Ep 71: Jonathan Rippon said

🎙️ What's This Episode About?Jonathan Rippon is a queer musical comedian, singer, songwriter and former BBC television producer, who appeared on Britain's Got Talent in 2025 performing an original song called First Time in Blackpool, earned three yeses from the panel, and has been building something rather brilliant ever since. Recorded at Clockwise offices in Liverpool with a view of the Albert Dock, during Liverpool Pride weekend, having already done karaoke at Cooper's Townhouse that morning and a set at Hot Water Comedy Club the Sunday before. He is very much at home in this city.Jonathan joins John to trace a career that has run on two parallel tracks for most of his life: television production on one side, from winning a competition to appear on Number 73 as an 11-year-old to producing The Saturday Show for BBC One, and performance on the other, beginning as a choral scholar at King's College Cambridge, singing at venues including the Sydney Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall, and more recently combining his voice with stand-up comedy and original musical songs. Three years into that combination, things are moving quickly.He talks about what BGT actually looks like from the inside, the editing decision that accidentally turned a perfectly innocent lyric about an Anton deck chair into something considerably less family friendly, and how the audition became a launchpad for everything that's followed: a manager, a growing live schedule, his own comedy night JR's Secret Sauce at the Top Secret Comedy Club in London, and a monthly queer comedy night at the Birdcage Bar in Brighton. He also talks about a viral cycling video that got five million views and earned him a free Swiss bike, which was not on the original career plan.There's also an extended and very joyful conversation about Kylie, including the story of meeting her in a BBC corridor, a pen running out at exactly the wrong moment, and Kylie getting down on her knees to empty her handbag to find another one. It became a song. Of course it did.It's warm, funny, and full of the kind of enthusiasm that makes you want to go and buy a ticket to something immediately.Find out more about Jonathan at jonathanrippon.co.uk.🗣️ Why Listen?If you're seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.📣 Connect with Us – ProudlySaid.co.ukSubscribe: Stay updated with new episodes.Share: If this resonates with you, share it with others who might find it meaningful.Feedback: We value your thoughts. Reach out with comments or suggestions.Support: Join The Front Row for less than £3 a month, supporting a local queer creator, or buy us a bespoke coffee or three! 🙂