The cast of Netflix’s beloved LGBTQ+ drama Heartstopper – including Joe Locke, Jenny Walser, Kit Connor, Sebastian Croft, Tobie Donovan, Corinna Brown and Kizzy Edgell – were spotted among the throngs of people attending the Pride celebrations in London on Saturday (2 July).
The stars also helped out a young Pride in London attendee who encountered bigoted protestors at the event. A video, shared on Twitter by Sky News journalist Scott Beasley, showed several anti-LGBTQ+ protestors pulling on a young person’s arm as they stood outside the parade partitions.
Locke, Croft and Brown defiantly danced, waved the middle finger and loudly sang along to Whitney Houston’s hit “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” in front of the hateful group.
The stars of Heartstopper absolutely loving it as anti-LGBT protesters are challenged by a young Pride supporter #Pride pic.twitter.com/7uUwaG9MXW
— Scott Beasley (@SkyScottBeasley) July 2, 2022
The Heartstopper stars were met with cheers and thunderous claps from people in the parade as a result of the powerful moment. Croft even blew some kisses while Locke continued to bounce and flip the anti-LGBTQ+ group the bird before they both rejoined the march.
Elsewhere in the parade, Connor carried Locke on his back as they walked along the parade route behind a giant Pride flag. The scene was very reminiscent of a Heartstopper doodle that Alice Oseman created for Pride in 2019 that depicted Nick carrying Charlie, who was wearing a colourful flag, on his back.
Locke told the BBC that today is his first Pride ever and said it was “such an honour” to be celebrating “being queer when the world might not be so accepting”.
“It’s very, very surreal for me,” he said.
Needless to say, fans were absolutely here for the Heartstopper cast’s show of support for the LGBTQ+ community at Pride in London.
joe locke and sebastian croft singing dancing and flipping off homophobes at pride is exactly what the world needed pic.twitter.com/twjXgMwM1H
— zoe🍂PINNED! | LOVES BASH!!!!!!! (cast pr manager) (@vaItcrsen) July 2, 2022
no thoughts just this video of joe locke and sebastian croft flipping off homophobes pic.twitter.com/rJ2dncOqvD
— ّ (@narliethinker) July 2, 2022
todays mood is joe locke flipping off homophobes at pride pic.twitter.com/pyY7bmeUHj
— blake (@springIvr) July 2, 2022
JOE LOCKE SAID FUCK HOMOPHOBIA I THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL 😩💖 pic.twitter.com/nivkvmsqLe
— rei 🌧️ Joe locke is so pretty (@heartstperxjoe) July 2, 2022
joe locke i love you 😭 pic.twitter.com/zkFuguNCIU
— cai 🫶 (@GRAPEJUlICE) July 2, 2022
we all need to channel our inner joe locke at pride pic.twitter.com/tO5OegLIQv
— Kai !!🍂no.1 isak lover♡ (@lgbkit) July 2, 2022
Pride in London is an opportunity for queer people and allies to advocate for change as well as promote the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community. This year’s parade also honours the 50th anniversary of the UK’s first Pride protest, which was led by the Gay Liberation Front in 1972.
The cast of Heartstopper will also appear on the Pride in London stage at Trafalgar Square for a couple of minutes after 6pm to announce “50 Seconds of All Our Pride”.
The event will see the audio make 50 seconds of ear-splitting noise – whether it’s clapping, singing or shouting – to mark the event’s 50th anniversary and show the world that the LGBTQ+ community is here and proud.