It’s not often that EastEnders is compared to Shakespeare. But the BBC soap’s first gay couple – Barry Clark and Colin Russell – were star-crossed lovers because of Tory legislation, according to one of the actors.
Gary Hailes, who played barrow boy Barry, says: “Like Romeo and Juliet they were not allowed to be together.” He reckons the relationship was cut short in December 1987 by worried BBC bosses.
In May 1988, the Tory government enacted the controversial Section 28 clause prohibiting “the promotion of homosexuality” by councils and schools.
Gary, 54, says: “Towards the end there were a number of storylines that were dropped. "We built towards them and they were cut because of Section 28.
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