Tom Allen to present BBC special My Big Gay Wedding
- Tom Allen will mark the 10th anniversary of same sex marriage being legalised in England and Wales via a BBC One special
- My Big Gay Wedding will organise "a wedding of their dreams" for one gay couple. Allen will also meet LGBTQ+ trailblazers
- He says: "I'm looking forward to making this joyous celebration of love & gay marriage, or garriage as I like to call it"
To mark the 10th anniversary of same sex marriages, Tom Allen has been chosen to present a TV special titled My Big Gay Wedding.
The BBC explains: "2023 marks the 10th anniversary of same sex marriage being legalised in England and Wales and 2024, a decade since the first wedding took place. To commemorate this momentous occasion, comedian, presenter and writer, Tom Allen is pulling out all the stops to arrange the wedding of their dreams for one gay couple.
"As he helps the lucky couple arrange the wedding of the year, Tom will reveal the extraordinary story of the fight for equal marriage, meeting the inspiring LGBTQ+ trailblazers who helped make this day possible.
"In this one-off film for BBC One and iPlayer, Tom will reflect on his own experiences of growing up gay as he considers how far gay rights have advanced; and he will introduce the couple to some of his talented celebrity friends who come together to help with everything from the entertainment to the outfits, to make the wedding as spectacular as possible.
"My Big Gay Wedding (a working title) will culminate in the wedding of the happy couple, in a joyous celebration of love, community and hard-won equality."
Tom Allen says: "The fact that same sex couples couldn't get married here just ten years ago means we should never be complacent about the progress we've made and so it's only right to celebrate it thoroughly. I'm looking forward to making this joyous celebration of love & gay marriage, or garriage as I like to call it."
Daisy Scalchi, BBC Head of Religion & Ethics, says: "I am so excited about this film. To be celebrating this momentous anniversary with a couple at such an important time in their lives is a privilege. Tom is the perfect person to guide them towards their dream day, while reflecting on how we've got to now and what that means to so many."