CCB series The Next Step has taken one giant leap forward after airing its first ever same-sex kiss.
The Canadian teen series, which follows the members of a competitive dance studio, is currently airing its seventh season on the BBC’s dedicated children’s service CBBC in the UK.
The show’s latest episode, ‘Room Service’, which landed on BBC iPlayer on Wednesday (22 July), scored a major win for LGBTQ representation on kids’ TV after two female characters shared a romantic kiss.
After delivering a stunning routine set to ‘Brave’ by Shane Harte, friends Jude (Molly Sanders) and Cleo (Dani Verayo) took their relationship to the next level in a tender, touching moment that will be seen by thousands of young people across Britain, many of whom will be LGBTQ.
“When I dance with Cleo, I forget about everything,” Jude says in the episode. “It’s just her. We’re dancing together and all I see is her.”
Cleao adds: “When I dance with Jude, I feel safe and free all at the same time. When we dance together, it’s like magic.”
Viewers were quick to heap praise on The Next Step for proving that you’re never too young to learn about same-sex love.
“CBBC JUST DID THAT! THE NEXT STEP, A KIDS SHOW, JUST DID THAT!”, wrote one viewer on Twitter.
CBBC JUST DID THAT! THE NEXT STEP, A KIDS SHOW, JUST DID THAT! pic.twitter.com/FFjnOJ9l3r
— ً (@megdonnellys) July 22, 2020
Another commented: “When kids shoes [sic] have representation like this it honestly makes me so happy because I know there are kids out there who will feel less alone than I did thank you @cbbc @thenextstep.”
Others pointed how quickly times have changed when it comes to acceptance on LGBTQ content on children’s networks.
“[CBBC] they wouldn’t have put ANYTHING like this on there when i was little and that was only like 10 years ago,,, we moving forward!!!” one wrote.
The Next Step is available to stream on CBBC on the BBC iPlayer.