British GQ has brought together 15 national figures for a special edition titled “What’s So Great About Britain?”, pairing a fashion shoot with a wide-ranging set of interviews that praise elements of British life while warning about social and political strains.
The October issue, which goes on sale Sept. 23 and to which the Daily Mail was granted exclusive access to the shoot, features actors, athletes, musicians and public figures reflecting on what gives them pride — and what worries them — about the country. Responses ranged from celebrations of the National Health Service, sport and the accent to blunt criticism of political leadership and concerns about opportunities for people from working-class and marginalized backgrounds.
Actor Brian Cox, 79, singled out the NHS as “the envy of the world” while acknowledging organisational problems borne of recent strains. Cox declined to endorse the idea of a single national “treasure,” but said Judi Dench merited the distinction. England striker Chloe Kelly described the Lionesses’ 2022 campaign as her “peak British” moment, saying the team used its platform to effect change for young girls. Former footballer Ian Wright pointed to Britain’s football pyramid, with its tens of thousands of grassroots clubs, as a source of national pride and urged equal development for the women’s game.
Other contributors wove fashion and cultural commentary into their responses. Andrew Garfield quipped that the British accent can convey unwarranted gravitas, while Amelia Dimoldenberg spoke of her affection for London. Boxer Anthony Joshua, styled with a pigeon on his shoulder, criticized the press and said negative media portrayals erode athletes’ sense of belonging. Will Poulter highlighted the importance of immigration to the nation’s character, and singer-songwriter FKA Twigs praised Britain’s global cultural influence.
Some participants used the platform to sound alarms. Actor Jason Isaacs said he feared Britain had “lost its way,” framing decline not just as economic but as a reckoning with the country’s imperial past. Actress Ambika Mod described a lack of opportunity for people from working-class backgrounds and said she had been frustrated by barriers to advancing her career. Transgender activist Munroe Bergdorf warned that the way politicians treat trans people could be indicative of broader erosion of rights, and Heartstopper actor Joe Locke said the next five years would be telling for the country’s direction.
Musician Jade Thirlwall raised concerns about artificial intelligence and called for legal protections for artists. Comic and character figure Mr Blobby, included among the contributors, offered a more whimsical answer: “Blobby.”
The shoot, led by photographer Charlotte Rutherford, took place earlier this year across three days at Big Sky Studios in London and was months in planning, according to GQ. Production designers created a staged “quintessential British high street” and used 3D modelling to place each subject in a bespoke narrative moment. Sources involved in the production described meticulous styling: each star was offered seven different looks drawn from runway fashion, British designers and heritage brands, while wardrobe on set included roughly 20 rails of shoes, hats, scarves, sunglasses and jewelry.
Adam Baidawi, British GQ’s head of editorial, called the project “hands-down, the craziest shoot of my career” and said the team aimed for an “ambitious, charming, absurd and beautiful visual statement.”
The timing of the issue’s release follows a weekend of large-scale protests and clashes in central London. More than 110,000 people reportedly attended a march called Unite the Kingdom, led by hard-right activist Tommy Robinson, and police reported “significant aggression” after confrontations with counter-protesters in Whitehall. The demonstrations drew worldwide attention and a video message from tech entrepreneur Elon Musk lamenting what he described as the “erosion of Britain.”
British GQ’s special issue combines the portraits and fashion shoot with interviews that reflect a mixture of pride and unease among the contributors. The magazine’s “What’s So Great About Britain?” edition will be available on newsstands and as a digital download from Sept. 23.