Happy 30th EastEnders: The most memorable gay moments in UK soap history
By Josh Haggis
To mark EastEnders’ 30th anniversary week, which is set to climax with a live episode on Friday (February 20), attitude.co.uk has decided to look back at the most memorable gay storylines to feature in British soaps – which for many 20-somethings was the first time they saw a gay relationship portrayed so openly on TV before the watershed.
EastEnders: Christian and Syed
Although there were a wealth of gay storylines to choose from when it came to EastEnders, Christian and Syed seemed like the most obvious choice. The couple – who ditched Albert Square back in 2012 for America – left a huge mark on EastEnders’ history after quickly becoming one of the most loved couples to have ever featured on the long-running soap.
Sadly, that didn’t stop them from stirring controversy with the UK public. While Daily Mail readers voiced their offence because of the couple’s pre-watershed romantic moments, Syed’s struggle to come to terms with being a gay Muslim remains relevant all these years later.
[youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTzDzEBnTdA[/youtube]
Hollyoaks: John Paul and Craig
We couldn’t look back at landmark gay storylines in soaps without talking about Hollyoaks’ John Paul and Craig. The gorgeous couple – referred to as McDean by some particularly obsessive internet fans – found themselves at the centre of one of the Channel 4 soap’s biggest and most successful love stories on the show.
Despite Craig’s initial rejection of John Paul, the pair soon began an explosive affair while Craig was engaged to his model girlfriend, Sarah. Drama ensued, and although they eventually broke up, the mark they left on both Hollyoaks and UK TV’s representation of LGBT couples will never be forgotten.
[youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ2sDICDhHM[/youtube]
Coronation Street: Todd and Nick
Arguably one of the most widely publicised moments in soap history, Todd Grimshaw’s pass at Nick Tilsley on Coronation Street back in 2003 was watched by over 14-million viewers and received 16 viewer complaints, who all insisted that they felt the kiss was “inappropriate” for pre-watershed viewing.
Todd had been struggling to come to terms to come with his sexuality over the previous weeks, and after a night of friendly bonding, viewers watched him lean over a half-asleep Nick and give him a peck on the lips.
[youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LClzOR8xbeo[/youtube]
EastEnders: Colin and Barry
We couldn’t finish without going back to EastEnders, which was the first UK soap to air a mouth-to-mouth kiss between two male characters. The storyline between Colin and Barry, whom The Sun classily labelled at the time as “two yuppie poofters,” saw a record number of complaints from viewers and a vitriolic smear campaign from the right-wing press following an on-air moment that saw Colin kiss Barry on the forehead in 1987 – how times have changed, right?
Then in 1989, Colin and another gay character, Guido, shared a mouth-to-mouth kiss that was watched by over 17-million viewers and became a vital tool for LGBT campaigners trying to further gay rights under Thatcher’s seemingly endless reign.
These are attitude.co.uk’s most memorable moments, but what soap moments have left a mark on you?