Olly Alexander to Examine Queer Mental Health in New BBC Doc

Olly Alexander, the queer lead vocalist of Years and Years, has always been honest about mental health throughout his career, publicly discussing his own experiences with depression, anxiety, self harm and eating disorders. Now, Alexander will not only be open, he'll be outspoken, having created a new documentary for BBC Three, called Olly Alexander: Growing Up Gay.

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The OUT100 alumnus' film is part of Gay Brittania, a series of "bold and provocative" LGBTQ programming, which BBC lined up to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of The Sexual Offences Act 1967. This UK law, pressured to be passed by the Homosexual Law Reform Society, decriminalized private homosexual acts between men over age 21.

Alexander's forthcoming doc will explore "why the gay community is more vulnerable to mental health issues," while other Gay Brittania films will unpack everything from the history of female homosexuality to general LGBTQ oppression and safety concerns.

"This is a rich and compelling set of programmes that challenge us all," said Patrick Holland, Channel Controller BBC Two. "From the heart-breaking testimony of the men who lived through the years before partial decriminalization in Against The Law and Patrick Gale's intensely personal Man In An Orange Shirt, to a documentary revealing the experience of people facing discrimination in the UK today, this season is a powerful examination of how far we have come--whilst also exploring how much further we have to travel."