Cherry Valentine: Gypsy Queen and Proud
{{Use British English|date=September 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Cherry Valentine: Gypsy Queen and Proud
| image = Cherry Valentine - Gypsy Queen and Proud.png
| caption =
| director = Pete Grant
| screenplay =
| based_on =
| writer =
| producer = Victoria Bolstridge, Pete Grant
| starring = Cherry Valentine
| cinematography =
| editing =
| music =
| studio = World of Wonder
| distributor = BBC Three
| released = {{film date|df=yes|2022|1|25}}
| runtime = 55 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
}}
Cherry Valentine: Gypsy Queen and Proud is a 2022 English documentary film directed by Pete Grant and released on BBC Three and then WOW Presents Plus.{{Cite web |last=Brocklehurst |first=Harrison |date=25 January 2022 |title=We spoke to Drag Race UK's Cherry Valentine about her 'emotional' new documentary |url=https://thetab.com/uk/2022/01/25/cherry-valentine-gypsy-queen-and-proud-interview-237143 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=The Tab |language=en-GB |archive-date=25 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125115651/https://thetab.com/uk/2022/01/25/cherry-valentine-gypsy-queen-and-proud-interview-237143 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=7 February 2022 |title=Drag Race UK's Cherry Valentine 'absolutely terrified' to make BBC doc about LGBTQ Travellers |url=http://attitude.co.uk/article/drag-race-uks-cherry-valentine-absolutely-terrified-to-make-bbc-doc-about-lgbtq-travellers/26578/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Attitude |language=en |archive-date=8 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208203354/https://attitude.co.uk/article/drag-race-uks-cherry-valentine-absolutely-terrified-to-make-bbc-doc-about-lgbtq-travellers/26578/ |url-status=live }}
Plot
The documentary tells the story of George Ward leaving the English Traveller community in Darlington after coming out as gay and being rejected by the community.{{Cite web |last=Smoke |first=Ben |date=2 February 2022 |title='I adore my community': Cherry Valentine is a Gypsy queen and proud |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/55370/1/cherry-valentine-is-a-gypsy-queen-and-proud-interview-bbc-three |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Dazed |language=en |archive-date=6 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306021036/https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/55370/1/cherry-valentine-is-a-gypsy-queen-and-proud-interview-bbc-three |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Maidment |first=Adam |date=30 January 2022 |title=Drag Race UK star reveals battle growing up gay in Traveller community |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/drag-race-uk-star-cherry-22897817 |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=Manchester Evening News |language=en |archive-date=13 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213152511/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/drag-race-uk-star-cherry-22897817 |url-status=live }} Ward left his home and started his new life as Cherry Valentine, a drag alter-ego.{{Cite web |title=BBC Three - Cherry Valentine: Gypsy Queen and Proud |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bgrsh8 |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=BBC |language=en-GB |archive-date=2022-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220615214645/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bgrsh8 |url-status=live }} In the documentary, Ward returned to his roots to see how he could do drag and be a Gypsy.{{Cite web |last=Harrison |first=Phil |date=21 January 2022 |title=The Afterparty to All of Us Are Dead: the seven best shows to stream this week |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/jan/21/the-afterparty-to-all-of-us-are-dead-the-seven-best-shows-to-stream-this-week |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=The Guardian |language=en |archive-date=19 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419101552/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/jan/21/the-afterparty-to-all-of-us-are-dead-the-seven-best-shows-to-stream-this-week |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Conner-Hill |first=Rachel |date=27 January 2022 |title=Darlington drag queen on growing up as gay in traveller community ahead of BBC show |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19875804.cherry-valentine-speaks-growing-gay-darlingtons-traveller-community/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |website=The Northern Echo |language=en |archive-date=5 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405133537/https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19875804.cherry-valentine-speaks-growing-gay-darlingtons-traveller-community/ |url-status=live }} At the end of the documentary, there is a short memorial tribute to George Ward, who died by suicide on 18 September 2022.{{Cite web |last=Billson |first=Chantelle |date=2023-02-10 |title=Cherry Valentine struggled with Drag Race fame before death, inquest told |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/02/10/cherry-valentine-took-own-life-over-struggle-with-fame/ |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=PinkNews |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{RuPaul's Drag Race UK}}
{{WOW Presents Plus}}
Category:2022 documentary films
Category:2022 LGBTQ-related films
Category:Documentary films about gay men
Category:Drag (entertainment)-related documentary films
Category:Romani in the United Kingdom
Category:British LGBTQ-related documentary films
Category:British documentary television films
Category:World of Wonder (company) films
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