TV legend Jonathan Harvey is set to receive a Special Recognition Honour award at the British LGBT Awards. John, whose acclaimed works include Beautiful Thing and Coronation Street, will be given the award by Corrie legend Helen Worth and BAFTA nominee Ellis Howard.
Celebrating Contribution to British Culture
The British LGBT Awards announced Jonathan’s honour in an effort to celebrate his contribution to British culture and his work for LGBTQ+ representation on UK screens. Jonathan has long been considered one of the UK’s leading and most influential creative voices, with his work helping to bring authentic LGBT+ stories into the mainstream.
A Glamorous Ceremony
He will be presented the award at a glamorous ceremony in Mayfair on Thursday, whose guest list includes huge stars like Boy George, fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, and TV favourite Rylan Clark. Speaking about the huge honour, Jonathan said: “Throughout my career, I’ve simply tried to tell authentic stories that felt truthful - stories about love, identity, friendship and belonging. Stories about ordinary people who live extraordinary lives. To be recognised by the LGBTQ+ community in this way means an enormous amount to me. I’ve always believed visibility matters and I’m proud to have played even a small part in helping queer voices and experiences be seen on screen and stage.”
Career Highlights
Following an early kickstart success in theatre, Jonathan wrote Mohair in 1988, followed by Wildfire in 1992 and Babies in 1993 - the latter of which earned him the Evening Standard Most Promising Playwright Award in 1994. His long list of TV and film credits include West End Girls, Love Junkie, Beautiful Things, and Murder Most Horrid - not to mention his writing work on beloved ITV soap Coronation Street. Jonathan is also behind the iconic comedy series Gimme Gimme Gimme, starring Kathy Burke and James Dreyfus, which went on to become one of the UK’s best loved sitcoms in the late ‘90s.
Impact on LGBTQ+ Visibility
The British LGBT Awards aims to celebrate people and organisations that have made a significant impact in advancing inclusion, visibility and equality not only in the UK but all over the world. Sarah Garrett, the Awards’ founder, said: “Jonathan has led the way in authentic storytelling and has inspired screenwriters across the world to better depict healthy and nuanced same-sex relationships. This Special Recognition Award honours not only Jonathan’s extraordinary creative achievements, but also his lasting impact on LGBTQ+ culture and visibility in the UK and beyond. He continues to inspire new generations of writers, performers and audiences with courage, humour and humanity.”
