Gay Bedroom Scene Sparks Uproar

An EastEnders episode that showed a gay couple apparently naked in bed has sparked an audience backlash reports the Daily Mail. At least 125 viewers complained that a scene featuring the characters Christian Clarke and Syed Masood was inappropriate for the show’s pre-watershed slot. The pair were lying in bed together, with no tops on, and bedclothes pulled up to their chests. The two characters, who are trying to adopt and are planning a civil ceremony, also shared a brief kiss.

They were seen joking about getting matching rings and not changing their names when they tie the knot. Syed was seen with his arm draped around his partner as they cuddled up in bed in the short scene. Some viewers said the broadcast made for ‘uncomfortable’ viewing and was guilty of ‘confusing their kids’.


But the BBC revealed yesterday it had received 77 messages from members of the public praising it for showing the scene. In a statement, the corporation said it approached the portrayal of gay relationships in ‘exactly the same way’ as it did heterosexual scenes and the scenes were suitable for pre-watershed viewing. It said it could not ‘discriminate’ by treating gay characters differently to other people shown in the programme.



The mixed response from viewers to the scenes confirms the findings of a BBC survey last year, which showed that gay relationships are still a divisive issue. Although 49 per cent of people were comfortable with homosexual scenes, 18 per cent were unhappy with them and a further 32 per cent were ambivalent. One viewer, writing on the BBC’s message board, said of the EastEnders episode, which aired two weeks ago: ‘I’m not a homophobe but really do not want to see gay men in bed naked and kissing, especially whilst my ten-year-old daughter is sitting with me, before the watershed. Might be socially acceptable to some but there is a time and place and definitely not before nine o’clock, confusing my kids. There was no warning.’

Another viewer said: ‘If I had a ten-year-old I don’t think I’d be happy with them seeing that particular scene whether it was a gay couple or a straight couple.’ A third wrote on the message board: ‘Last night’s scene was too much at that time of the evening. I felt quite uncomfortable watching it and we don’t even have kids.’

But others praised the BBC, with one writing of ‘the fabulous portrait of the relationship between Syed and Christian’. The viewer said the gay bed scene was a ‘big step towards equality’. Another said: ‘It makes a refreshing change to see a positive portrayal of a gay couple on primetime TV and I applaud everyone involved for making this storyline such a powerful, moving and compelling one.’
One even joked of seeing two men in bed together: ‘Morecambe and Wise did it all the time.’

The BBC’s statement said: ‘EastEnders aims to reflect real life, and this means including and telling stories about characters from many different backgrounds, faiths, religions and sexualities. In 1987, EastEnders showed the first ever gay kiss on primetime television when Barry Clark kissed his partner Colin Russell.