TIP TOE - sun/mon ch4 9pm - TV PACE NO SPOILERS

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Episodes 1 and 2 will air on Sunday, May 31 and Monday, June 1. The rest of the series continues next week on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays.

The story follows two next-door neighbors in Manchester over the course of an escalating neighborhood dispute:
• Leo (Alan Cumming): A gay man who runs a bar on the famous Canal Street in Manchester's Gay Village.
• Clive (David Morrissey): An electrician with two teenage sons who harbors underlying prejudices.

The situation spirals out of control when Leo locks himself out of his house and has to ask his neighbor for a spare key.

This single event triggers a collision of worlds, unearthing mistrust and bigotry, which is further complicated when Leo strikes up a friendship with one of Clive's sons—who happens to be secretly gay.

The five-part drama will follow Leo and Clive who live next door to each other in Manchester. Leo runs a bar on Canal Street, while Clive is an electrician, with two teenage sons. But just as life should be settling down, the world around them is growing more tense.

According to the official synopsis, "Words become weapons, opinions become radicalised, and gradually, two neighbours become deadly enemies in a tense, suburban thriller which challenges everything we consider to be safe."

•	Alan Cumming as Leo
•	David Morrissey as Clive
•	Pooky Quesnel as Marie, Clive’s wife
•	Jackson Connor as George, Clive’s son
•	Joseph Evans as Saul, Clive’s son
•	Elizabeth Berrington as Stephanie, Leo’s best friend
•	Iz Hesketh as Zee
•	Shakeel Kimotho as Hanna
•	Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo as Judy
•	Paul Rhys as Melba
•	Charlie Condou as Curtis, Leo’s ex-husband
•	Denise Welch as Diane

Throughout Leo and his friends were trying to help the 16 year old lad and there was nothing sinister going on. However I do think they were a bit naive. I'm a straight woman of 40 and I probably would avoid getting involved too much with a teenager of that age without their parents or guardians knowing. Unless you're 18/19 it could be viewed as a bit inappropriate, even though Leo and Zee weren't trying to be inappropriate. I also thought a comment Melba made was a bit inappropriate when Clive said he's 16, and melba said he's legal. For a man in his 50s as melba was, its an inappropriate thing to say.

I think there were some elements of poor judgement on their part that were quite naive. The homophobia was absolutely shocking and dreadful though.

No one should have to tiptoe through life

the title was very apt and the slippers falling off his feet

yes I think they meant to scare him but as tied to car when released neck broke. I’m sure I heard a snap

the ending was shocking but needs to be told as sadly some people are like this in life

I agree. I know I have tip toed. I am female and brown. And I can’t make myself invisible but I certainly do my best to not draw attention in certain situations. Self preservation.

I couldn’t watch the last bit. Roddy was a horrible character. I was shocked to see it was Clive that started it.

I wasn't shocked to see Clive started it , he was simmering with anger right from the beginning .

Not sure if he was gay, there were some hints .

The ending was horrific .

I think they meant to kill him, at least Clive, Roddy, whoever put the wire round his neck and the three who pulled him up. All the other boys might not have I guess even the one who climbed the lamp post or who were restraining Leo but it was a collective violence and unless they were very stupid then they would have known what the outcome would be.

I was shocked as Clive seemed reactionary rather than premeditated. Yes I could see him having a fight, throwing punches. But not suggest something like that and give instructions.

Thinking about this far too much and really should move on to happier thoughts, but it was actually Roddy who says let him go after he ties the wire to the tow bar so Roddy, at least, very much intended for him to die.

Saul was my favourite. The only fundamentally good, kind heterosecual man i felt.

I think he was designed to give us hope for the future. Young heterosexual men who grew up in the glimmer of acceptance of lgbt and are decent men.

When he kissed his brothers forehead i welled up. He loved him unconditionally. And was the one only really truly horrified from the mob at what they were doing

ah ok. I wasn’t watching the screen at that point.

It’s all been in my head and I can’t shut it off till I’ve processed and talked about it unfortunately.

I found melba a wholly unsympathetic character.

Mine too. I liked the totally accepting conversation he had with the gay guy on the bar stairs discussing only fans and how to make money.

I don’t think Beryl5 should have shared that pic of George. I was shocked she did that. Outing him when she is part of the community. Surely that’s an unwritten rule.

Melba is a product of experience. Armour is fully on at all times, there's a bitterness that only comes from a lifetime of being on edge ,(tiptoeing). And also, I think, a sense of being what others expect you to be.
I found Melba to be one of the most sympathetic characters.

I agree with others that it’s incredible that Clive killed Leo.

Paul Rhys stole the show as Melba.

Just finished and I just get such an overwhelming feeling of sadness, surprisingly not shock which is telling in itself. I was a teenager in Ireland in the 90s when attitudes were only just beginning to change and it continued at pace for decades until our marriage equality referendum 11 years ago. Everything felt so hopeful and positive. I don't think they've slipped as much here as is portrayed in tiptoe but definitely following the same trajectory.
Clive was a horrible toxic bully with no emotional intelligence or redeeming features. His development into adulthood seemed stunted in some way and it is a shame we never got to understand why but maybe that was the point, no excuses your a toxic homophobic bigot and murderer.
Leo was likable but incredibly naive he should have stayed well clear of his dysfunctional neighbours. There were so many times when he should have completely pulled back from engaging, he was in his late 50s well past an age where we tend to give people the benefit of the doubt so that did jar a bit for me.
I think it is just an all too familiar story of male toxic violent behaviour which is directed at women, LGBT community and immigrants and often each other.

I am sorry to hear of your nephew’s experience @Sonato. I’m ashamed to be living in these times. We have so much work to do and it is incredibly sad that acceptance has taken two huge steps back after the 2012-2019 step forward.

Yes, Saul was a great character. I'm wondering if the name Saul was picked deliberately - I'm overthinking, probably.

Roddy was like Begbie in Trainspotting. That violent psychopath. I bet all big groups of men the have someone in or on the edge of their friendship circle that they think of as like that.

It also struck me that Clive watches snuff videos online and this whole series made us all, essentially, watch a snuff movie. I'm still disturbed by it.

I thought RTD inclusion of women having gender critical views was interesting. I read an interview with him where he said he has conversations around that in real life. People chat, disagree, sigh and move on. But that online discourse doesn't let that happen easily.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/29/inside-russell-t-davies-tip-top-drama-alan-cumming-david-morrissey?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

I just watched the ending as I felt I had to see it for myself, having read about it. I have no words right now.

It must be awful if gay to be scared to show the world that they love someone

men mainly seem to find 2 men much harder to watch then 2 woman

both couples could be simply holding hand. Or having a cuddle or even kissing and people will think it’s wrong

we should have the freedom to love who we want to love esp as nearly 2030 !

I know the writer likes to be shocking but he also writes about facts and real life which many seem to find hard

yes lots of things Leo shouldn’t have done esp going next door knowing credible drunken men there

but this mainly started by beryl posting the pic of George

and if his parents were more libel he wouldn’t have had to hid his true feelings /personality

I have friends who are gay and they should have to deal with the comments that some make

I do think Clive was either gay or had a few inclinations

I spoke to a gay friend this week who is having relationship issues. He's been with his partner for decades but they are unhappy. It would be a financial problem to separate but he also said he was scared of being an older gay man alone, in case people made assumptions about him. He seemed to echo the themes in Tip Toe very much.I feel so sad for him.

shouldnt have not should have

that’s so sad @Artyblartfast

I’m thinking having a boyfriend who looks over 15 might really help with that. https://metro.co.uk/2025/12/30/doctor-writer-russell-t-davies-62-strikes-romance-model-oliver-cole-27-25924004/

It's a very common thought amongst older gay men. There's a lot of focus on looks and youth, the dating apps are even more focused on this than the heterosexual ones

But he's not a child. Having a younger, adult, partner shouldn't be a reason for people calling someone a paedophile.