Full list of LGBTQ+ heroes nominated for Metro Pride Awards revealed
The nomination list for the Metro Pride Awards has been announced – and it’s as star-studded, sequinned and inspiring as you can imagine.
Metro will host an award ceremony next year to recognise the incredible people, organisations, celebrities, businesses and allies that campaign for LGBTQ+ rights.
***Click here to cast your vote now***
And what better time to do this than during LGBT+ History Month on February 26.
Today, we’re proud to announce the nomination list across 18 categories.
From professional handsome man Jonathan Bailey and Doctor Who legend Ncuti Gatwa to sporting icon Beth Mead, a raft of talent has made the cut.
And, of course, it wouldn’t be an LGBTQ+ awards ceremony if RuPaul hadn’t been nominated.
Big names like Graham Norton, Edward Enninful, Jade Thirlwall and Amanda Holden will be considered for the milestones they’ve made in representation.
In the sporting world, Olympian Tom Daley, openly gay football player Jack Daniels and boxer Cindy Ngamba are in the running for sports hero.
And music, too. DJ Fat Tony, Lizzo and Olly Alexander are among the hitmakers who have earned nominations.
Grassroots groups, the engines of many marginalised communities, and charities will be celebrated at the awards. They include the LGBTQ+ youth charity Just Like Us, the queer youth homelessness charity akt and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Businesses including parcel delivery company Evri, tech and shopping titan Amazon and Klarna, known for its buy now pay later option, have also made the nominations list.
Metro Pride Award winners will be decided by a mixture of public vote by readers like you – yes, you! – and a judging panel.
Companies that go above and beyond in their support for queer people – not just their employees – will also be highlighted in the ceremony. Think queer business leaders like Mitchell Halliday, CEO of Made By Mitchell, Jaron Soh, of the LGBTQ+ mental health app Voda, and LinkedIn’s Bruna Gil.
Richard Hartley Parkinson, the executive editor of Metro, said: ‘The Metro Pride Awards is about celebrating the LGBTQ+ community across every sector of life, from entertainment and sport to business and activism.
‘We are thrilled to announce such a diverse and inspiring list of nominees who represent the best of our community.
‘This event will be a historic occasion for the LGBTQ+ movement, bringing together leaders and allies in a unified celebration of progress, visibility, and change – values we are passionate about at Metro.’
The full shortlist for the Metro Pride Awards 2025:
Celebrity of the Year
- Nicola Coughlan
- Luke Evans
- RuPaul
- Russell Tovey
- Jonathan Bailey
- Edward Enninful
- Andrew Scott
- Cara Delevingne
- Ncuti Gatwa
- Graham Norton
Broadcaster of the Year
- Rylan Clark
- Jill Scott MBE
- Nick Grimshaw
- Scott Mills
- Mobeen Azhar
- Alex Scott
- Robert Rinder
- Dean McCullough
- Riyadh Khalaf
- Sue Perkins
Music Hero
- DJ Fat Tony
- Jodie Harsh
- Lizzo
- Olly Alexander
- Jess Glynne
- Jake Shears
- Will Young
- MNEK
- Peggy Gou
- Kehlani
Sports Hero
- Tom Daley
- Jake Daniels
- Beth Mead
- Carl Hester
- Cindy Ngamba
- Ralf Schumacher
- Jack Laugher
- Dame Kelly Holmes
- Jess Carter
- Lauren Hemp
LGBTQ+ Trailblazer
- Seán McGirr
- Mitchell Halliday
- Ian Steed
- Jay Birmingham
- Dan Price
- Alessandro Bucci
- Suki Sandhu OBE
- Simon Jones
- Joëlle Rotsaert
- Lexie Lenoir
Rising Star Award
- Kit Connor
- Yasmin Finney
- The Vivienne
- GK Barry
- Tia Kofi
- Jessica Gunning
- Mawaan Rizwan
- Phil Dunning
- Cat Burns
- Olly Shinder
Inspirational Ally
- Melanie B
- Sharleen Spiteri
- James Corden
- Annie Mac
- John Bishop (Ambassador for DRM, Winner of LGBT Ally Award)
- Sophie Ellis-Bextor
- Tyrone Mings
- Jade Thirlwall
- Amanda Holden
- Jennifer Saunders
Brand of the Year
- Vodafone
- Virgin Atlantic
- JustEat
- Arnold Clark
- Tesco
- British Airways
- ASOS
- Bentley
- Netflix
- Absolut Vodka
Marketing Campaign of the Year
- Deliveroo – ‘The Open Kitchen’
- The Romans x Millwall Romans Campaign
- Disney – ‘The Power of Pride’
- Uber Eats – ‘Serving Pride’
- Adidas – ‘Love Unites’
- McCann London and Clear Channel UK – ‘Fabruary#
- JCDecaux UK – ‘Just Like Us’ Partnership
- Bentley – ‘Pride Car 2024’
- Virgin Atlantic and Lucky Generals – ‘See the World Differently’
- Open Media – #OpenAndProud
Grassroots or Charity Organisation of the Year
- MindOut
- AKT
- Kaleidoscope Trust
- Everton in the Community
- BlkOut
- Fighting With Pride
- Just Like Us
- Manchester Pride
- LGBT Foundation
- The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Best Breakthrough Business
- Evri
- Klarna
- Cinch
- Aer Lingus
- BYOMA
- Mildreds
- Zymurgorium
- Tonic Housing
- Stonegate Group
- Williams & Hirst
- Matalan
Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility
- Liverpool Football Club
- KPMG
- Asda
- Nissan
- Hogan Lovells
- Network Rail
- IKEA
- Anthony Collins Solicitors
- Three Mobile
- Avanti West Coast
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award
- Create Fertility
- MSB Solicitors
- Burberry
- Scottish Power
- National Grid
- United Utilities
- Pinsent Masons
- AXA
- Chelsea Football Club
- GSK
LGBTQ+ Network Group
- Spire Healthcare Group – LGBTQ+ Colleague Network
- Aer Lingus – ProudFlies
- KPMG – Breathe
- LGBT+@Sky
- Scottish Power – In-Fuse
- Proud@Shell
- Vodafone – LGBT+ and Friends Network
- Amazon – Glamazon
- Pfizer – OPEN
- Macquarie – Pride EMEA Employee Network
Business of the Year
- Softcat
- Virgin Atlantic
- DHL
- Macquarie
- GSK
- Farrer & Co
- Irwin Mitchell
- Shepherd and Wedderburn
- Dentons
- Wickes
Most Inclusive Employer
- LV= Insurance
- VISA
- Xero
- Aon
- Moody’s
- Linklaters
- DHL
- E.ON
- Coty UKI
- LSEG
LGBT+ Business Leader Of The Year
- Mitchell Halliday, CEO of Made By Mitchell
- David Hynam, LV
- Elliot Barton, Tatti Lashes
- Rick Jackson, DHL
- Julia Hoggett, London Stock Exchange
- Anna Deignan, The Premier League
- Emily Hamilton, RS Components
- Bruna Gil, LINKEDIN
- Jaron Soh, Voda
- Deon Pillay, Legal & General
Business Ally
- Rachel Pears, RPC Legal
- Emma Carey, MSB
- Angela Ogilvie, Linklaters
- Lauryn Yuen, TikTok
- Rebecca Short, Deutsche Bank
- Jasmine Fox, EA
- Ruth Rowan, Avande
- Liz Kelly, St James’s Place
- Michael Salter-Church, Openreach
- Alan Holmes, Clyde and Co
To find out more about the Metro Pride Awards, click here.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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