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Classic Eastenders on the Drama channel

999 replies

dingdongdigeridoo · 05/08/2018 19:30

So, classic Eastenders starts airing on the UKTV Drama channel from tomorrow! Two episodes from noon, and they’ll also be on UKTV catchup.

Use this thread to talk about Den, Angie, Arthur, poodle perms, poor fashion choices and Ethel’s Willy.

OP posts:
tobee · 12/01/2019 01:52

Just found an interview with Michael Cashman and Gary Hailes (Colin and Barry) after googling Gary Hailes . Can't do clicks link but it's by Nigra. Gives a good idea about the times when these episodes originally went out for younger viewers z

x2boys · 12/01/2019 10:01

Mary very annoying very petulant and immature I think.Annie gets taken in to care at some point but im.surprised Carmel isn't doing more !

TheEfficientBaxter · 12/01/2019 16:40

Haven't watched for a day or two, but have we had that 'terribly controversial' kiss yet? Between Colin and Barry?

I remember the furore in the press the next day. I think The Sun's front page headline said "EastBenders" Shock

Utterly despicable. I'm so glad we've all come such a long way since then.

It's still not perfect, but at least Aaron and Rob (Emmerdale) can have a lovely snog without anybody batting an eyelid.

x2boys · 12/01/2019 17:14

I don't think so ,and I don't think it's a passionate kiss anyway? I know thankfully times have changed and it's not taboo anymore!

tobee · 12/01/2019 18:30

I think it's mentioned in that interview with Barry and Colin I referred to above. It wasn't even a kiss on the lips!

TheEfficientBaxter · 12/01/2019 18:52

I know! It was just a peck on the cheek IIRC.

southeastdweller · 12/01/2019 19:11

A kiss on the forehead it was and even now it seems silly there was such a furore. Then again this was the time that AIDS was in the media a lot and right wing scummy newspapers delighted in writing articles about how gay men deserved to die and you could get HIV by touching infected gay men (it was a gay disease, apparently Hmm). I wasn't quite a teen back then but I remember it all vividly. 32 years ago...wow.

There was a mouth to mouth kiss two years later with Colin and his boyfriend after Barry. Again that caused controversy.

Colin was one of my favourite characters. It was lovely to see him back in the square with Dot a couple of years ago.

x2boys · 12/01/2019 19:11

Going back to the hysteria over AIDS if you remember the don't did of ignorance campaigns of the 80,s with the tombstones they were terrifying I'm not surprised people where terrified of catching it! Regarding Wicksy and Sharon having a night in a hotel ,would at Hotel have actually cared wether they were married or not or was that just poetic licence?

x2boys · 12/01/2019 19:12

Don't die *

TheEfficientBaxter · 12/01/2019 19:23

Oh yes! It was just a peck on the forehead. I remember it now.

My goodness, how shocking!!

SgtFredColon · 12/01/2019 19:27

Yes and plenty of gay snogging on Corrie and no one cares!

I would have watched these episodes when they were on originally but would have been only 6 or 7 but do remember Colin and Barry controversy even then.

SgtFredColon · 12/01/2019 19:28

That was in reference to comment re Emmerdale Rob and Aaron.

piggie88 · 12/01/2019 19:58

I couldn’t remember Colin from a couple of years ago but just found a clip on YouTube and think I vaguely remember that scene now. Did Dot go to his wedding?
I watched the episode this morning where Colin told Kathy he’d never told his parents he was gay but in the clip I just watched he told Dot his parents disowned him when he told them. I assume he was lying to Kathy all them years ago?

x2boys · 12/01/2019 20:01

Or Eastenders had a continuity error?Grin

piggie88 · 12/01/2019 20:15

Could be that too haha

TheEfficientBaxter · 12/01/2019 20:34

Why was there such a hoo-hah?

It was just two men who were attracted to each other! What was the big deal?

It beggars belief that national newspapers would splash it across their front pages, making it out to be a terrible moral scandal.

x2boys · 12/01/2019 20:41

It isn't a big people and these days nobody cares who fancies who etc but I think society as far more uptight in the 80,s and had quite prudish attitudes?

x2boys · 12/01/2019 20:42

Big deal not people ,this bloody tablet is making me look illiterate!

southeastdweller · 12/01/2019 20:55

I think homophobia was a bigger thing then and the media (especially newspapers) played up to societies fears. This was the time of Clause 28 as well and the age of consent was 21 which also fed into the perception of gay men as 'other'.

SgtFredColon · 12/01/2019 21:44

piggie Colin came back and asked Dot to go to his wedding but she wouldn’t because she doesn’t support gay marriage. But then she spoke to St Sonia who made her see sense so she went in the end. It was quite nice.

SgtFredColon · 12/01/2019 21:45

Maybe he told his parents in the intervening 30 years also?

x2boys · 12/01/2019 21:50

I saw the episode with Kathy a few days ago I think he said his parents were both dead? But he had told his older brother who was supportive?

x2boys · 12/01/2019 21:55

Anyway as an aside at the time I always thought Colin could be Jim Robinson (from neighbours which was huge at the time) twin!

SgtFredColon · 12/01/2019 22:07

Me too!!! I was very confused as a child by the resemblance 😃

x2boys · 12/01/2019 22:10

Ha ha Fred not just me than!