Main content

Olly Alexander: Growing up Gay

Documentary in which Years and Years frontman Olly Alexander explores the mental health issues faced by members of the LGBT+ community.

Recent figures show that more than 40 per cent of LGBT+ people will experience a significant mental health problem, compared to around 25 per cent of the whole population, and are more than twice as likely to have attempted suicide.

In this eye-opening film, young pop culture icon Olly Alexander explores why the gay community is more vulnerable to mental health issues, as he opens up about his own long-term battles with depression. As the outspoken frontman of British band Years and Years, Olly is a powerful voice on mental health, bullying and LGBT+ rights. He has broken taboos with music videos that celebrate queer identities and spoken openly about his own sexuality as well as his ongoing struggles with anxiety.

In the film Olly joins young people on their journeys battling issues that parallel his own - from homophobic bullying to eating and anxiety disorders - and along the way he asks what can be done to address them.

5 months left to watch

60 minutes

Last on

Wed 6 Mar 2019 00:05
BBC One Wales, Wales HD, Scotland & Scotland HD only

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:02

    KATO & Sigala

    Show You Love (feat. Hailee Steinfeld)

  • 00:11

    Agnes Obel

    Fuel To Fire

  • 00:15

    Agnes Obel

    Familiar

  • 00:18

    Laura Mvula

    Phenomenal Woman

  • 00:21

    Rae Morris

    Skin

  • 00:26

    Crystal Castles

    Untrust Us

  • 00:27

    Rae Morris

    Cold (feat. Fryars)

  • 00:27

    Years & Years

    Without

  • 00:28

    Montell Jordan

    This Is How We Do It

  • 00:33

    Magnetic Man

    Flying into Tokyo

  • 00:34

    R I T U A L

    Drown The Lovers

  • 00:35

    Bloc Party

    This Modern Love

  • 00:38

    Rae Morris

    Do You Even Know?

  • 00:41

    Fickle Friends

    Hello Hello

  • 00:42

    HAIM

    Days Are Gone

  • 00:43

    Röyksopp & Robyn

    Do It Again

  • 00:44

    Rae Morris

    Unguarded

  • 00:46

    Basement Jaxx

    Unicorn

  • 00:47

    Friendly Fires

    On Board

  • 00:49

    Rae Morris

    Love Again

  • 00:57

    Years & Years

    King

  • 00:57

    Rae Morris

    Under The Shadows

Credits

Presenter Olly Alexander
Director Vicki Cooper
Executive Producer Laura Jones
Executive Producer Leila Monks
Production Company Antidote Productions

Broadcasts

  • Wed 2 Aug 2017 22:45
    BBC One
  • Wed 16 Aug 2017 00:35
    BBC Two
  • Tue 5 Mar 2019 23:05
    BBC One except Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland HD, Scotland, Scotland HD, Wales & 1 more
  • Tue 5 Mar 2019 23:35
    BBC One Northern Ireland HD & Northern Ireland only
  • Wed 6 Mar 2019 00:05
    BBC One Wales, Wales HD, Scotland & Scotland HD only

Featured in...

Gay Britannia Season

Gay Britannia Season

Bold and provocative stories exploring how far we’ve come since being gay was a crime