BBC DEFENDS GAY SOAP KISS

The BBC has defended its screening of a kiss between two men on the long-running popular soap EastEnders, following complaints from viewers.

It’s been reported that the corporation received over 150 complaints from disgruntled viewers who were offended by the man-on-man smooch.

The scene, in the episode broadcast in the UK on Tuesday, depicts the character Christian Clarke (John Partridge) and his boyfriend Lee Thompson (Carl Ferguson) kissing on a park bench.

Many of the complaints specifically focused on the fact that the kiss was shown before the ‘watershed’ period in which material broadcast must not be of an adult nature.

Responding to the complaints the BBC said:

“EastEnders aims to reflect real life, and this means including and telling stories about characters from many different backgrounds, faiths, religions and sexualities.

“We approach our portrayal of homosexual relationships in the same way as we do heterosexual relationships. We also aim to ensure that depictions of affection or sexuality between couples are suitable for pre-watershed viewing.

“We believe that the general tone and content of EastEnders is now widely recognised, meaning that parents can make an informed decision as to whether they want their children to watch.”