Sir Ian McKellen has delivered a heartfelt message to Wigan ahead of the town's Pride celebrations this weekend. The Oscar-nominated actor, known for roles in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, X-Men, and Gods and Monsters, was born in Burnley, Lancashire, but his family moved to Wigan in 1939 when he was just four months old.
A lifelong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights
McKellen, 87, has been a staunch campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights throughout his career. He played a vital role in the Section 28 protests in Manchester in May 1988, which saw thousands take to the streets against laws prohibiting the promotion of sexuality. Over recent years, he has supported Wigan Pride, which was created following a visit from the actor and takes place annually in the town centre. He attended the celebrations in 2017.
The 2026 event will take place on Saturday, August 8, with performances from RuPaul's Drag Race UK star Banskie and 00s band Big Brovas & Booty Luv. It will also include a parade starting at 11am on Crawford Street.
McKellen's video message
Ahead of the event, McKellen sent a video message to be shared with attendees, speaking about his upbringing in Wigan and why the Pride event matters so much today. He recalled: "When I first went to Wigan Grammar School in 1951, I had to learn the school song, Oh Wigan Is a Grand Old Town: 'The Romans knew it well, it always had its Good King Coal as long as folks can tell…'. Well, coal no more in Wigan, and no more grammar school either. Things have changed. Some things remain, of course, like Uncle Joe's Mint Balls. I used to spend my three pence pocket money on those every Saturday. And things have changed, yes."
He continued: "No Pride in Wigan when I was a kid. Not in the sense that it's celebrated today. And I just wanted to send my love and I wish I could be with you because it's an important event. Gay people can just walk in the streets, proud to be themselves, proud to say that they're gay, and they can be supported by their allies, friends, family and neighbours. And Wigan can feel better about itself."
Concluding the video with the message on his T-shirt, he added: "So, all my love. Some people are gay, get over it."
Reaction and support
The video, shared online by Wigan Pride and Wigan Council, was well received, with people praising the actor for supporting the grassroots event at a time when many similar events are shutting down due to decreased funding. One person said: "The Finest English man still alive Sir Ian." Another said: "Always proud to show he's a Wiganer!" A third wrote: "Such a nice man... he is so proud of his home town." Another simply added: "National treasure."
Scott Williams, Chair of the Wigan Pride Committee, said: "It was amazing to get the video message from Sir Ian. He was the original inspiration behind Wigan Pride. On a visit to Wigan years ago, he asked why the town didn't have a Pride event, and that led to the creation of the first Wigan Pride the year later. He also attended the event in 2017, when he led the march, spoke on stage and performed an early version of his one-man theatre show in Wigan the night before and donated any profits to Wigan Pride. I think he's an icon and an incredible ambassador for the LGBTQ+ community."
Williams added: "It's also lovely that he mentioned local business Uncle Joe's Mint Balls in the video as they are supporting the event this year, with a special Wigan Pride rainbow tin of the sweets and a new Drag Queen, Madam Mintball, attending, wearing a fabulous dress fashioned from Mint Ball wrappers for us by local recycling charity, ReDoo. I know Sir Ian can't be with us on the day but we know that he'll be with us in spirit, and we really appreciate his message of support."
