Jun 2, 2026 · 29 min · 10 segments
In which the best-selling novelist talks about London Spy, The Assasination of Gianni Versace and his first love story for readers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tom Rob SmithGuestJohn-Paul SarniHostWell, it is also so interesting because, I mean, for, for gay people around the world, I mean, the fact that we've only really had the option to be married for, depending on where you live, maybe not even now.
But I mean, I think the first, uh, country to recognize gay marriage, I wanna say was the Netherlands in, in 2001.
So, you know, it's really only been a couple, [chuckles] a couple decades to begin with.
Um, and obviously the fight for marriage equality continues, again, depending on where you live and what your circumstances are.
But there's also some places where, uh, you know, politics change all the time based on administrations, and there's also the threat of some of these rights kind of going away and, and changing.
I mean, do you, do you remember the, the feeling, th- the weight of it in, in the UK when the, the law passed and law changed in 2014? Do you remember feeling that that was elation? Was it surprise? Was it, um, was it just overwhelming or, you know, how do you recall it?
I mean, I, one of the, the things about the idea is that it's very much a period piece, and actually that period changes very much on the country you're looking at.
So, you know, I mean, as you mentioned, you know, the laws were both passed and then they might be repealed.
So when I speak to my, you know, American, as in North American friends from, um, whether it's from New York or LA, there's that thing of there was a moment where it looked like there was just this narrow window where it might pass, and everyone was rushing to get it in ca- You know, that kind of stuff is really, is really crazy.
And it's actually sort of depending on which country you're in, it's a different story and a different year.
In the UK it was interesting because, again, it was very much 2012 I was looking at it.
This is not a story, 'cause, you know, there are lots of, as I'm sure, lots of people who have been, um, together who when the laws changed, um, took the opportunity at the first moment.
Like, they didn't feel a pressing need to from a tax point of view or a kind of inheritance point of view.
It was suddenly I'm having to think about something that I've never thought about before.
And I was going on that journey with Danny where he's going into engagement ring, uh, jewelry shops and realizing they don't make engagement rings for men.
And actually, even if you, I would, for the research, I'd, you know, I think Tiffany's started in 2019.
Well, it is also so interesting because, I mean, for, for gay people around the world, I mean, the fact that we've only really had the option to be married for, depending on where you live, maybe not even now.
But I mean, I think the first, uh, country to recognize gay marriage, I wanna say was the Netherlands in, in 2001.
So, you know, it's really only been a couple, [chuckles] a couple decades to begin with.
Um, and obviously the fight for marriage equality continues, again, depending on where you live and what your circumstances are.
But there's also some places where, uh, you know, politics change all the time based on administrations, and there's also the threat of some of these rights kind of going away and, and changing.
I mean, do you, do you remember the, the feeling, th- the weight of it in, in the UK when the, the law passed and law changed in 2014? Do you remember feeling that that was elation? Was it surprise? Was it, um, was it just overwhelming or, you know, how do you recall it?
I mean, I, one of the, the things about the idea is that it's very much a period piece, and actually that period changes very much on the country you're looking at.
So, you know, I mean, as you mentioned, you know, the laws were both passed and then they might be repealed.
So when I speak to my, you know, American, as in North American friends from, um, whether it's from New York or LA, there's that thing of there was a moment where it looked like there was just this narrow window where it might pass, and everyone was rushing to get it in ca- You know, that kind of stuff is really, is really crazy.
And it's actually sort of depending on which country you're in, it's a different story and a different year.
In the UK it was interesting because, again, it was very much 2012 I was looking at it.
This is not a story, 'cause, you know, there are lots of, as I'm sure, lots of people who have been, um, together who when the laws changed, um, took the opportunity at the first moment.
Like, they didn't feel a pressing need to from a tax point of view or a kind of inheritance point of view.
It was suddenly I'm having to think about something that I've never thought about before.
And I was going on that journey with Danny where he's going into engagement ring, uh, jewelry shops and realizing they don't make engagement rings for men.
And actually, even if you, I would, for the research, I'd, you know, I think Tiffany's started in 2019.
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