The BBC’s “fortnightly report” of its complaint service showed that British television viewers filed a ton of quibbles between January 20 and February 2.
262 people complained about “inaccurate or irresponsible advice given on care for infants” on the show Trust Me, I’m a Doctor.
254 people objected to “footage of LeBron James shown in error during coverage of the death of Kobe Bryant” on BBC News. (Oof.)
And 111 people, astonishingly, said it was “offensive to show scenes of same-sex couples kissing” on Casualty.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
The medical drama — which has been on the air now for 34 seasons and more than 1,110 episodes — and spinoff Holby City have been upping their LGBTQ+ representation in recent years, according to PinkNews.
Related: Meet the hunky gay TV doctor who’s been dancing his way into primetime and into our hearts
But it seems that the sight of two men sharing a relatively chaste kiss — as Shaheen Jafargholi’s Marty and Jack Hardwick’s Jack did in the January 25 installment — is too much to bear for some viewers. (Watch the two characters in a less-romantic scene below.)
It’s a familiar refrain for the creative forces behind the two shows. Oliver Kent, BBC’s head of continuing drama, told the Daily Star in July 2017 that they had received complaints of “too many gay characters” on Holby City. “And that’s because at the time we had two gay love stories,” he added. “We had four characters out of 17. I don’t think that’s disproportionate.”
Related: Sci-fi series ‘Class’ features the cutest, British gay couple on TV
BBC, meanwhile, has been dealing with homophobes for years. In 2008, the network defended an episode of EastEnders in which the character Christian and his new boyfriend, Lee, share a kiss. Amid the ensuing controversy, the BBC stated:
We approach our portrayal of homosexual relationships in the same way as we do heterosexual relationships. In this instance, Christian is enjoying the first flush of romance and we’ve shown him being affectionate with his new boyfriend in the same way any couple would.
How unfortunate, then, that the network should have to deal with bigots lo these many years later.
Jared MacBride
i hope all the people who’ve experienced a psychiatric trauma on account of this kiss will get the assistance they need.
Catholicslutbox
People will complain about anything.
batesmotel
I think when they saw it their knees buckled and they collapsed on the floor.
TomG
True, they seem to have a problem with affection. Psychiatry may help them GET OVER IT !
mykelb
I am done caring about what bigots want.
LARRY
well I am sick and tired of seeing all the hetero’s doing the exact same thing…
ryanM
What if the heteros include a really hot guy…? 🙂
Sanjo
Hey, watch it there! My parents were heteros.
nmharleyrider
And those heteros outnumber lgbtq people 99 to 1 on TV, not the distribution in real life by any means
Rock-N-RollHS
Where do you get your statistics, dude
Lightbulb
Are you kidding me? We see titties, ass, etc. all day long not to mention murder after murder after murder after stabbings shootings and a kiss is offensive? I find the dozens of religious folks constantly begging for cash offensive on their TV propaganda shows…change the freaking channel you morons!
fur_hunter
Thank you very much. You are so correct. THIS is the 21st century, not the 15th. People need to get a life and get in touch with reality. And if you don’t like what’s on the TV, shut it off…you STUPID MORON!
honryfaerieboy
thank you!!!!
Rock-N-RollHS
111 people? Out of millions. Let’s get real.
ShiningSex
it’s still 111 ignorant people.
wikidBSTN
I agree – only 111 people. That number is so low, we might even want to celebrate it.
ShiningSex
What if people complained about male-female kissing?
Why not start doing that? A kiss is a kiss. Dumb is dumb.
People have nothing better to do with their lives. Why not complain about the president’s lies after lies and his hate being spewed. Start there.
fur_hunter
You made a superb comment. Thank you. Excellent and so true.
ryanM
“Why not complain about the president’s lies after lies and his hate being spewed.”
While I agree with you, keep in mind that this took place in the UK. They don’t have a president, and are going through enough turmoil with Brexit to be concerned with US politics. That said, the Brits have certainly complained about Trump. Indeed, the Brits have tried to bar Trump from entering. Twice. That has never happened with any ally leader. Even George Washington wasn’t barred after the War of Independence.
JimA
Telling the fact backed truth on Facebook gets you banned now. It’s happened twice in the past month to me. On a current 7 day ban for telling the truth about who gets the most abortions in the USA.
John Morrison
@JimA
What are the latest statistics?
ShiningSex
you’re promoting a site for losers
hansniemeijer
Bear in mind that for watching the BBC you have to have a compulsory licence. So LGBTQI+ can expect something in return. Well done BBC! Carry on with showing kissing people.
lovethyneighbor
I don’t see the big deal here… Television shows actors playing the real life or relationships of the LGBTQ+ community, and viewers are whining about it? Wow, grow the hell up.
LilMesican
That was one of the most boring breakups I’ve seen. It’s like most hetero hookups. What are Straight folks complaining about?
batesmotel
This is no longer 1993. It’s now officially common to see a same-sex couple on shows. It’s been going on for almost a decade now. I’m surprised this is the first time those whiners came across it. More shows should keep displaying this same-sex kiss. If you keep putting something in someone’s face long enough, eventually they have no choice but come to terms with it. They’re a little slow, so we can’t fault them for having a limited mind capacity, but they’ll get there.
fur_hunter
Thank you. Yes. This is not the time of Ozzie and Harriet or Leave It To Beaver or Father Knows Best. It is 2020. These religious fundamentalist ass holes irk the shit out of me.
John Morrison
@FurHunter
Wally was a little hottie. I liked seeing him in reruns when I was a kid.
shanfrina
… Tough Shit Sherlocks!?! Change the F’n Channel or turn-off your damn TV’s!!!
fur_hunter
EXACTLY!!!!!…..Thank you.
Chaucer
Ha…I posted something similar before I read yours! Indeed!
Bulovaboy
No Dis-respect to the deceased, but really shoving it in your face for 7 days straight just because he/she was famous. One day of national News grieving is more than enough for any death. We don’t need to see it day after day after day,
Im all for prayer, but once they’re perished it’s one prayer and move along. Doesn’t matter if he/she is famous or not. We all grieve but 7 days or more is just too much and I’m sure there will be more of it to come.
My father don’t get recognition every year for the rest of his life on the day he did in a tragic incident. I’m not heartless but people pay more attention to death then everyday’s life and rights to live.
Peace.
John Morrison
This thread is about a gay kiss on BBC TV not a helicopter crash.
Chaucer
One of the most fascinating things about television is that there are options to change the channel or turn it off if it offends you. Not everyone has the same interests….and some people prefer their heads in the sand (or other dark place).
Dewey
On my last visit to London last year, there was an entire TV show about the different shapes, sizes and colors of vaginas. Another was showing men and women get their genitals swabbed for STDs. But a same sex kiss is just too much?
nitejonboy
I want to see that show lol
Minerva Pomerantz
When the BBC stops using the prior criminal status title “homosexual” to denote a same sex kiss, then maybe it will flounce into the 21st Century, sit its judgemental ass on a poof and be silent.
Keebler ILF
I didn’t actually see them kiss in the clip.
BTW, Shaheen Jafargholi turned out to be a hottie. I remember him from Britain’s Got Talent as the 12 year old little kid who wowed the audience with his rendition Who’s Loving You by Michael Jackson.
Dunnedin
Sigh. Statiscally speaking, if 99.9999% of people have no problem with something (which is about as close to 100% as you will ever get), with a million viewers, then 100 viewers will have a problem. The only real problem is if the BBC (or any corporation) lets that 0.0001% determine policy.