BBC‘s latest show, Lost Boys and Fairies, has left people ‘in tears’ over a touching series that follows a gay couple’s journey to adopt a child.
The heartwarming love story was brough to life by Welsh actor Sion Daniel Young (Gabriel), 34, and Irish star Fra Free (Andy), 37, with the latter known for his roles in blockbuster productions like the 2012 movie adaptation of Les Misérables and Marvel’s Hawkeye – alongside an illustrious theatre career.
In the programme, the pair adopt seven-year-old Jake and ’embark upon a journey of self-discovery’, according to the synopsis.
In real life, Fra is in a relationship with singer Declan Bennett, 43, who is also known for his role as Charlie Cotton in EastEnders – Dot Branning’s long-lost grandson.
Fra – who has been living in rural Oxfordshire with his long-term boyfriend and their dog for the past four years – has previously opened up about feeling ‘hopeful’ for young gay people as he has seen his native Northern Ireland, become more accepting of LGBT identities despite his suffering hardships with his sexuality when he was young.
The heartwarming love story was brough to life by Welsh actor Sion Daniel Young (Gabriel, left), 34, and Irish star Fra Free (Andy, right), 37
‘I knew, from overhearing conversations, that my parents would assume that I would have lived a very unhappy life, because they weren’t privy to it being any other way,’ he told The Irish Times in 2022.
‘I love going back home now and I feel very welcome. I’m hopeful that young gay people in Northern Ireland have an easier time of it. There’s so much more queer visibility in the media and culture and that makes a big difference.
‘Actors being able to come out and live these successful public lives means that it’s creating a safer space for young people to come out and be proud of who they are, and perhaps even share that love with another person at their school or friends.’
Speaking to Attitude that same year, he recalled a ‘traumatic’ incident while attending an all-boys Catholic grammar school and having to write an essay about ‘how homosexuality was just blanket “wrong”‘.
‘I can’t quite believe that happened to me, and to so many others, so many other LGBT people growing up in that place at that time,’ he added.
‘It means a certain level of shame follows you for such a long, long time when you’ve had that level of indoctrination.
‘I knew I was gay when I was very young, but didn’t know what it was or how to label it, certainly.’
His partner Declan – who was in the band Point Break – now often shares sweet snaps of Fra and their pooch on social media, and already took to his Instagram Story to urge followers to watch Lost Boys and Fairies.
Fra (pictured in April) – who has been living in rural Oxfordshire with his long-term boyfriend and their dog for the past four years – has previously opened up about feeling ‘hopeful’ for young gay people as he has seen his native Northern Ireland , become more accepting of LGBT identities
In real life, Fra is in a relationship with singer Declan Bennett, 43, (both pictured)who is also known for his role as Charlie Cotton in EastEnders – Dot Branning’s long-lost grandson
Fra (pictured in 2021) was raised in Killyman, graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2009 and has gone on to have a striking film and theatre career since
Fra was raised in Killyman, graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2009 and has gone on to have a striking film and theatre career since.
He was Courfeyrac in the 2012 movie adaptation of Les Misérables and in 2021 starred as Kazi in the Disney+ show Hawkeye.
His stage credits also include West End roles in Dirty Dancing and Cabaret as well as a Broadway appearance in The Ferryman.
According to Rolling Stone, he will star in Zack Snyder’s ‘Netflix space epic’, Rebel Moon.
Meanwhile, his co-star Sion is understood to be in a relationship with actress Aimee-Ffion Edwards, who has starred skins, Peaky Blinders and Luther among other hits – but the pair has never confirmed this.
Sion has also said that playing part of a same-sex couple didn’t deter him, as ‘it’s just love between two people who are so desperate to root for each other and for everything to be OK’.
Speaking to the Independent, Sion added that if he wasn’t the person show creator Daf James wanted, ‘then he wouldn’t be playing the part’.
He also revealed that him and co-star Fra felt their chemistry ‘straight away’ while working on the project.
He was Courfeyrac in the 2012 movie adaptation of Les Misérables and in 2021 starred as Kazi in the Disney+ show Hawkeye. Fra and Declan in 2019
His partner Declan – who was in the band Point Break – now often shares sweet snaps of Fra and their pooch on social media, and already took to his Instagram Story to urge followers to watch Lost Boys and Fairies
Fra has had an illustrious career in TV and theatre – pictured in his costume as Kazi in Disney +’s Hawkeye
‘My favourite scenes were anything Gabe and Andy based,’ he said. ‘And I have such a lush relationship with Fra now because of this journey we’ve gone through.’
Both Sion and his partner, who live in Wales together, boast a plethora of works – and have even starred in shows together.
The pair star in Slow Horses, Life and Death in the Warehouse and Keeping Faith alongside one another.
Aimee – who got her start as Sketch, a girl that was obsessed with Maxxie Oliver (Mitch Hewer) on E4’s Skins – was also in the Four Weddings and a Funeral series, as well as Lilly Allen’s Dreamland.
Aimee also went on to play Esme Shelby – the wife of John Shelby, played by Joe Cole – but left the series in season four after her fictional husband’s death.
When asked if she’d ever return, Aimee said it would ‘depend on the script’.
Speaking to Cosmopolitan, she explained: ‘I feel like I got to do some really good stuff, and the storylines were really strong, and I could make the best of Esme.
‘I think there’s an element of feeling quite protective over the characters you play, and if you feel like you aren’t doing that character justice… It’s such a brilliant show, and such an amazing following.
Both Sion and Fra (pictured last month) have spoken about their love for the ‘beautiful’ story in Lost Boys and Fairies
Meanwhile, his co-star Sion (left) is understood to be in a relationship with actress Aimee-Ffion Edwards (right), who has starred skins, Peaky Blinders and Luther among other hits – but the pair has never confirmed this
‘It’s really exciting to be a part of but I think if the storyline was good, I would consider that but I’m quite satisfied with what I got to do with her. I’m open-minded but sometimes it’s nice to leave on a high.’
Meanwhile, Sion has also starred in the National Theatre’s production of War Horse.
However, his first ever job was also one of Daf’s projects – the play Sherman Cymru: Llwyth (Tribe), which was made nearly 15 years ago and as reported by the Independent was ‘the first play about gay characters written by a queer person on a Welsh-language stage’.
Sion and Aimee don’t appear to have spoken about a relationship publicly, and aren’t on social media.
Both Sion and Fra have spoken about their love for the ‘beautiful’ story in Lost Boys and Fairies.
‘We feel really lucky to get to be the two that are telling this story for sure,’ Sion told Digital Spy.
‘I mean, it’s bizarrely so rare to just see something that from a queer perspective,’ Fra added.
‘You know, about two men, for example, that is just so inherently joyful and so, so full of love, in the same way that every other relationship or familial setup is similarly full of love.
The mini-series, which is based on Welsh writer Daf James’s personal experiences, documents the prospective parents going through the adoption process before eventually meeting Jake, the child they will go on to adopt.
However, while viewers praised the drama, which many said left them in ‘tears’, opinion has been divided among critics.
The mini-series, which is based on Welsh writer Daf James’s personal experiences, documents the prospective parents going through the adoption process before eventually meeting Jake, the child they will go on to adopt
Leo Harris (pictured) plays seven-year-old Jake in the programme, which has received mixed reviews from critics
The Guardian’s Rebecca Nicholson gave Lost Boys and Fairies four stars out of five, saying the programme has a ‘huge heart’.
She described it as a ‘sad, beautiful story about adoption and, crucially, about adopters, with an admirable devotion to the love and the pain involved in each aspect of the process’.
Writing in the Financial Times, Dan Einav – who gave it the same ranking – described the BBC drama as ‘a poignant portrait of queer adoption’.
Giving it three stars out of five, Nick Hilton of The Independent was slightly less glowing in his review, saying some of the themes, including homophobia, sexual assault and addiction among others are ‘bleak’.
However, he added, the three-part drama is infused with ‘a playfulness that offsets the darker tones’.
Also giving the programme three stars, Jasper Rees of the Telegraph summarised it as a ‘heartfelt and enlightening drama about a gay couple who decide to adopt’.
Meanwhile, Christopher Stevens of the MailOnline, was more damning in his one-star write-up of the drama.
He accused the protagonists of radiating ‘naked bigotry’, describing a scene in which one of them flatly refuses considering to adopt a child with any kinds of special needs, including Down’s Syndrome.