A powerful new stage play is set to resurrect a forgotten and controversial chapter of British broadcasting history, exposing the stark homophobia of the 1950s. 'The BBC's First Homosexual' will bring to life the original script of the corporation's inaugural programme dedicated to male homosexuality, which was recorded in 1954 but shelved for years.
From Shelved Script to Stage Spotlight
The project began when historian Professor Marcus Collins of Loughborough University rediscovered the original script in the archives. The programme, titled 'The Homosexual Condition', was deemed so taboo at the time that the BBC's director general decided against broadcasting it. A heavily edited version finally aired on the Home Service in 1957, after which bosses decreed no further programmes on the subject except for 'special purposes'.
Playwright Stephen M Hornby, who adapted the script for the stage, described the content as revealing 'either naked, foaming-at-the-mouth homophobia' or more liberal voices advocating for conversion therapy. Contributors to the 1954 programme included figures like Lord Hailsham, who compared homosexuality to a disease, and educationist John Wolfenden, who later authored the landmark report recommending decriminalisation.
Echoes of History in Modern Debates
The play does more than excavate history; it draws direct lines to contemporary issues. A central theme explored is the persistence of so-called conversion practices, which aimed to 'cure' homosexuality. Hornby hopes the production will spark vital audience discussions about why successive governments have failed to ban these harmful practices.
The narrative also weaves in the story of Mary Whitehouse, who was approached to contribute to the original broadcast. Though she declined, her views—including a mother's fear her sons might be 'warped'—are represented in the play, which follows a young Manchester tailor named Tom.
A National Tour for LGBT+ History Month
The production will premiere at the New Adelphi Theatre at the University of Salford on 4 February, perfectly timed for LGBT+ History Month. Following its Salford opening, the play will tour to Birmingham, Brighton, London, Liverpool, and Loughborough, with post-show Q&A sessions planned to engage communities.
Seventy years on, this revival of a suppressed BBC programme serves as a stark reminder of institutional prejudice and a catalyst for ongoing conversations about equality, acceptance, and the legacy of state-sanctioned homophobia that still resonates today.
