Suzy Eddie Izzard reveals she’s wanted new name since age 10 as she discusses trans issues with Lorraine Kelly

Suzy Eddie Izzard has spoken candidly to Lorraine Kelly about how she decided on her feminine new name.

The comedian, 61, who was recently campaigning to become an MP in Sheffield, announced in 2020 that she would be using “she/her” pronouns moving forward.

In March this year, she added that she wanted to fulfil her childhood dream of adding Suzy to her name.

Suzy explained on The Political Party podcast with host Matt Forde that she would be keeping both names to avoid confusion, saying: “There’s another name I’m going to add in as well, which is Suzy, which I wanted to be since I was 10. I’m going to be Suzy Eddie Izzard.

“That’s how I’m going to roll, so people can choose what they want. They can’t make a mistake, they can’t go wrong.”

Suzy Eddie Izzard appeared on ITV’s Lorraine earlier this week to talk about what inspired her new feminine name as she embarks on a new project.

She is set to star in a one woman show, Great Expectations, playing 19 different characters with different accents and backgrounds. The show has already had rave reviews in New York and is coming to The Garrick Theatre for six weeks from the 24th of May. Suzy told Lorraine about her dyslexia and how it affects her spelling, reading and even the games she played as a child

Whilst billed on the show as ‘Eddie’ Lorraine commented that her guest now likes to be known as ‘Suzy’.

Suzy explained that she has wanted the name since she watched Suzy Kendall in To Sir With Love as a 10-year-old.

Suzy said: “I just thought, ‘I’d like to have that name’, but of course at that time I wasn’t telling anyone.

“I knew I was what seems now to be trans, [but] I couldn’t define it when I was a young kid, I just sort of said, ‘that’s not happening’. And then I took off as Eddie, and I thought, ‘well it doesn’t matter’.”

Suzy explained that she was looking at Edward John on her passport when she thought that she would like to add Suzy to her name. Whilst she prefers to be known as Suzy, she doesn’t mind also being referred to as Eddie.

Although Suzy is relaxed about her name, Lorraine said: “It is really hard for trans people right now. It has become toxic”.

Suzy responded saying that 20 years ago, these arguments didn’t take place because nobody talked about it.

Suzy said: “This is just a time we have to go through in order to get to better times”.

“I think 90 to 95 percent of the country, maybe the world, are just saying ‘live and let live, it’s your own personal self, you’re being your authentic self’, and then there’s two to five percent of people who want to stir it up and get angry and shout and get very angry on the internet – which I just ignore,” she added.

Suzy’s instagram followers were keen to comment on her fantastic new show:

Lorraine herself commented: “This will be good”

Another fan said: ”I loved seeing your performance a few weeks ago here in Paris. It was a privilege ! Lucky Londoners!”

A third posted: “You make so many people feel normal. ❤️