I came across this on YouTube and didn't even realise this scene actually happened! Completely forgot Les was a bigot. I love the support Todd gets at the end, from the community. The writing is just so different to how it is now.

https://youtu.be/pW4iT_tFBa8

Quite shocking to hear "Faggot" being used to freely in a soap - not sure they would use that language now

I agree, but back in the early 00's homosexuality was still a very taboo subject, what with HIV/AIDS halting gay liberation in the 80's and 90's. Fortunately, ever since about 2010, things have started to change dramatically, and we live in a much more tolerable world today.

I think the reason this scene is so good is because it highlights what would have been at the time a controversial topic. Homophobia was more frequent back then, than it is now, and it's so nice to see the community stick up for Todd. It's rare you get them type of scenes in soaps these days, where the community stick together and people are nice to each over.

Leanne is just stood there doing nothing, even though its her dad

You forget what a scummy character that Battersby was.

Shut up Les.

Brilliant scene and some excellent writing. Some brilliant characters like Hayley, Frankie, Karen, Deirdre and Carl gone since then though.

Such a shame

This scene is really sad because it highlights what a sorry mess Coronation Street has become.

Interestingly, at that point in around 2004 when Corrie 'dealt' with homosexuality, a number of long-standing characters were shown to have some quite homophobic tendencies, but these always fitted in with the character. There were Gail's memorable lines during her fight with Eileen calling Todd a 'pervert', saying that Sarah would 'need an AIDS test after going with him' and proclaiming that least Sarah was 'normal'. This was really quite shocking dialogue, but it was from a time when Corrie would show all sides of an argument rather than just going for the basic depiction of a very black-and-white right/wrong dichotomy.

Vera was also shown to be very homophobic when Sean got a job working at the bingo hall. Can't find any scenes from the time but I remember she refused to go to bingo because there was a 'fairy' working there. She was even more dismayed when Sean moved in next door to her.

Whilst I see your point, it is also worth noting it was all well over a decade ago, and things can change a lot in 10+ years. Whilst homophobia is still sadly present, it isn't as bad as it was back then. In other words, it would be much more likely for the character of Vera to refuse going to the bingo hall back then, than it would now.

I tend to agree with you, though I don't think homophobia was any less prevalent than it is today, it's just less acceptable. The people who had homophobic views 10 years ago still have them today, their opinions won't have changed it's just that they're less socially acceptable. Les's 'dressing down' in that scene demonstrated how society more widely (i.e. the rest of the pub) was moving away from Les's outdated viewpoint. Les, however, will still hold those views today, he would be less likely to air them in public (if he was a real person, that is).

As a viewer I want to see a variety of views and opinions aired, I want to see rich characters who are full of flaws. I am not interested in characters being neatly positioned into 'good' and 'bad' categories. I want to see characters that challenge perceptions and have their own perceptions challenged (like Les in that scene). No way am I suggesting that Les Battersby is a 'rich' character, but compare him to some of today's cast and he's practically Shakespearean. All soaps these days plum for the basic option, which is goodies vs baddies. There's very little light or shade. In the era in question you had the likes of Gail, Vera and Blanche ('It'll be full of ho-mo-sexuals'/'I'm not having any fella who wears women's underwear anywhere near my flesh and blood') all making highly homophobic and transphobic comments, but it didn't make them a wholly bad character, it was just one flaw of a much more complex identity. Today you'd get none of that, you just get simplistic characters demonstrating simplistic viewpoints.

Society has moved forward but Coronation Street has moved backwards.

BIB: She said the same thing to Todd when he went into the Cafe, and she said she wasn't going to serve a 'fairy'. Pretty realistic reaction though, and shocking to watch from an audience perspective, but to be honest they couldn't shy away from homophobic views as like you say, Corrie showed all sides of the argument which they wouldn't do now.

As for homophobia, I don't think it has diminished over the years at all (even though some people would like to think homophobia doesn't exist), like KK says it's a less acceptable opinion now. But if someone has a view such as this then they will still have it today, very little will change that unfortunately.

The scene linked above really is good, it would be a marvel to expect that in Corrie now. It gives a great feeling of community and support, and everyone seeing Les for what he is, just a bigoted idiot. Notice how he also insulted Roy and Hayley before everyone else stood up for them and Todd.

Now you mention in, I do remember Vera being like that with Todd. It was also quite marked because Vera was working with Sarah in the cafe at the time and Sarah had recently lost the baby. What I think was so brave for Corrie was to allow one of its most camp and iconic characters to have homophobic opinions. It could have been so easy for them to have made her a 'I love the gays, me' type but they went for something much more challenging for viewers to have to reconcile. Someone you know, like and respect can suddenly display an opinion that's completely at odds with your own viewpoints and it's quite difficult to readjust your feelings about that person. Do you challenge them? Keep quiet? Never speak to them again? These are the hallmarks of complex characters and complex stories.

As for Les, his actions were firmly in character - he got great satisfaction from publicly shaming Hayley when it was revealed that she was transgender and that was 5 or 6 years before this scene. At least Corrie was consistent even with its most vile creations. We also had many years of Les bullying Norris for his perceived effeminacy and bumbling nature by calling him 'Doris'.

Never seen that before but that is so realistic. I've had to put up with that sort of abuse myself.

Corrie seems to write for gay characters much better than EastEnders does.

I think it was after Todd came out and the same episode where Sarah collapsed in the cafe and he wanted to talk to her. I agree it was a very bold move for her to have opinions like that, considering she is one of the shows most memorable characters.

The BIB reminded me of when the Carters first came into EastEnders and Linda had a similar reaction when she found out Johnny was gay. She was so against it and refused to believe it, thinking it was a phase, and it really caused tension in their close relationship for a while. Then again though, Linda was able to justify why she felt that way to a point as she didn't want men to hurt him so you could understand her point of view.

It was a good thing for Les to remain firmly in character, it would be out of character if he didn't say anything to Todd or that he wasn't bothered as it wasn't in his nature to keep his opinions to himself. Les himself was also fairly realistic, most people IRL probably know a 'Les', someone who's a lowlife, never travelled that far, not very educated yet has their opinion and thinks everyone should know about it, whether it is accepted in society or not.

I hated Les. Such a horrible character. We had to put up with his ignorance and stupidity for years. Really glad he was written out.

Great post. You make some very interesting points.

I have never forgotten.

A crap character, played by a crap "actor".

Hopefully Kate Oates will never consider bringing him back. Unless he dies off screen and Leanne has to arrange his funeral.

It's quite amazing to see how much things have changed in such a short time. The fact that this scene is so uncomfortable to watch proves that.

This was when Daren Little was part of the scriptwriting team.

Can't imagine them including a scene with language like that nowadays. It feels like it's from a much different, harder-hitting show. Everything has become so watered down and PC these days because they are so terrified of anyone complaining.

It looks real - but is it?
On my PC's the sound is very slightly out of sync which makes me wonder if the clip is a very clever piece of editing.
I may be completely wrong of course but considering the length of this thread (and preceding and following parts) I'm sure that this scene would have caused comment then
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showt...ht=Todd+snared

Of course it's real?

I started writing a detailed reply but just ... this is probably one of the funniest things I've ever read on DS (sorry! )

I can't find them either; I remember them, too

I am not sure the word homophobic had been invented around that time; and it was maybe around that time that I would have used the word fairy.

You're so right on this. That's my grudge against these things on soap. You never get multiple sides it's ridiculous. I'm all very happy to be 'offended' myself because it's actually healthy to get that in life. I think people are too scared these days to entertain that though

Errr when was the word invented then, do you think?