The ABC has revealed its all-star line-up to take audiences through the 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade.
Drag queen Courtney Act and ABCQueer’s Mon Schafter will officiate the proceedings, alongside ABC’s Jeremy Fernandez and comedian Nathan Valvo.
They’ll be joined from the crowd by media personality Brooke Blurton, celebrity chef Anna Polyviou and newly out and proud AFL player Mitch Brown.
Among the seven of them, they will cover the spectacle from all angles, from the glitz to the moving stories.
Schafter, who has hosted ABC’s coverage for five years now, said she was excited to watch the newcomers enjoy the spectacle of Mardi Gras.
“What I love about having our guest hosts is that Courtney and I get to know them as they’re experiencing Mardi Gras. So it’s like we’re sort of watching the parade through their eyes as well,” she said.
She pointed in particular to Mitch Brown, who will be on hosting duties for his first-ever Mardi Gras.
“That’s pretty wild,” she said.
“My advice to them was just to bring your full self to the broadcast like everyone does to Mardi Gras — talk about who you are, what your journey has been like, because it’s really important that we share these stories with all of Australia.”
Schafter said hosting the parade was the highlight of her year, not just professionally but on a personal level too.
“There’s nothing better than being surrounded by tens of thousands of your community, celebrating and acknowledging everything that we’re enduring as a community and how we can still come through it all,” she said.
“Seeing the 78ers march down always brings a tear to my eye.”
Of course, there is all the glitz and glamour, but among that there are also really moving and powerful stories.
“We lose members of those 78ers every year, so the fact that so many of them are being recognised for everything they’ve achieved is quite moving,” she said.
“And in the current climate of trans rights being under threat around the world, I think it’s even more important that we come together and show our power and show our joy as a collective.”
But as for her favourite part, a little bit of naughtiness goes a long way.
“I love seeing a little bit of nudity every now and then — it makes the broadcast kind of fun.”
More than 12,000 participants are expected to light up Oxford Street over the evening, with the broadcast “focused on amplifying the pride, passion and artistry of the LGBTQIA+ community in a spectacular national showcase.”
“Through our live coverage on ABC TV and ABC iview, Australians across the country can come together to experience the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of our LGBTQIA+ community,” said ABC’s Head of Arts, Music and Events.
The special live broadcast event will start at 7:30pm on February 28 on ABC TV and ABC iview.
