Manchester Pride headliner ‘yet to be paid for performance’

At least one of Manchester Pride’s headline acts hasn’t been paid for their performance, BBC Newsbeat has been told.

The event, organised by an independent charity, took place at the end of August.

Several performers and businesses say their requests for payment have been met with silence, and Newsbeat understands one artist who topped the line-up has not been paid.

After being approached for a response, organisers posted a statement on Instagram saying they were taking legal and financial advice to determine “the best way forward”.

Saki Yew, who was on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2024, is among those who say they’re yet to be paid by Manchester Pride, which is one of the country’s biggest LGBT events.

“It’s gone too far,” she tells Newsbeat.

“As performers, we’re used to waiting for money but there’s no communication and no answer.

“A lot of performers are starting to give up hope of being paid.”

Manchester Pride booked Saki as part of a collective which, the drag queen says, is owed a “big sum of money”.

“We put in the hard work with weeks and weeks of rehearsals,” she says.

“We put in the time so give us an answer.”

Saki says she’d typically expect payment for similar work to take two weeks but frustration built after “hearing nothing” from organisers.

Newsbeat’s also spoken to businesses waiting on payment after being hired by Manchester Pride.

Chris O’Connor, a sole trader who worked backstage at this year’s event, says he’s taking organisers to a small claims court over £2,050 he says he’s owed.

He tells Newsbeat he couldn’t afford a planned trip to visit his son in Ireland after Manchester Pride didn’t pay him promptly.

Another supplier, who wished to remain anonymous, said they have “no expectation” of receiving nearly £1,000 for signage their company provided.

Only Pride events in London and Brighton typically draw bigger crowds than those in Manchester.

While marches, protests and rallies form a major part of Pride around the world, live music and performances are put on to draw even bigger crowds.

Parts of Manchester Pride are free to attend but ticket prices for others varied from £15 to over £200 for “VIP experiences”.

Headliners this year included former Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne, Nelly Furtado and Olly Alexander.

Newsbeat contacted Manchester Pride to share Saki, Chris and other people’s experiences and offer the charity an opportunity to comment.

Its Instagram statement said it knew “moments like this can raise questions and emotions”.

“We ask that people treat our staff, from the CEO to the interns and volunteers, with kindness and respect,” it continued.

“It is the board that takes responsibility for our decisions based on advice and guidance, and not our staff.”

Manchester Pride added that it hopes to provide more information by 22 October.

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