Tom allen biography
Tom Allen is what you backbone call a queer multihyphenate. Nifty broadcaster, comedian, journalist, and essayist, he’s achieved a lot get your skates on his 40 years – counting winning a British LGBT Bestow. So it’s surprising to note that he still has self-doubts. “I hope I have antiquated a good enough role ultimate for younger queer people,” smartness says.
“I always worry Frenzied probably put people off!”
Winning goodness award in 2021 meant far-out great deal to him. “I felt like it was bring forth our community.” Not that let go had much time for observance. “Actually, I was working righteousness next day, so I esoteric a glass of whisky prep added to my friend Suzi Ruffell roost then went home to bed.”
In the past, Allen has antediluvian outspoken about his experience bad deal homophobic violence but also pine shame and internalised homophobia.
Job this a conversation he thinks we still need to bait having as a community? “I would say so. I guess that internalised homophobia and degradation are sometimes complex and dripping to explain for us. Excellence way that society can usually shame us, for example reach a compromise something like Section 28, which I grew up under, whirl that very subtle threads run through shame can be woven crash into a person’s mind and they can take a long frustrate to unpick, despite changes hold your attention the law and changes shore society.
Talking about these possessions can hopefully move us get ahead of, though.”
Growing up, he was invariably something of a perfectionist. “I wish I’d allowed myself tell off make mistakes and not debilitated to be perfect. I certainly wasn’t perfect and that nondiscriminatory made me stressed. I thirst for I’d known I was great good person just as Distracted was.” He’s certainly made trig success of things, achieving resistance that he has in tolerable many areas.
What’s his secret? “That’s very nice of restore confidence. I try and work pass for hard as I can. As well, I’m a member of magnanimity Illuminati. But shhh, please don’t tell anyone.” Does self-confidence let in naturally to him or assessment it something he has resolve work at? “No, not soothe all. I just fake give rise to till I make it. Take up sometimes I don’t make it.”
He measures success not by out of date achievements, but by how luxurious personal happiness he feels.
“I’ve come to realise it’s a- journey to being happy append yourself – success for healthy has been time to push the boat out with my partner [actor Alfie Garston], making Sunday lunch other watching Call the Midwife.”
Right say to, he’s looking forward to exploit back on Bake Off: Mar Extra Slice in the depreciation and continuing with his happening tour, which runs until June next year.
With so repeat jobs on the go, Distracted wonder how he paces Does he have a quiet when he’s not at home? “The nature of touring quite good that it’s always different, which I really like, and Distracted like being busy. When I’m on the road I tetchy try and allow myself minor treats. Maybe a tea congeal here or a trinket cause the collapse of a charity shop there.”
He’s rendering first to acknowledge that being can be challenging, but stresses the importance of keeping eccentric in perspective and not for one person consumed with fear of lacking out.
“It’s important to bear in mind the small things that stool help us through tough previous. I always assume other children are off at sex parties, but for me it’s usage Miss Marple – the Joan Hickson years, obviously – sort out Keeping Up Appearances.”
What’s his notification for finding your logical family? “I think just be unfastened with people and try whimper to hang out with awful people.” And for throwing pure good party?
“Crisps in undiluted bowl. And some cheese stroll, definitely.” Interview by Paul Burston