H from Steps says his pop group turned down Dubai gig over LGBT+ laws

The dance-pop group, which rose to fame in the 1990s, performed a concert in the United Arab Emirates in 2018 and Watkins said that the country’s laws have changed since then and are a lot more “archaic” now.

He spoke to the PA news agency at the Attitude Pride Awards 2023, which celebrates LGBT+ people who have positively impacted the community.

Watkins said: “Recently, we have just turned down a gig in the Emirates in Dubai, specifically, because of their human rights policies and specifically their laws on LGBTQ+ people.

“We got offered a very lovely sum of money, but, in the contract, it did say no mention of sexuality and for me, as a gay man, I did say ‘that doesn’t sit well with me. I’m not going to be part of that’.

“I did say to the rest of the gang, you’re welcome to do that without me.”

Discussing the band’s 2018 concert in Dubai, he added: “We did a gig in Dubai years ago, but the laws have changed a lot since then.

“Actually, the whole world has progressed, but the laws in the Emirates and Dubai are even more archaic now.

“I think, if we took a stand and did our show, as it was, I, specifically would be in danger.

“I would go to jail, we would absolutely be in contempt of the government.

“But we can do our bit and we will actually go up and say, ‘no, we’re not doing that’, and that creates even more noise.”

In America, governor of Florida Ron DeSantis recently signed legislation to ban children from attending adult live performances, and H said that this could have far-reaching implications for drag queens in America and the UK.

H said: “Let’s talk about gun control in America, which is the real problem, that’s why they are gaslighting drag queens and actually on a smaller scale, it’s happening in this country as well.

“There are so many things that we’ve achieved, and we have evolved as a human race and as a community, so it’s up to people that have a profile, that have a voice, or have any visibility on social media to speak out and support and be an advocate.”

Steps member Claire Richards also spoke on the legislation in Florida and said: “It’s sending us back many, many years and it’s terrifying.”

Going on to discuss why the group turned down the gig in Dubai, she added: “It was a no brainer.

“It’s absolutely what we stand for as a band and all of us support H to the hill, it’s not even a question.

“I mean, there’s an argument to say we could have gone. A lot of people say ‘go and fly the flag’ and do it that way but that’s giving oxygen to it.”

Steps came together following an advert in The Stage entertainment magazine in 1997 looking for a new band.

The fivesome celebrated 20 years since their formation with a comeback album and UK tour in 2017 and in 2022 they released a Platinum Collection album.