I was lucky to see this episode of The Bill on its original televising – and I have to admit that it was very thought provoking. Provoking enough for me to ask Thames Television for a viewing copy…
The second viewing enabled me to put my finger on the provocation: why was it that this episode had little or no publicity, when its message was directly related to the debate in our Parliament at Westminster? That is: Men under the age of 21 do know their sexuality, and whom they are attracted to; and that a law on the statute books does not prevent them from having sex with anyone they fancy. . Only the normal inhibitions prevent that – availability of their opposite number, and a location!
The story was that of the association between a young man and his youth club leader, and the young man’s relationship with his father. Also juxtaposed with this, were the feelings of the police, who came out with the full range of opinions – none of which were sympathetic to the youth club leader. The assumption being, that the youth club leader had raped or indecently assaulted an unwilling “boy” – the case being totally the opposite.
This was not a sugar-sweet story, and (in keeping with The Bill storylines) left you wondering what would happen to the boy and his father, the youth club leader and his job.
Should Thames decide to show this episode again, I hope that it will get better coverage from the gay press than it had originally – as the only item to appear on it was one from the Pink Paper relaying the fact that the Broadcasting Standards Council had decided that the story was not offensive! It’s a sad state of affairs that we can’t even tell our own people what’s worth watching on TV, particularly when so little is!

[Terry McF]