Richard Hillman taught a few people a lesson. Well, a few million to be precise. His explosive storyline, cruelly weaving itself around Coronation Street's residents, had us gripped. A true departure from those 'soap bubbles' of old where a Monday night shocker ('Alf Roberts runs out of tinned spaghetti leaving the Webster's to find new food stuffs') was guaranteed to be resolved by Friday ('Sally discovers the joys of Findus Crispy Pancakes'). The community of Weatherfield - much sassier after boasting a serial killer on the loose, was now as unlikely to be dealing with those life changing issues in a week, as say, the residents of Fallowfield.

It's a shame, then, that the same approach wasn't taken with last year's much-hyped 'gay kiss' involving a young Todd Grimshaw. Confused about which member of the Platt household he truly desired (and no, it didn't once cross his mind that it could be Martin), the monumental liason turned out to be a blink-and-you'll-miss-it peck that was so uneventful it was little wonder that Adam Rickett was asleep for the most part. A touch of rejection and denial later, and Todd's sexuality seemed to scamper back for a permanent stint in that musty old closet. Nationwide, a disappointed 'was that it?' was heard over the sound of kettles brewing up during the 8pm credits.

"That's just where those seeds were planted," explains actor Bruno Langley. Taking a break from filming at Granada Studios, we've just been joined by Chris Finch, Todd's latest on-screen love interest, nurse Karl - who's straight out of make-up with a shiner to show for his trouble. Bruno nods to his co-star, acknowledging his injured eye, adding "only now are we seeing that come into fruition."

It all started 5 years ago, when Coronation St's storyline team started to chew over the whole 'gay' thing. In a progamme that's character-driven - unlike the hostage/aircrash/hurricane nonsense of other soaps - scriptwriters were well aware that they needed to handle this ubject sensitively. So unknown to Bruno - as he auditioned for the part of Todd at 18 years old - he was to be entrusted with breaking this new ground. It was always going to be a challenge. Although the introduction of a transsexual, hayley Cropper, might have eased his passage, so to speak.

"Looking back, I still can't believe we actually did that!" Bruno laughs.

"But you don't see Hayley as that anymore, do you?" observes Chris. "She's now become accepted as a female character in much the same way as she's accepted on the programme. And the only people on the show who still make an issue of her sex change are those who've come to be seen as a joke for their narrow-mindedness. Y'know, like Blanche and Les."

Chris has the honour of playing Corrie's 'first openly gay character' (we'd heard that Steps' Lee Latchford-Evans had actually read for the part). But while that title is more likely to reflect Todd's current status, it does raise questions about whether the Street - for all its camp humour - has played host to other characters who've simply avoided making their sexuality public. Trace its history, and you must just encounter the odd tidy bachelor or unmarried girl who just so happens to know her way around a Black & Decker workbench.

"Maybe some characters haven't been able to reveal their true sexual orientation," says Chris. "But, in that wa, it would pretty much represent how much society has changed. So the timing of this storyline is really reflecting how far we've come."

"But it's also set in Manchester," Bruno chips in. "And it wouldn't be anything like an accurate representation of what this city is like if we never touched upon the fact that there's a massive gay community here."

Whilst Langley and Finch are both straight, like many Manchester citizens they are familiar with Canal St. Bruno grins as he describes it as "much like Deansgate Locks with less Premiership footballers" and Chris can only recount a time before he'd ever seen it for himself where he was dubious about its bars and clubs. "Harmless," he shrugs. "I've always had a really good laugh down there". And now they've been informed about another visit to the Village. This time together.

"We're filming a kiss there," Bruno says. "A proper one this time. Reciprocated. Although I don't know how it's going to work. I mean, it might be difficult getting a shot if it's a busy night with the usual crowds."

"We might just have to do it with them cheering us on," suggests Chris.

"I think we'll be hidden a bit," reckons Bruno. "Out of the way. Maybe around a corner. or behind some bins."

"Bins!" shouts Chris incredulously. "God, aren't you the romantic one?"

What we do know is that these two stealing kisses won't bear much resemblance to the time when canal Street was used as the backdrop for Queer As Folk.

"You can't approach this without some grittiness," offers Bruno. "There will be some lighter, more humourous scenes here and there but with this kind of story there will always be strong content - even if that's just emotionally."

"Personally, i'd just like people to come with Todd on this journey and try to see all this through his eyes."

"Showing his transition, it will be inevitably hard-hitting at times," adds Chris. "Obviously, what we show of his encounters along the way won't be too graphic. Although, from what I've heard, most of the complaints about the first kiss were that it didn't go far enough."

One of those gripes came from Sir Ian McKellen. "Well maybe he'll be more chuffed by what's coming up," notes a clearly impressed Chris Finch. there are also rumours that the sexagenerian Gandalph has repeatedly hinted that he'd quite happily give up his ring for a spell on the Street.

"You. Are. Joking," Bruno spells out, suddenly wide-eyed. "No way!"

"C'mon then, what are we waiting for?" Chris says with a mischievous grin. "Let's get him in for a threesome!"

© City Life Magazine, 23/4/04

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