Maybe a whole television station devoted to gay TV is not even necessary. Looking back through recent British television series, there are many gay characters and discussions of gay issues.
EastEnders, a BBC serial drama set in London’s East End, has had a seemingly constant stream of gay and lesbian characters including Joe Wallace, Della Alexander, Binnie Roberts, Tony Hills, Simon Raymond, Chris Clarke and Dr. Frederico "Fred" Fonseca.
Some gay plot lines have included a straight regular character becoming friends with Joe at an HIV counseling centre after learned he was HIV+, while George, an AIDS hospice caregiver, appeared in two episodes in 1992. Meanwhile, lesbian couple Della and Binnie lived in the square for a time before moving to Spain and of course there was Tony, who broke off his relationship with his pregnant girlfriend, Tiffany, in order to take up with her brother Simon. As you do….
The Brittas Empire, a BBC sitcom, is based around gay characters Gavin Featherleigh and Tim Whistler whose employer, Mr. Brittas, is the only one who doesn't know they're gay.
Absolutely Fabulous is another famous sitcom with occasional gay characters. Justin (Edina’s second ex-husband and father of Saffron, her long-suffering daughter), and Oliver (Justin’s lover) appear from time to time, while Patsy (Edina’s alcoholic best friend and side-kick) also claims on more than one occasion to have been a female to male transsexual for a time, until “it fell off."
Grange Hill is a BBC children's serial drama covering the lives of students and teachers in an inner city school. Mr. Tom Brisley, an art teacher, was introduced into the series as a gay man with no hang ups about being gay. His sexuality wasn't referred to for the first year or so until eventually students, parents and other teachers - and the audience - discovered and came to terms with his homosexuality, after which his boyfriend, Don, and their home life featured regularly.
EastEnders, a BBC serial drama set in London’s East End, has had a seemingly constant stream of gay and lesbian characters including Joe Wallace, Della Alexander, Binnie Roberts, Tony Hills, Simon Raymond, Chris Clarke and Dr. Frederico "Fred" Fonseca.
Some gay plot lines have included a straight regular character becoming friends with Joe at an HIV counseling centre after learned he was HIV+, while George, an AIDS hospice caregiver, appeared in two episodes in 1992. Meanwhile, lesbian couple Della and Binnie lived in the square for a time before moving to Spain and of course there was Tony, who broke off his relationship with his pregnant girlfriend, Tiffany, in order to take up with her brother Simon. As you do….
The Brittas Empire, a BBC sitcom, is based around gay characters Gavin Featherleigh and Tim Whistler whose employer, Mr. Brittas, is the only one who doesn't know they're gay.
Absolutely Fabulous is another famous sitcom with occasional gay characters. Justin (Edina’s second ex-husband and father of Saffron, her long-suffering daughter), and Oliver (Justin’s lover) appear from time to time, while Patsy (Edina’s alcoholic best friend and side-kick) also claims on more than one occasion to have been a female to male transsexual for a time, until “it fell off."
Grange Hill is a BBC children's serial drama covering the lives of students and teachers in an inner city school. Mr. Tom Brisley, an art teacher, was introduced into the series as a gay man with no hang ups about being gay. His sexuality wasn't referred to for the first year or so until eventually students, parents and other teachers - and the audience - discovered and came to terms with his homosexuality, after which his boyfriend, Don, and their home life featured regularly.