassis, with serial number 88521, was intended to be raced and was a spare car that stayed at Michelotto but was never raced.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The car saw competition as early as 1989 when it debuted in the Laguna Seca Raceway round of the IMSA, appearing in the GTO category, with an LM evolution model driven by Jean Alesi, finishing third to the two faster spaceframe four wheel drive Audi 90s and beating a host of other factory backed spaceframe specials that dominated the races. The following race it had to retire after 18 laps.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The next IMSA season, driven by a host of guest drivers such as Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Jacques Laffite and Hurley Haywood, three second places and one third were achieved as best results.


title: Ferrari F40

text: Although the F40 would not return to IMSA for the 1991, it would later be a popular choice by privateers to compete in numerous domestic GT series including JGTC.


title: Ferrari F40

text: In 1994, the car made its debut in international competitions, with one car campaigned in the BPR Global GT Series by Strandell, winning at the 4 Hours of Vallelunga.


title: Ferrari F40

text: In 1995, the number of F40s climbed to four, developed independently by Pilot-Aldix Racing (F40 LM) and Strandell (F40 GTE, racing under the Ferrari Club Italia banner), winning the 4 Hours of Anderstorp. No longer competitive against the newly entered McLaren F1 GTR, the Ferrari F40 returned for another year in 1996, managing to repeat the previous year's Anderstorp win, and from then on it was no longer seen in GT racing. In total 19 cars were produced.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The F40 "Competizione" is a non-sponsored, more powerful version of the F40 LM, which was the result of consumer requests following the order of a French importer who wanted to enter one in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 10 examples were built, all at customer request, the first two being called F40 LM's, and the remaining 8 being F40 "Competizione", as Ferrari felt that the LM tag was too restrictive.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The F40 Competizione is rated at at 8,100 rpm from its upgraded twin-turbocharged V8 engine. The car can reportedly achieve a top speed of about .


title: Ferrari F40

text: Chassis number 80782 was originally purchased as a road car and imported into the Netherlands in 1989 by the official Ferrari importer, Kroymans BV. Work was then done by Peter van Erp of Cavallino Tuning, Kroymans' racing division to convert it into "Competizione" specification, with new shock absorbers, new instrumentation, brakes, bodywork, and a new paint job. The car was campaigned consistently in the Ferrari Challenge, and modifications in 1995 were made to maintain the competitiveness of the car. Modifications were made by British tuning house G-Tex in collaboration with Michelotto, and included air jacks, an upgraded roll hoop, and upgrades to the engine which increased its power output to over . After the car was sold to its most recent owner, it had a decorative makeover which consisted of a repaint in Grigio Nardo and blue fabric seats.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The first independent measurements yielded 0- in 4.7 seconds and a top speed of onto the French "Sport Auto" September 1988 cover.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The next opportunity to reach the claimed top speed was a shootout at Nardò Ring organized by "Auto, Motor und Sport". Ferrari sent two cars but neither could reach more than , beaten by the Porsche 959 S, which attained a top speed of , and the Ruf CTR, which attained a top speed of . Both were limited production cars with only 29 built, so while the F40 never was the world's fastest sports car as self-appraised by Ferrari, it could still claim the title of the fastest production car with over 500 units built until the arrival of the Lamborghini Diablo (depending on how the term "production car" is defined). "Road & Track" measured a top speed of for both the European and US spec cars while "Car and Driver" measured a top speed of .


title: Ferrari F40

text: When the F40 was unveiled in 1987 it received mixed reactions. Dennis Simanaitis praised its looks in "Road & Track", but others were unimpressed. Observers considered it as a cynical attempt to cash in on speculators money after seeing how much was paid for used 288 GTOs and for the Porsche 959. Speculators were expecting Enzo Ferrari's death and to benefit from raising prices.


title: Ferrari F40

text: People could watch speculators selling the cars to each other at public auctions with ever-rising prices up to over 7 times the list price in 1989 (before the bubble burst) which made it even more desirable. Playing a main role in contemporary video games like "F40 Pursuit Simulator (Crazy Cars II)", "Turbo Outrun", "", "Miami Chase", "" and "Out Run Europa" also increased its fame. It appeared on many magazine covers and children's bedroom wall posters.


title: Ferrari F40

text: "Autocar" tested an F40 in 1988 at the Fiorano test circuit. The writer, Mel Nichols, stated: "I do not yet know how whether the F40 is tractable in traffic, fearsome on the wet, harsh on bumpy roads or too noisy on long journeys. It has no luggage space and getting in and out is awkward. But I do know this: on a smooth road it is a scintillatingly fast car that is docile and charming in its nature; a car that is demanding but not difficult to drive, blessed as it is with massive grip and, even more importantly, superb balance and manners. You can use its performance, the closest any production car maker has yet come to race car levels, and revel in it."


title: Ferrari F40

text: In 1988, Ferrari invited journalists to test the F40 at their home track Fiorano Circuit and bring a Porsche 959 along for comparison.


title: Ferrari F40

text: The "Automobile Magazine" and "Car" magazine made an overall verdict, for both of them the Porsche 959 was the better car.


title: Ferrari F40

text: Gordon Murray analysed the car in "Motor Trend" 07/1990: "It's the lack of weight that makes the Ferrari so exciting. There's nothing else magic about the car at all...They're asking two- and three-inch-diameter steel tubes at chassis base datum level to do all the work, and it shows – you can feel the chassis flexing on the circuit and it wobbles all over the place on the road. It really does shake about. And, of course, once you excite the chassis the door panels start rattling and squeaking. Whereas the other cars feel taut and solid, this one's like a big go-kart with a plastic body on it." He severely criticized the old racing technology: "It's not even '60s technology, from a frame point of view, it's '50s twin-tube technology, not even a spaceframe. It's only got local frames to hold the bulkhead to the dash, attach the front suspension, rear suspension and roll bar. And then you have the marketing Kevlar glues in with a quarter-inch of rubber."


title: Ferrari F40

text: "Car and Driver" called the car a "mix of sheer terror and raw excitement". Most fun was accelerating in first gear from , "pure terror" was driving on a busy highway. Rear vision was so bad that lane changes required "leaps of faith".


title: Ferrari F40

text: It was found unfit for daily road use, "clunky and cantankerous" around town, "so mechanically delinquent that an onboard mechanic is advised", to describe driver discomfort "Bangkok debtors' prison" was used. In a comparison test the Lamborghini Diablo was found better looking by the civilians while the testers opted for the F40.


title: Ferrari F40

text: When "Car and Driver" declared the Porsche 911 Turbo the quickest A-to-B four-wheeled transport on American highways, the "nervous" Ferrari F40 wasn't found competitive because of being a 30-minute car. "After that, you'd like a cool drink and a brief nap."


title: Ferrari F40

text: Despite the mixed reviews on the car due to its spartan design and lack of latest technology (when compared to the Porsche 959 and other supercars), the F40 remains a car that is liked by many individuals in the press and owners. "Evo" magazine's 2013 "Ferrari F40 buying guide" started with "For many it's the greatest road-going Ferrari of all". An expert explained its popularity among the Ferrari cognoscenti: "They will never be allowed to make another F40 in today's world of red tape and health and safety. That is what makes it so special and so desirable."


title: Ferrari F40

text: Richard Hammond compared the F40 to the Porsche 959 stating the F40 to be "as visceral and edgy an experience as the 959 is refined and sophisticated."


title: Ferrari F40

text: The value and the appeal of supercars is very subjective. Autocar named it the ultimate car to drive. Pistonheads stated that "There have been prettier, quicker, rarer Ferraris than the one built in its 40th year. But none as special". Motor Sport Magazine re-appraised it for the 21 century noting that its engine power delivery is docile at modest speeds is unleashed when demanded by the driver. Classic And Sportscar concluded after a test with XJ220, EB110 and F40: "It's far from perfect. Actually, perfect isn't even on its radar but it's brutal, ballistic and a bit scary. Magic. No it really is that good." Autoexpress also noted that when the cars have the correct servicing of mechanical components and of the rubberised fuel tanks they are to this day robust and reliable thanks to their simplicity.


title: Ferrari F40

text: Ferrari chief testdriver Dario Benuzzi feels that despite the 1970s and 80s technology, the car is very relevant and interesting to passionate drivers:


title: Ferrari F40

text: “It was a lightweight car with a lot of power and that's what makes it fun to drive. Of course, the handling was also very good. So, all in all, a very good package! I think that, if we'd been able to adopt a steering and brake servo, the F40 would still be a force to be reckoned with among supercars today.”


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) was the official United States policy on military service of non-heterosexual people, instituted during the Clinton administration. The policy was issued under Department of Defense Directive 1304.26 on December 21, 1993, and was in effect from February 28, 1994, until September 20, 2011. The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while barring openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual persons from military service. This relaxation of legal restrictions on service by gays and lesbians in the armed forces was mandated by Public Law 103–160 (Title 10 of the United States Code §654), which was signed November 30, 1993. The policy prohibited people who "demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts" from serving in the armed forces of the United States, because their presence "would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability".


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: The act prohibited any non-heterosexual person from disclosing their sexual orientation or from speaking about any same-sex relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces. The act specified that service members who disclose that they are homosexual or engage in homosexual conduct should be separated (discharged) except when a service member's conduct was "for the purpose of avoiding or terminating military service" or when it "would not be in the best interest of the armed forces". Since DADT ended in 2011, persons who are openly homosexual and bisexual have been able to serve.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: The "don't ask" section of the DADT policy specified that superiors should not initiate an investigation of a service member's orientation without witnessing disallowed behaviors. However, evidence of homosexual behavior deemed credible could be used to initiate an investigation. Unauthorized investigations and harassment of suspected servicemen and women led to an expansion of the policy to "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue, don't harass".


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: Beginning in the early 2000s, several legal challenges to DADT were filed, and legislation to repeal DADT was enacted in December 2010, specifying that the policy would remain in place until the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certified that repeal would not harm military readiness, followed by a 60-day waiting period. A July 6, 2011, ruling from a federal appeals court barred further enforcement of the U.S. military's ban on openly gay service members. President Barack Obama, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen sent that certification to Congress on July 22, 2011, which set the end of DADT to September 20, 2011. Although DADT was officially repealed, the legal definition of marriage as being one man and one woman under the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) meant that, although same-sex partners could get married, their marriage was not recognized by the federal government. This barred partners from access to the same benefits afforded to heterosexual couples such as base access, health care, and United States military pay, including family separation allowance and Basic Allowance for Housing with dependents. The Department of Defense attempted to open some of the benefits that were not restricted by DOMA, but the Supreme Court decision in "United States v. Windsor" (2013) made these efforts unnecessary.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: Engaging in homosexual activity had been grounds for discharge from the American military since the Revolutionary War. Policies based on sexual orientation appeared as the United States prepared to enter World War II. When the military added psychiatric screening to its induction process, it included homosexuality as a disqualifying trait, then seen as a form of psychopathology. When the army issued revised mobilization regulations in 1942, it distinguished "homosexual" recruits from "normal" recruits for the first time. Before the buildup to the war, gay service members were court-martialed, imprisoned, and dishonorably discharged; but in wartime, commanding officers found it difficult to convene court-martial boards of commissioned officers and the administrative blue discharge became the military's standard method for handling gay and lesbian personnel. In 1944, a new policy directive decreed that homosexuals were to be committed to military hospitals, examined by psychiatrists, and discharged under Regulation 615–360, section 8.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: In 1947, blue discharges were discontinued and two new classifications were created: "general" and "undesirable". Under such a system, a serviceman or woman found to be gay but who had not committed any sexual acts while in service would tend to receive an undesirable discharge. Those found guilty of engaging in sexual conduct were usually dishonorably discharged. A 1957 U.S. Navy study known as the Crittenden Report dismissed the charge that homosexuals constitute a security risk, but nonetheless did not advocate for an end to anti-gay discrimination in the navy on the basis that "The service should not move ahead of civilian society nor attempt to set substantially different standards in attitude or action with respect to homosexual offenders." It remained secret until 1976. Fannie Mae Clackum was the first service member to successfully appeal such a discharge, winning eight years of back pay from the US Court of Claims in 1960.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: From the 1950s through the Vietnam War, some notable gay service members avoided discharges despite pre-screening efforts, and when personnel shortages occurred, homosexuals were allowed to serve.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: The gay and lesbian rights movement in the 1970s and 1980s raised the issue by publicizing several noteworthy dismissals of gay service members. Air Force TSgt Leonard Matlovich, the first service member to purposely out himself to challenge the ban, appeared on the cover of "Time" in 1975. In 1982 the Department of Defense issued a policy stating that, "Homosexuality is incompatible with military service." It cited the military's need "to maintain discipline, good order, and morale" and "to prevent breaches of security". In 1988, in response to a campaign against lesbians at the Marines' Parris Island Depot, activists launched the Gay and Lesbian Military Freedom Project (MFP) to advocate for an end to the exclusion of gays and lesbians from the armed forces. In 1989, reports commissioned by the Personnel Security Research and Education Center (PERSEREC), an arm of the Pentagon, were discovered in the process of Joseph Steffan's lawsuit fighting his forced resignation from the U.S. Naval Academy. One report said that "having a same-gender or an opposite-gender orientation is unrelated to job performance in the same way as is being left- or right-handed." Other lawsuits fighting discharges highlighted the service record of service members like Tracy Thorne and Margarethe (Grethe) Cammermeyer. The MFP began lobbying Congress in 1990, and in 1991 Senator Brock Adams (D-Washington) and Rep. Barbara Boxer introduced the Military Freedom Act, legislation to end the ban completely. Adams and Rep. Pat Schroeder (D-Colorado) re-introduced it the next year. In July 1991, Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, in the context of the outing of his press aide Pete Williams, dismissed the idea that gays posed a security risk as "a bit of an old chestnut" in testimony before the House Budget Committee. In response to his comment, several major newspapers endorsed ending the ban, including "USA Today", the "Los Angeles Times", and the "Detroit Free Press". In June 1992, the General Accounting Office released a report that members of Congress had requested two years earlier estimating the costs associated with the ban on gays and lesbians in the military at $27 million annually.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: During the 1992 U.S. presidential election campaign, the civil rights of gays and lesbians, particularly their open service in the military, attracted some press attention, and all candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination supported ending the ban on military service by gays and lesbians, but the Republicans did not make a political issue of that position. In an August cover letter to all his senior officers, General Carl Mundy Jr., Commandant of the Marine Corps, praised a position paper authored by a Marine Corps chaplain that said that "In the unique, intensely close environment of the military, homosexual conduct can threaten the lives, including the physical (e.g. AIDS) and psychological well-being of others". Mundy called it "extremely insightful" and said it offered "a sound basis for discussion of the issue". The murder of gay U.S. Navy petty officer Allen R. Schindler Jr. on October 27, 1992, brought calls from advocates of allowing open service by gays and lesbians for prompt action from the incoming Clinton administration.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: The policy was introduced as a compromise measure in 1993 by President Bill Clinton who campaigned in 1992 on the promise to allow all citizens to serve in the military regardless of sexual orientation. Commander Craig Quigley, a Navy spokesman, expressed the opposition of many in the military at the time when he said, "Homosexuals are notoriously promiscuous" and that in shared shower situations, heterosexuals would have an "uncomfortable feeling of someone watching".


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: During the 1993 policy debate, the National Defense Research Institute prepared a study for the Office of the Secretary of Defense published as "Sexual Orientation and U.S. Military Personnel Policy: Options and Assessment". It concluded that "circumstances could exist under which the ban on homosexuals could be lifted with little or no adverse consequences for recruitment and retention" if the policy were implemented with care, principally because many factors contribute to individual enlistment and re-enlistment decisions. On May 5, 1993, Gregory M. Herek, associate research psychologist at the University of California at Davis and an authority on public attitudes toward lesbians and gay men, testified before the House Armed Services Committee on behalf of several professional associations. He stated, "The research data show that there is nothing about lesbians and gay men that makes them inherently unfit for military service, and there is nothing about heterosexuals that makes them inherently unable to work and live with gay people in close quarters." Herek added, "The assumption that heterosexuals cannot overcome their prejudices toward gay people is a mistaken one."


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: In Congress, Democratic Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia and Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee led the contingent that favored maintaining the absolute ban on gays. Reformers were led by Democratic Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts, who favored modification (but ultimately voted for the defense authorization bill with the gay ban language), and Barry Goldwater, a former Republican Senator and a retired Major General, who argued on behalf of allowing service by open gays and lesbians but was not allowed to appear before the Committee by Nunn. In a June 1993 "Washington Post" opinion piece, Goldwater wrote: "You don't have to be straight to shoot straight".


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: Congress rushed to enact the existing gay ban policy into federal law, outflanking Clinton's planned repeal effort. Clinton called for legislation to overturn the ban, but encountered intense opposition from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, members of Congress, and portions of the public. DADT emerged as a compromise policy. Congress included text in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (passed in 1993) requiring the military to abide by regulations essentially identical to the 1982 absolute ban policy. The Clinton administration on December 21, 1993, issued Defense Directive 1304.26, which directed that military applicants were not to be asked about their sexual orientation. This policy is now known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". The phrase was coined by Charles Moskos, a military sociologist.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: In accordance with the December 21, 1993, Department of Defense Directive 1332.14, it was legal policy (10 U.S.C. § 654) that homosexuality was incompatible with military service and that persons who engaged in homosexual acts or stated that they are homosexual or bisexual were to be discharged. The Uniform Code of Military Justice, passed by Congress in 1950 and signed by President Harry S Truman, established the policies and procedures for discharging service members.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: The full name of the policy at the time was "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue". The "Don't Ask" provision mandated that military or appointed officials not ask about or require members to reveal their sexual orientation. The "Don't Tell" stated that a member may be discharged for claiming to be a homosexual or bisexual or making a statement indicating a tendency towards or intent to engage in homosexual activities. The "Don’t Pursue" established what was minimally required for an investigation to be initiated. A "Don’t Harass" provision was added to the policy later. It ensured that the military would not allow harassment or violence against service members for any reason.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network was founded in 1993 to advocate an end to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the U.S. Armed Forces.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: DADT was upheld by five federal Courts of Appeal. The Supreme Court, in "Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights, Inc." (2006), unanimously held that the federal government could constitutionally withhold funding from universities, no matter what their nondiscrimination policies might be, for refusing to give military recruiters access to school resources. An association of law schools had argued that allowing military recruiting at their institutions compromised their ability to exercise their free speech rights in opposition to discrimination based on sexual orientation as represented by DADT.


title: Don't ask, don't tell

text: In January 1998, Senior Chief Petty Officer Timothy R. McVeigh (not to be confused with convicted Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy J. McVeigh) won a preliminary injunction from a U.S. district court that prevented his discharge from the U.S. Navy for "homosexual conduct" after 17 years of service. His lawsuit did not challenge the DADT policy but asked the court to hold the military accountable for adhering to the policy's particulars. The Navy had investigated McVeigh's sexual orientation based on his AOL email account name and user profile. District Judge Stanley Sporkin ruled in "McVeigh v. Cohen" that the Navy had violated its own DADT guidelines: "Suggestions of sexual orientation in a private, anonymous email account did not give the Navy a sufficient reason to investigate to determine whether to commence discharge proceedings." He called the Navy's investigation "a search and destroy mission" against McVeigh. The case also attracted attention because a navy paralegal had misrepresented himself when querying AOL for information about McVeigh's account. Frank Rich linked the two issues: "McVeigh is as clear-cut a victim of a witch hunt as could be imagined, and that witch hunt could expand exponentially if the military wants to add on-line fishing to its invasion of service members' privacy." AOL apologized to McVeigh and paid him damages. McVeigh reached a settlement with the Navy that paid his legal expenses and allowed him to retire with full benefits in July. "The New York Times" called Sporkin's ruling "a victory for gay rights, with implications for the millions of people who use computer on-line services".