Cricket legend Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff joined Drag Race UK icon Tayce to make a loud and proud arrival in Manchester city centre as they joined revellers in celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. The dynamic duo pulled into the city to toast the arrival of Manchester Pride with Tayce treating partygoers at the Oast House pub to an impromptu lip-sync performance.
Prior to the performance, former cricketer Freddie teamed up with Drag Race UK superstar Tayce on a tour of the city, making a stop at the inclusive Village Manchester Football Club and journeying along Alan Turing Way in recognition of Manchester’s diverse communities and rich queer history. The surprise event on Friday was organised by digital travel company Booking.com, a lead sponsor of this year's Manchester Pride celebration.
Carpooling from the city’s outskirts to the centre in a rainbow-emblazoned porsche, the unlikely pair passed some of Manchester’s most iconic landmarks. That included Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, Rusholme's Curry Mile and the iconic Beetham Tower Skyscraper, before driving through the heart of Manchester’s Gay Village.
Read more : Manchester Pride 2022 - parade route, times and what's happening this year
Pulling in behind the Oast House, the pair caused a stir as they welcomed onlookers to the start of Manchester Pride before Tayce lip-synched Power by Little Mix to the unsuspecting audience at the Spinningfields pub. Both Freddie and Tayce hailed Manchester Pride one of the most iconic LGBTQ+ events in the world and were delighted to join Booking.com in celebrating, as well as raising awareness of the issues and challenges that still affect the community.
Top Gear star Freddie said: “It’s no secret that I love Manchester, so it’s great to be a part of this year’s Pride celebrations. It’s been a real eye-opener to work with Booking.com and learn about the restrictions felt by the LBGTQ+ community when it comes to feeling welcome and safe when going on holiday.
“I’m a big champion of being yourself and feeling comfortable in your own skin and that’s what this weekend is all about, it’s great to see. Spending the day with Tayce was ace…it’s not often that you get to hang out with such an iconic drag queen!"
Although, despite his love of a bit of karaoke, Freddie did not attempt to do lip sync battle with the queen. He said: "I was impressed with her lip sync performance. I would have competed, but I forgot my wig… maybe next year!”
Tayce, rocking a stunning denim ensemble by designer Thierry Mugler, said: “Being a part of this year’s Manchester Pride has been amazing. We have had so much fun … erm, who knew I have a crush on Freddie Flintoff!
"Jokes aside, it’s great to see brands like Booking.com championing the LGBTQ+ community by working with their accommodation partners to provide more welcoming travel experiences for everyone. I know first-hand what it’s like to be made to feel unwelcome on holiday, purely because of my sexuality and who I am.
"Ultimately, we need to raise more awareness of this so that the issue is confronted. I encourage everyone to always be nothing but LOUD and PROUD of who they are and their authentic self - always."
Tayce, who won an army of fans on the second season of the BBC's RuPaul's Drag Race UK, was in iconic form on stage at The Oast House. She even styled out a mic drop to be a mic catch to the delight of the audience.
Tayce added: “It was great to hang out with Freddie today and take part in a road trip to explore more of Manchester’s culture and celebrate the city’s rich gay history. The car ride with Freddie was the ride of my life, hopefully we can do it again soon!”
Booking.com’s sponsorship of Manchester Pride is an extension of its mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world, no matter where they come from, who they love or how they identify.
Alongside the carpool and lip-sync event, more than 100 employees from Booking.com’s Manchester Trips Division will feature in the Manchester Pride Parade on Saturday. The company organised the surprise occasion as it prepares to move to its new UK Trips headquarters, Manchester Goods Yard, Manchester in November.
The sponsorship of Pride comes after the launch of Booking.com’s Travel Proud programme, which aims to make travelling a more welcoming and inclusive experience for LGBTQ+ people. More than 10,000 properties internationally have completed the training programme and have been recognised with a Travel Proud badge on Booking.com as a symbol of their commitment to inclusive hospitality.
As part of the programme, Booking.com is committed to working closely with its partners, employees and suppliers to connect with LGBTQ+ travellers, and is actively looking for ways to reduce barriers for the community both on and off its platform.
That includes providing hospitality professionals with the confidence and tools to use the right language in every interaction with their guests, as well as leveraging more inclusive language and options on the Booking.com platform itself.
Matthias Schmid, Vice President of Booking.com’s Trips Division said: “Our mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world and addressing the needs of LGBTQ+ travellers is an essential part of delivering on this. We’re proud to support the Manchester Pride charity, which celebrates and promotes inclusivity in Manchester and beyond, and are thrilled to have found like-minded individuals in Freddie and Tayce to help make our mark on the momentous occasion.
"They were both fantastic participants on the day, creating a fun and joyous memory that Booking.com can look back on proudly. We’re also incredibly pleased to be building a global hub for transport here in Manchester, where we already employ more than 1,000 people.
"It’s a vibrant, inclusive community, including a large active presence in our internal B.proud employee resource group, which is dedicated to helping promote increased acceptance and understanding for LGBTQ+ people throughout our organisation.”
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