Lorraine Kelly Moved to Tears After Being Named ‘Honorary Diva’ on Air
Veteran broadcaster Lorraine Kelly was visibly emotional on her ITV talk show this week after being praised as an “honorary diva” and a steadfast ally to the trans community by guest Paris Lees.
The heartfelt exchange occurred during Tuesday’s (June 10) episode of Lorraine, which featured Lees, the writer and creator of the new BBC coming-of-age series What It Feels Like for a Girl, based on her memoir.
As the interview concluded, Paris—who made history as the first trans woman to host on BBC Radio 1 and Channel 4—took a moment to thank Lorraine for her unwavering support.
“I just want to say as well Lorraine, thank you for everything that you do,” Paris said. “I don’t want to dwell on that because I don’t want it to be the focus, but there’s so much hostility for the trans community at the moment and you’ve been consistently an ally and we see you and we appreciate it, according to the Manchester Evening News.
“You really use your platform for good and not everybody is speaking up for us. We’re less than 0.5% of the population and we are under attack and you are using your platform for good, as a friend—and we thank you.”
Lorraine, 65, appeared overwhelmed by the tribute and responded warmly, “Thank you, I’ll take that… Thank you Paris for everything you do, can’t wait to see what you do next.” Fighting back tears, she added, “I’m going to cry,” after Paris joked she should have brought flowers for being an “honorary diva.”
The moving moment came at a transitional time for Kelly, as ITV recently confirmed changes to its 2026 daytime schedule. Lorraine will air on a seasonal basis for 30 weeks each year, broadcasting from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. During the weeks it is off-air, Good Morning Britain will extend to a four-hour show, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
In a lighter part of the interview, Paris described her appearance on Lorraine as a “full-circle moment,” praising the host for her kindness during their previous encounter on television.
Speaking about her transition into screenwriting, Paris said, “This was my story and I really wanted to rise to the challenge and do it justice… we got the reviews I wanted. It’s fearless, it’s bold, it’s in your face, and that’s what we wanted.”
She concluded, “It’s not propaganda… My primary objective in writing this was to entertain people. It’s a message from the heart.” Authentic and unfiltered, Paris’s words left a lasting impression—both on viewers and on a deeply touched Lorraine Kelly.