DIVA Awards 2022

Hosted on Friday 28 April 2022 at the grand Waldorf Hilton in Aldwych, London, the DIVA Awards honoured, uplifted and celebrated LGBTQI women and non-binary people. Hosted by actor Sophie Ward, the event was star-studded, with attendance from Labour MP Dawn Butler, comedians Sandi Toksvig and Rosie Jones, along with actors Denise Welch and Suranne Jones.

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The DIVA Awards 2022 were organised by DIVA Media Group and proudly sponsored by Citi Group, Deliveroo, Greene King, Jackdaw Media, London Stock Exchange Group, MyGWork, P&G and Sedulo. Taking place as part of Lesbian Visibility Week (25 April - 1 May), the evening featured a stunning performance from the fantastic Queens of Lovers Rock, Janet Kay and Carroll Thompson. The awards spanned 14 categories including Actor of the Year, Unsung Hero of the Year and LGBTQI Network of the Year.

 

BBC Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts secured the DIVA Choice Award for her role in furthering LGBTQI visibility in broadcasting and her openness about her cancer journey, with UK Black Pride receiving the coveted Community or Charity Project accolade. A lesbian musician with a cult following, Lucy Spraggan was crowned Musician of the Year, with Doctor Who picking up the award for Media Moment for its portrayal of WLW (women-loving-women) love between the Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin Khan, portrayed by Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill. Mae Martin secured Actor of the Year, having written and starred in Feel Good alongside Charlotte Ritchie (Ghosts, Fresh Meat, Call The Midwife). 

 

Suranne Jones secured Celebrity Ally of the Year, having recently portrayed DCI Amy Silva in Vigil as well as historic lesbian Anne Lister in Gentleman Jack. In 2021, she unveiled a statue of Anne in Halifax in a groundbreaking moment of support for the WLW community. One of the most prestigious awards of the evening, 

 

Monica Beadle secured the Lifetime Achievement Award. A well-known figure amongst the LGBTQI community, Monica was born in Kingston, Jamaica and moved to Peckham, South London in the 1950s, later coming out as a lesbian and starting a family. In 2019, she was the subject of Monica – Loose On A Cruise, premiering at the Lesflicks Film Festival. She was presented the award by her son, Rikki Beadle-Blair MBE. 

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Riley stated: “I am delighted to be back celebrating the DIVA Awards in person, which is something we haven’t done since 2019. These awards not only bring together LGBTQI women and non-binary people and their allies, but also the entirety of the DIVA Community. DIVA exists to champion, uplift and celebrate LGBTQI women and non-binary people, and since our first issue in 1994, we've grown to become a global enterprise. In the last year, we've celebrated our 300th issue and launched podDIVA, and the DIVA Awards are a remarkable moment to reflect on that, too. This is a truly special way to bring Lesbian Visibility Week to a close.”

 

The DIVA Awards celebrate every step in DIVA’s journey, honouring its special history whilst looking to the future of queer visibility, celebrating the changemakers that make the world a better place for people like us. The media stars, activists, and business leaders to whom the awards pay tribute all show that willpower, strength of purpose and talent can overcome prejudice. By highlighting the success and triumphs of these remarkable nominees they serve as an inspiration to future generations, strengthening and empowering the LGBTQI community. Decided by public vote, the DIVA Awards place the community at its heart.