Marriage equality in England and Wales reached a milestone on this day in 2013 when the House of Lords passed the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill.

The Queen gave the Bill Royal Assent two days later, and the first same-sex weddings were allowed to proceed on 29 March 2014.

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In the 1980s, polls in Britain showed that a majority of people were opposed to homosexuality. However, by 2003, polling indicated not only widespread acceptance of LGBTIQ+ communities, but also majority support for same-sex marriage among Britons.

In 2005, civil partnerships were introduced for same-sex couples, although Tony Blair’s Labour government stressed that they were not marriages. British Prime Minister David Cameron had voiced his support for changing the law ahead of the 2010 General Election.

The introduction of marriage equality in England and Wales also provided legal recognition for same-sex marriages conducted overseas, created a pathway for couples in civil partnerships to convert their union into a marriage, and allowed transgender people to change their legal gender without first having to seek a divorce.

Statistics show that around 7,000 same-sex marriages take place in England each year, although annual totals have varied since the legislation came into effect.

Fashion designer Gianni Versace was murdered on this day in 1997

The world was shocked when Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace was shot on the steps of his Miami home.

In 1997, 27-year-old Andrew Cunanan travelled across America on a four-month killing spree during which he murdered at least five people. On 15 July 1997, he shot and killed fashion designer Gianni Versace on the steps of his Miami mansion. Versace had been returning from a morning walk.

Police have never conclusively determined what motivated Cunanan to commit the murders, which robbed the world of one of its most distinctive designers.

Versace launched his fashion business in 1978 and, by the time of his death, it had grown to encompass 130 stores around the world and was worth more than $800 million. He worked closely with celebrities including Elton John and Madonna, as well as supermodels Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell.

His life story, and that of his murderer, Andrew Cunanan, were dramatised in the miniseries The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Glee star Darren Criss portrayed Cunanan.

After his death, his sister Donatella took over as the principal designer of the House of Versace. In 2019, the company was sold to Capri Holdings, the company behind Michael Kors, but Donatella remained its Chief Creative Officer. She stepped down from the role in 2025.

In 2003 we said hello to the original Fab 5 from Queer Eye

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy made its debut on US television on this day in 2003. The show saw a team of gay men provide makeovers to poorly dressed straight men.

The “Fab 5” were an instant hit, and the show was soon being watched around the globe.

The cast members were Food Guy Ted Allen, Grooming Guru Kyan Douglas, Design Doctor Thom Filicia, Fashion Savant Carson Kressley, and Culture Vulture Jai Rodriguez. Between 2003 and 2007, they filmed 90 episodes of the series.

Since the show went off the air, Kressley has gone on to host the US version of How to Look Good Naked, co-host Get a Room alongside Filicia, serve as a regular judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and compete on Dancing with the Stars. He has also appeared on the Australian version of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

Rodriguez returned to acting, appearing in the Broadway production of The Producers and popping up on television shows including Nip/Tuck, Bones, How I Met Your Mother, and Kingdom. He also appeared in the music video for Telephone by Beyoncé and Lady Gaga.

Filicia has continued to work as a much-sought-after interior designer and has published several books. Douglas went on to host the television series Ten Years Younger, while Allen has authored several books and hosted numerous television programmes. All of the original members recently reunited for an episode of the television show Reunion Road Trip.

The show led to a spin-off, Queer Eye for the Straight Girl, which featured three gay men and a lesbian tackling the fashion and lifestyle problems of straight women.

There was also an Australian version of the show. Launched in February 2005, it featured five Australian hosts: Ryan Andrijich, Will Fennell, Brendan Wong, Ty Henschke and Liston Williams. The show was not successful and was axed after its third episode. A total of six episodes were filmed, with Channel Ten screening the remaining episodes later in the year.

Many countries tried to replicate the success of the original Fab 5, with versions produced in Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. None achieved the same level of success as the original.

Alongside the show’s success on screen, it also found success on the music charts, with the soundtrack becoming a strong seller. It reached the Australian Top 10 in 2004, and the show’s theme tune, All Things (Just Keep Getting Better), was also a hit.

In 2018, a new version of the show, titled simply Queer Eye, made stars of a new generation of presenters including Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk and Jonathan Van Ness. For the show’s ninth season, Jeremiah Brent took over from Berk.

In July 2025, Netflix announced that filming had begun on the show’s tenth season and that it would be the programme’s last.

OIP Staff, this post was first published in 2021.