Coronation Street hit with Ofcom complaints by homophobes angry about same-sex scene
Peter Ash as Coronation Street’s Paul (L) and Daniel Brocklebank as Billy (R). (ITV)
Coronation Street has been hit with Ofcom complaints over a romantic scene starring gay husbands Billy Mayhew and Paul Foreman.
The show received 52 complaints over the characters, played by Daniel Brocklebank and Peter Ash respectively, sitting down to have a romantic conversation.
Ofcom – the communication regulator in the UK across TV and radio – told PinkNews it’s assessing complaints but hasn’t yet decided whether or not to investigate.
Earlier this year, Paul was diagnosed with motor neurone disease – a condition that affects the brain and nerves, causing weakness that gets worse over time – and in an episode on 15 November the lovers visited a speech and language therapist.
The therapist advised Paul record himself reading a book that they were provided with so his voice could be used when it get harder for him to speak.
At home and on the couch, while the topless pair cuddled together, Billy suggested recording messages, before Paul interrupted him with a kiss, saying he was too busy “living life to the full”.
Paul then began to discuss their sex life, before revealing that they had slept together on the sofa. He then recorded himself saying “I love you, Billy”.
The touching scene received 52 Ofcom complaints, with some fans also taking to X/Twitter to complain that they didn’t want to know about the Coronation Street couple’s sex life.
Another commented that the soap had gone “woke” for including same-sex couples.
In September, Ash spoke about his Coronation Street character’s marriage to Mayhew, in a union that marked a major first for the soap.
Ash said of the wedding: “The wedding is a beacon of bright light. Despite all the negative news that Paul’s had since the diagnosis, getting to marry Billy is just great, it’s perfect, it’s what he wants to do with the time he has left.”
