Channel 4’s broadcast will focus on inclusion

Tom Daley Christmas Message

Olympic gold medallist Tom Daley will deliver the 2021 Alternative Christmas Message for Channel 4.

It will air at 5pm on Christmas Day, on Channel 4 and All 4, with those on social media able to follow along with the #AltXmas hashtag.

Daley will use the message to talk about his pride at representing his country, but also how he doubted himself at times. He also applauds athletes who have opened up about their struggles this year who’ve encouraged him to talk about his mental health more often.

The main message of the broadcast will be inclusion, with Daley praising Australian footballer Josh Cavallo for becoming the first and only topflight male player to come out as gay but also asking why the world’s most popular sport only has one top male player willing to do so.

He adds on football: “ If I had one Christmas wish it would be that next year that changes. That one impossibly brave Premier League player steps forward and says, ‘I am gay’. That person would inspire gay people everywhere, give hope to thousands of teenagers struggling with their sexuality and save the lives of countless young people who don’t currently feel like they have a place in this world.”

To emphasise the problem Daley raises “In 2022 the World Cup is being held in the second most dangerous country for queer people, Qatar. Why are we allowing places that aren’t safe for all fans and all players to host our most prestigious sporting events?” He also mentions the Formula One Grand Prix held in Saudi Arabia. 

Daley continues, praising Quinn, the first out trans Olympic medallist who won gold for the Canadian women’s soccer team at Tokyo 2020. He applauds the feats of all trans athletes, adding: “especially in the current climate of fear and panic around trans people” and says that “there is no LGB without the T.”

His closing message reads: “We can make this country the most accepting, the most inclusive, the most progressive country on Earth. What if in Britain anybody could be anything regardless of where they started? What if we all started from the same place. Now wouldn’t that be something to be proud of?”