What It Feels Like for a Girl stars slam ‘hideous’ Reform UK election surge at TV BAFTAs (EXCLUSIVE)
"Everyone's going to feel a little bit more ostracised, queer or not, person of colour or not," Hannah Jones tells Attitude
By Aaron Sugg
The cast of BAFTA-nominated What It Feels Like for a Girl are slamming the overwhelming pro-Reform UK results in the 2026 local elections.
Nominated for five BAFTA TV Awards at the 2026 ceremony, the cast speak to Attitude nearly a year on from the show’s release on BBC Three in June 2025.
The coming-of-age drama follows 15-year-old Byron (Ellis Howard) navigating gender identity and sexuality before eventually transitioning. The show portrays themes of poverty, bullying and sexual exploitation in the early 2000s UK, as well as community and the importance of chosen family.
“The show feels more resonant than ever” – Ellis Howard on the importance of What It Feels Like for a Girl following the 2026 local elections
Howard tells Attitude: “I actually think, sadly, the show feels more resonant than ever. I feel like we need to be celebrating working class queer stories now more than ever.”
“What we just saw with those hideous local election results. I think a show that encourages empathy and encourages you to be open hearted and to get involved in your community and to take care of each other. I think it’s honestly more pertinent than it was a year ago.”
At the time of writing, Nigel Farage‘s Reform UK has emerged as the standout winner in the local elections, gaining 14 councils and 1,453 councillors overall, while Labour suffered major losses, dropping 38 councils and 1,496 councillor.
The overall concern around the growing support for Reform UK is due to party leader Farage having expressed anti-LGBTQ+ views during his political career. To read more, you can visit Attitude’s coverage of his LGBTQ+ statements on our website.
Adam Ali, who plays Dirty Damian in What It Feels Like for a Girl, draws attention to the current political climate surrounding trans rights.
“Trans rights are threatened more than they’ve ever been” – Adam Ali on trans identities becoming the target of political debate
In the past year, across the globe, trans identities have become the target of political debate. In the UK, the Supreme Court ruled in April last year that the definition of a woman is strictly defined by one’s biological sex.
The US has seen several executive orders signed by president Donald Trump, including the policy commonly known as “no men in women’s sports”, as well as an order recognising only two sexes: male and female.
“With everything going on in the UK right now, our show is more important than ever,” says Ali. “Trans rights are threatened more than they’ve ever been, so if there’s ever been a time to have the conversation and discuss the themes that are in our show, it’s now.”
“I think it amplifies the show even more” – Hannah Jones on the meaning of What It Feels Like for a Girl in 2026
Hannah Jones, who plays Mommar Joe, is trans herself. She tells Attitude that the result of the recent local elections amplifies the meaning of the queer series even further.
“I think it amplifies the show even more. I think back in early 2000, we obviously had a different, I mean, very different governments now, but the repercussions of that government and the repercussions of the government that are coming in, potentially coming into power now are worse,” Jones states. “They are objectively worse.”
Jones highlights the universal impact the show is having on viewers, and says that in light of the recent local elections, the themes of isolation are going to become even more “understandable”.
“Everyone’s going to feel a little bit more ostracised, queer or not, person of colour or not,” says Jones. “I think everyone’s going to feel the consequences of this new government.”
What It Feels Like for a Girl is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.