Suzy Eddie Izzard says she knew her gender identity as a child but rejected it after early career success

Suzy Eddie Izzard has said she was aware she was transgender since she was a child.

The comedian, 61, made the revelation as she appeared on Lorraine on Thursday.

Izzard admitted that she “couldn’t define” her trans identity at a young age, as there was no language for it at the time, and later rejected who she was when she found success in her career as a comic.

She told host Lorraine Kelly: “I knew I was what seems to be trans, but couldn’t define it when I was a young kid. So I thought well that’s not happening.

Suzy Eddie Izzard discussed her gender identity on Lorraine on Thursday (Lorraine/ITV1)

“Then I took off as Eddie and thought well it doesn’t matter.”

Earlier this month, Izzard announced she is adding Suzy to her name, which is what she wanted to be called as a child.

Speaking on her name change, the stage star added: “It’s got Edward John in my passport, so I thought why don’t I add Suzy in there.”

Izzard came out as transgender in 2020, 30 years into her career, as she appeared on the Sky Arts programme Portrait Artist of the Year.

The comedian said she dismissed her trans identity when her career took off

Following her public transition, she acknowledged on Lorraine the possible confusion surrounding her name and gender identity and said she “doesn’t mind” if people make mistakes, though she prefers to be referred to as she/her.

Izzard said: “So there’s now all this about people don’t know what to say – I prefer Suzy but I don’t mind Eddie. I prefer she/her, but I don’t mind he/him.

“Nobody can make a mistake with me unless they call me Gregory or Sabrina and then that’s not quite right.

“Everything else nobody can make a mistake and they can choose.”

Elsewhere in her interview, Izzard spoke about it being a “hard time” for trans people.

She continued: “Itss just something we have to go through. We are in the conversation now. And we will get through it. People get very angry on the internet and I just ignore it. I really try to be positive.”

Izzard spoke further about her feelings about her gender identity as a child in 2021.

She said at the time: “I’ve known I was trans since I was four or five. My feelings from the age of five have not moved an inch.

“Thirty-five years ago, I came out. The rest is language. I went through such hell since ’85 that the idea that I’ve come out recently just sounds ridiculous.”

Identifying as a gender-fluid trans woman, Izzard added that she wants to be “based in girl mode from now on.”

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