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Stars to read historic LGBTQ works for ‘Speaking of Pride’, empowered by Bentley

Dr Ranj, Dean Atta, Rob Rinder, Dustin Lance Black, Jade Thirlwall and Simon Callow set for all-new Attitude Pride at Home video series.

By Will Stroude

The Attitude Pride at Home digital festival kicked off in style this past weekend, and from now until the Closing Party on Sunday 28 June we promise a string of thought-provoking exclusive and original content that touches on every aspect of the Pride experience, from the celebratory to the personal.

And nowhere are the values of Pride better espoused than in our all-new video series Speaking of Pride, empowered by Bentley, the British luxury car company, that begins Tuesday 23 June at attitude.co.uk and YouTube, with new episodes daily. It will leave nobody watching unmoved.

The premise is simple: we asked a number of friends of Attitude to read a piece of prose, a poem, a letter, a book extract or even song lyrics that were special to them. And to explain why they’d chosen the piece they have. What follows is as beautiful as it is occasionally haunting.

TV’s Judge Rob Rinder reads Brian Keith’s heartbreaking WWII love letter and NHS hero Dr Ranj Singh cites the act of kindness that is Maya Angelou’s ‘Be a Rainbow in Someone Else’s Cloud’.

Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black delivers Harvey Milk’s “I Want To Recruit You” speech with all of the emotion and gusto it surely warrants, and poet Dean Atta reads from his verse novel The Black Flamingo – you’ll be needing a moment afterwards.

Elsewhere, Little Mix favourite and bona fide LGBTQ ally Jade Thirlwall strikes a chord with a reading of Gloria Gaynor’s classic Pride anthem ‘I Am What I Am.’

Plus, legendary actor Simon Callow delivers a ripping recital of Oscar Wilde’s ‘De Profundis’ as only he could.

Of course, the desire to sing and dance your way through Pride season is instilled, and entirely apposite, but sometimes the quietest moments shout the loudest. 

Unless, that is, you have laid hands on a Bentley Bacalar, coachbuilt by Mulliner. One of just 12 in the world, all sold at £1.8 million each. And then wrapped it in a rainbow. Then you can be as quiet or as loud as you like. You’ve earned it…

Speaking of Pride, empowered by Bentley. From Tuesday 23 June on attitude.co.uk and YouTube.