by John Hyland
Proudly Said is about being LGBTQ+ in the UK without compromise. Hosted by John Hyland (he/they), a Liverpool-born activist and advocate, the show brings real conversations to the forefront. No studios, no scripts - just people, where they’re most at home, speaking in their own words. Each episode centres voices you don’t hear enough, talking about what it means to live out loud, hold space, and just live. There’s no performance. Just queer stories, proudly said.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
6/1/2025
See how your podcast performs across key metrics
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
Unlock comprehensive insights including:
See how your show performs across every key metric
High authority scores make your podcast more attractive to industry leaders and influencers who want to appear on credible shows.
Sponsors look for podcasts with proven authority and engagement. Your score demonstrates your podcast's value to potential partners.
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses helps you make data-driven decisions to expand your listener base effectively.
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
July 7, 2026
<p><strong>🎙️ What’s This Episode About?</strong></p><p>Lizzy Maginness joins John from the top floor of Gaydio Towers (really the Manchester One buildings, but Gaydio Towers sounds so much better!), looking out across Manchester… and reflecting on a career that’s taken her from rural Lincolnshire to the heart of the UK’s media and LGBTQ+ landscape.</p><p>Now Commercial Manager at <strong><a href="https://www.gaydio.co.uk/uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gaydio</a></strong>, Lizzy shares her journey through some of the country’s biggest radio brands, from early marketing roles to leading major campaigns, live events, and national partnerships. She talks about helping bring Pride into the mainstream spotlight, including her role in building one of the first major media partnerships with Manchester Pride, and what it meant to broadcast those celebrations to audiences across the UK.</p><p>But this conversation goes far beyond career highlights.</p><p>Lizzy opens up about coming out later in life, the experience of growing up without visible queer representation, and how moving to Manchester helped shape her understanding of identity. From “Lesbian TikTok” moments to meeting her now wife just weeks after coming out, her story is honest, funny, and quietly powerful.</p><p>Together, John and Lizzy explore the balance between grassroots and large-scale Pride, the importance of authentic representation in marketing, and what it really means to connect with LGBTQ+ audiences in a way that goes beyond surface-level visibility.</p><p>It’s a conversation about timing, identity, and finding your place… even if it takes a little longer than expected.</p><p><strong>🗣️ Why Listen?</strong></p><p>If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.</p><p><strong>📣 Connect with Us – <a href="ProudlySaid.co.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ProudlySaid.co.uk</a></strong></p><p>Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes.</p><p>Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful.</p><p>Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions.</p><p>Support: Join <strong><a href="https://proudly-said.captivate.fm/support" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Front Row</a></strong> for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! :)</p>
July 2, 2026
<p><strong>🎙️ What’s This Episode About?</strong></p><p>Dan Roberts is a Liverpool librarian and the founder of the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/proudreadersbookclub/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Proud Readers Book Club</a>, an LGBTQ+ reading group that meets monthly in the Hornby Reading Room at <a href="https://liverpool.gov.uk/libraries/explore-central-library/central-library/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Liverpool Central Library</a>. In less than a year it has grown from a nerve-wracking first night where Dan wasn't sure anyone would show up, to a thriving community of 25 to 30 members and a shortlisting for a national Libraries Connected Award.</p><p>Filmed in the stunning Oak Room at Central Library, Dan joins John to talk about how the book club came to be, why it quickly became about much more than books, and what it means to create a space where queer people can show up as themselves without performing for anyone. They get into the reading list, from Oscar Wilde to contemporary queer fiction, and why being pushed outside your comfort zone is half the point.</p><p>The conversation also covers the bigger picture of what Dan is building: partnerships with Homotopia Festival, the LGBT Foundation, and upcoming outreach workshops across Liverpool and Manchester. The Proud Readers Book Club is quietly becoming a serious force for queer culture and community in the city.</p><p>There's also a very honest and very funny thread running through it all about the pressure queer people feel to be performative, why Dan's ideal weekend involves Miss Marple and two dogs, and why he is absolutely, unapologetically a Golden Girl at heart.</p><p>It's warm, funny, and quietly inspiring, a conversation about the power of creating something from nothing and watching it become exactly what your community needed.</p><p><strong>🗣️ Why Listen?</strong></p><p>If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.</p><p><strong>📣 Connect with Us – <a href="ProudlySaid.co.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ProudlySaid.co.uk</a></strong></p><p>Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes.</p><p>Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful.</p><p>Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions.</p><p>Support: Join <strong><a href="https://proudly-said.captivate.fm/support" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Front Row</a></strong> for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! :)</p>
June 25, 2026
<p><strong>🎙️ What’s This Episode About?</strong></p><p>Kyle Clarke is a talent manager, producer, and the founder of <strong><a href="https://www.dfiuevents.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DFIU Events</a></strong>, a drag and entertainment events company that has been putting on shows across the UK for five years.</p><p>Kyle joins John to tell the story of how DFIU came to be: born in lockdown, built on relationships forged through interviewing RuPaul's Drag Race queens online, and grown into a touring events business with genuine industry clout. He talks about what it actually takes to run shows, the logistics, the contracts, the stress behind the sequins, and why the nighttime economy is in a more fragile state than audiences realise.</p><p>They get into the realities of the drag events world: last-minute ticket buying culture, the financial risks promoters carry, and what it means to rebuild audience trust in an industry that's taken knocks. Kyle is candid about the hard moments too, including the times he's had to cancel shows and why protecting the business is what keeps it going.</p><p>There's also the personal story: a wee gay boy from North Belfast, now two years into life in Manchester, with a coming-out story that wasn't his to control and a family that surprised him. Kyle reflects on identity, ambition, and what it means to build something on your own terms, with the chaos, the laughs, and the receipts to prove it.</p><p>It's sharp, funny, and refreshingly no-nonsense, a conversation about what it really takes to put queer joy on a stage and keep it there.</p><p><strong>🗣️ Why Listen?</strong></p><p>If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.</p><p><strong>📣 Connect with Us – <a href="ProudlySaid.co.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ProudlySaid.co.uk</a></strong></p><p>Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes.</p><p>Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful.</p><p>Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions.</p><p>Support: Join <strong><a href="https://proudly-said.captivate.fm/support" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Front Row</a></strong> for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! :)</p>
Guests from recent episodes — sign up to see every guest that has ever appeared on this show.
Regina McQueen
Guest
Braidy Maloney
Guest
Franz Genau
Guest
Gary Harper
Guest
Ketona Madrave
Guest
Connie Frankish
Guest
Sarah Lovelock
Guest
Discover related shows you might enjoy
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
Proudly Said is about being LGBTQ+ in the UK without compromise.
Hosted by John Hyland (he/they), a Liverpool-born activist and advocate, the show brings real conversations to the forefront. No studios, no scripts - just people, where they’re most at home, speaking in their own words.
Each episode centres voices you don’t hear enough, talking about what it means to live out loud, hold space, and just live.
There’s no performance. Just queer stories, proudly said.
This podcast updates daily.
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.
