'Queer people's rights are under threat'

Tan France is one-fifth of Queer Eye and the co-host of Next in Fashion. He tells Joe Bromley why representation matters

- Joe Bromley

TAN France is swigging a coffee explaining that he looks like he has been hit by a truck. It’s 9:30am for him in New York, and he is on Netflix’s Next in Fashion season two press tour with his co-host and supermodel, Gigi Hadid.

Obviously, the South Yorkshire-raised presenter of Pakistani heritage who rose to prominence as TV series Queer Eye’s fashion expert looks great. His sculpted grey quiff is complemented by a matching sweater vest and his trademark, disarming, warmth (he calls me “sweetheart”, with a grin). Within seconds France, 39, is cooing about his new on-screen partner.

“Gigi was one of the first famous people I got to know and befriend. Even my friends see pictures of us in the press and are like, ‘that’s so weird that you’re friends with this superstar’,” he says. “The amount of times I’ve had to remind them that she’s just a person.”

A person, maybe. But one whose 77 million Instagram followers and global stardom has set this instalment of the reality fashion competition, which sees 12 designers battle Bake Off-style for $200,000, up for success. It comes after the series was reported to have been cut following just one season in 2020, when it was hosted by France and Alexa Chung (“the greatest host the UK has ever churned out,” he drops in).