Cherry Valentine.
Cherry Valentine was the stage name of George Ward (1993–2022), an English drag queen and mental health nurse who competed in the second series of the television show RuPaul's Drag Race UK. Raised in an English Traveller community, Ward was the first member of his family to attend university, where he was introduced to Manchester's drag scene. He began performing as Cherry Valentine in 2016, while working in a children's psychiatric intensive-care unit. As part of the LGBT community, Ward hid his Traveller heritage because he feared he might receive "hate or backlash". Ward has been credited as the first contestant on the Drag Race franchise to acknowledge his Romani heritage. In 2022, he addressed his background in the BBC documentary film Cherry Valentine: Gypsy Queen and Proud, and in an episode of the documentary series God Shave the Queens. Following Ward's death in 2022, a memorial concert and fundraiser was held at London's Clapham Grand (pictured).
