Bohemian Rhapsody removed from LGBT awards ceremony following Bryan Singer allegations

'The legacy of Freddy Mercury deserve so much more than to be tainted in this way'

A leading LGBT awards ceremony has removed Bohemian Rhapsody as a nominee amid allegations of sexual assault against director Bryan Singer.

The Queen biopic, which recently won the Golden Globe for Best Dramatic Film, was in contention for Best Original Film at the GLAAD Media Awards before being removed.

The move comes after four men claimed Singer sexually molested them while they were underage. Singer has denied the allegations, which were published in The Atalantic.

GLAAD, a media monitoring organisation which hands out awards to recognise outstanding representations of the LGBT community in media, said the story contained “unspeakable harms endured by young men and teenage boys brought to light a reality that cannot be ignored or even tacitly rewarded”.

“The team that worked so hard on Bohemian Rhapsody as well as the legacy of Freddy Mercury deserve so much more than to be tainted in this way,” the statement reads.

“Bohemian Rhapsody brought the story of LGBTQ icon Freddy Mercury to audiences around the world, many of whom never saw an out and proud lead character in a film or saw the impact of HIV and Aids in fair and accurate ways.

“The impact of the film is undeniable. We believe, however, that we must send a clear and unequivocal message to LGBTQ youth and all survivors of sexual assault that GLAAD and our community will stand with survivors and will not be silent when it comes to protecting them from those who would do them harm.

“Other films that involve Singer now or in the future should take note of the backlash to The Atlantic story and other previous allegations. The industry cannot let those who perpetuate harms against anyone – especially vulnerable young people – go unnoticed or unchecked any longer.”

The movement formed in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, Time’s Up, has applauded the decision.

“We are in the midst of a cultural reckoning,” a statement posted to Twitter reads. ”Though there was once a time when business as usual could continue amid credible allegations of sexual assault and violence, that era has ended forever.

“The recent allegations regarding Bryan Singer’s behaviour are horrifying and MUST be taken seriously and investigated.”

Singer released a statement following the allegations, saying ”I am forced to reiterate that this story rehashes claims from bogus lawsuits filed by a disreputable cast of individuals willing to lie for money or attention.

“And it is no surprise that, with Bohemian Rhapsody being an award-winning hit, this homophobic smear piece has been conveniently timed to take advantage of its success.”

Rami Malek, who played Freddie Mercuty in the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic, has recently spoken about working with Singer, saying he was not award of the allegations. Singer has also