Channel 4 Gay Drama Receives Over 160 Complaints

Channel 4’s gay drama Queer As Folk has provoked over 160 complaints from viewers according to the Independent Television Commission’s (ITC) latest report for Programme Complaints and Interventions. The series, which aired from 23rd February – 13 April this year, was based around the life of three young homosexual men in Manchester’s gay village.

Most of the complaints were centred on the first episode of the series which depicted an under-age boy being introduced to homosexual sex by a 29 year-old. Strong language also upset some viewers, as did three explicit sex scenes in the opening episode of the series.

Although the ITC accepted that the series fell within the channel’s remit, it noted that Channel 4 failed to provide any off-air support for the series, such as a fact sheet or website material, and felt that the pre-transmission announcement was less than satisfactory.

Although the watchdog did not uphold the complaints against Channel 4, because the series was not in breach of the ITC Programme Code, it did express concern to C4 about aspects of both the handling of the under-age relationship and the number of frank sex-scenes in the opening episode of the series.

The Broadcasting Standards Commission (BSC) also received complaints about the drama earlier this year (see Newsline).

ITC: 0171 255 3000 Channel 4: 0171 396 4444