Stars from television, film and music gathered at London's Roundhouse on Wednesday night as the Attitude Awards celebrated its 15th anniversary. The annual LGBTQ+ awards ceremony took place in Camden, with Sugababes, Orville Peck and the cast of the musical PRIDE among those performing.
Winners across 15 categories
This year's winners included country star Peck, Obsession star Michael Johnston, broadcaster Alison Hammond, Pet Shop Boys and author Juno Dawson. David Furnish was honoured with the Gamechanger Award, while Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens received the Ally Award.
The ceremony comes as Attitude marks 15 years of its awards, which celebrate influential figures across entertainment and the LGBTQ+ community. Below is the full list of Attitude Awards 2026 winners.
- The Icon Award: Donatella Versace – presented by Ncuti Gatwa and Natasha Poly
- The Gamechanger Award, supported by M&S: David Furnish – presented by Anne Aslett, CEO of the Elton John AIDS Foundation
- The Film Award: Obsession star Michael Johnston – presented by Mark Gatiss
- The Comedy Award: Suzi Ruffell – presented by Tom Allen
- The Ally Award, supported by Polestar: Jordan Stephens – presented by Dean McCullough and AJ Odudu
- The Culture Award: Juno Dawson – presented by Tia Kofi
- The Music Award, supported by M&S: Sugababes – presented by Alesha Dixon
- The Inspiration Award: The Dru Project – presented by Jonny Woo
- The Honorary Gay Award, supported by Polestar: Alison Hammond, accepted on her behalf by Kate Lawler – presented by Chris Appleton
- The Legend Award, supported by Virgin Atlantic: Pet Shop Boys – presented by Sir Ian McKellen
- The Television Award: Tip Toe – presented by Charley Marlowe
- The Man of the Year Award, supported by Virgin Atlantic: Orville Peck – presented by Michael Marouli
Michael Johnston honoured after Obsession success
Johnston picked up the Film Award following the huge success of indie horror Obsession, which was made on a reported $750,000 budget and has gone on to gross more than $500 million. Speaking to Attitude, the actor also opened up about his sexuality and growing up in a Southern Baptist family in North Carolina.
“I never made the decision to come out,” he said. “I told my mother, my dad, my friends. I didn't make a big deal out of it.” He also spoke about his upcoming projects, revealing: “There will be a really incredible queer story in my future, and I'm so excited to play it and to have my steamy moment.”
Orville Peck named Man of the Year
Peck was recognised with the Man of the Year Award after a year which has seen him release his most personal record yet and prepare for his role as Vega in the upcoming Street Fighter film. The singer also spoke candidly about addiction and reaching what he described as a low point following the end of a four-year relationship.
“For the first time in my life, I was living alone in a house way too big for me, in an industry that I was too sensitive to navigate, and in the first swing of addiction,” he said. Peck said he eventually realised he could not continue down the same path, adding: “My career, my friends, my life. At that point, I knew I could never pick up a drink of alcohol again.”
Alison Hammond recognised for LGBTQ+ support
Hammond received the Honorary Gay Award, with the prize accepted on her behalf by Kate Lawler. The This Morning presenter spoke about the influence the LGBTQ+ community has had on her career, saying: “The LGBTQ+ community taught me that authenticity is your superpower.”
She also paid tribute to the late Paul O'Grady, whom she has replaced on For the Love of Dogs. “Paul (O'Grady) had this incredible warmth about him,” she said. “He could be absolutely filthy one minute and incredibly tender the next.”
Pet Shop Boys receive Legend Award
Pet Shop Boys were named recipients of the Legend Award after more than four decades in the music industry. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe are also preparing to release their new album A Man from the Future on Friday, October 9, which tells the story of mathematician and codebreaker Alan Turing.
Tennant reflected on the band's 1987 hit It's a Sin and the assumptions surrounding its meaning. “People have always assumed it's about being gay, but I always politely tell them it's about sexuality [generally],” he said.
David Furnish named Gamechanger
Furnish received the Gamechanger Award for his work across HIV healthcare advocacy, entertainment and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, as well as his work managing Elton John's career. Asked how he balances his various roles with raising his two children, Furnish credited the teams around him.
“I live with one of the world's greatest overachievers. It's all about collaboration – the teams that you work with and build,” he said. He also explained why he prefers the word “partner” to “husband” when describing his relationship with John. “I really still like the word partner because… when I look at what Elton and I are and what we're able to achieve, we're a big team,” he said. “It's a partnership.”
Juno Dawson wins Culture Award
Author Juno Dawson was recognised with the Culture Award after selling nearly one million books and working across projects including Doctor Who. Dawson spoke about being a visible trans woman and writer amid an increasingly difficult cultural climate.
On her decision to speak publicly about JK Rowling, she said: “I don't think it's possible not to talk about what is happening anymore.” She also teased her next book, describing it as a “really horny” vampire story which had unexpectedly become “a divorce novel”.
Jordan Stephens honoured for allyship
Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens received the Ally Award after speaking openly about his support for the LGBTQ+ community. He credited his former partner Jade Thirlwall with helping him understand what being an ally meant. “She's 100 per cent probably the biggest ally I've ever seen. Jade showed me what an ally is,” he said.
Stephens also reflected on playing Faith, a young queer drag performer, in Tucked. “That role gave me an opportunity to… express a feminine-presenting version of myself,” he said. “That existed in me for sure. I wasn't creating that. I felt that I got it and I had fun.”
