Billy Porter on sepsis, loss and diabetes while working on Sugar Daddy with Alan Cumming (EXCLUSIVE)
"Daddy’s got to get back into her pumps," says Porter in his exclusive Attitude interview
By Aaron Sugg
Billy Porter returns to work after being diagnosed with sepsis in September 2025, producing the Off-West End production of Sugar Daddy alongside Alan Cumming.
Sam Morrison’s acclaimed solo show Sugar Daddy is scheduled to run at Underbelly Boulevard in Soho, London, from 5 March to 4 April 2026, following the show’s acclaimed Off-Broadway run in New York City in 2023.
The semi-autobiographical production blends Morrison’s struggles with type 1 diabetes with a story of love and loss during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I have diabetes as well” – Billy Porter on his diabetes diagnosis
Alongside The Traitors US host Cumming and Olympian Gus Kenworthy, Porter is set to co-produce the reworked production, with newcomer Amrou Al-Kadhi set to direct.
In this exclusive chat with Attitude, the Broadway star talks about his personal stories related to themes covered in the Off-West End production, revealing his biggest loss, love, and going back to the moment he had to be removed from the West End’s Cabaret after being diagnosed with sepsis.
Attitude: What initially drew you to co-produce Sugar Daddy?
Billy: I was initially drawn to the intergenerational relationship and then when I watched the show, I realised that the “sugar” in Sugar Daddy was about Sam’s diabetes diagnosis. I have diabetes as well and we were both diagnosed after a traumatic experience that affected our nervous systems.
What is your fondest memory of playing the Emcee in Cabaret in London’s West End?
Hmm… I have so many. I think it would be the blessing of having lived long enough to see the day where people of colour would be given the opportunity to tell these very human stories about a period of time when, up until now, we were invisible. The truth of the matter is: we were there. We are always there.
How has life been since your sepsis diagnosis last year? Are you doing well?
Thank you for asking. I am on the mend. My stamina is still a bit compromised, and my spirits are high. I’m on the road to a full recovery. Daddy’s got to get back into her pumps!
Did you watch Celebrity Traitors? Who were you rooting for?
I’ve seen a couple of episodes. However, I’m not really a reality show aficionado. What I have seen is fun. And Alan [Cumming] is so tasty – pitch perfect!
Has Alan Cumming pitched you for the next season?
I don’t know. I’m not sure that I would be any good at it. I’m not known for my game-playing skills.
What do you hope is the audience’s main takeaway from Sugar Daddy?
That life is precious, joy is a choice, and love is an action.
Loss is a central theme of the production. What has been your greatest personal loss?
My precious mum passed away two years ago this past February 2026. She was the greatest woman that walked the face of this earth. She was the personification of what a true Christian is!
Sugar Daddy tickets are available now via the official West End Theatre website.
