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9 October 2017

ITV’s Victoria airs first same-sex kiss and viewers are divided

The homophobes weren't happy

By Joshua Haigh

Period drama Victoria aired its first gay kiss on Saturday night (October 8), and it drove viewers wild.

The adorable kiss, between two real-life historical figures, occurred during the highly acclaimed show’s second season.

The much-loved drama has been building towards the tender moment between Lord Pagent, an attendant who assisted the Queen, and Edward Drummond, Prime Minister Robert Peel’s private secretary, for quite some time.

The pair finally shared a kiss as the royal court travelled to Scotland in last night’s episode and we couldn’t deal.

However, as homosexuality was illegal at the time, the relationship will most likely come to an end before it’s even begun.

While the characters certainly were real, their kiss and relationship might not be. The show’s writer Daisy Goodwin revealed she’s been “creative” with the story, adding: “Some people might get very cross with me. But if it did happen, we would never know.

“The word homosexual did not exist in those times. There were as many gay people as there are now, but they didn’t define themselves as straight or gay or bisexual.”

Several viewers praised the kiss on social media, with one saying: “Lord Alfred and Drummond are like the romantic Victorian version of Brokeback Mountain”

Other commented on the kiss, saying: “Never have been happier to see two people kiss!! Whooping and clapping!!” and: “The kiss, the forehead rest, the heart eyes. I’m yelling that was beautiful.”

However, other viewers didn’t particularly enjoy the scene, with one Twitter user writing: “Why oh why even in tonights ‘Victoria’ do we have to have gay lovers, and are we all to be brainwashed to believe this normal”.

A second user wrote: “Why does every half-decent TV drama feel that it has to have an obligatory gay relationship? #Victoria”.

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