Men Behaving Badly was 'homoerotic'

It may come as a surprise to fans, but Men Behaving Badly had a strong gay undertone, according to its creator.

Writer Simon Nye says he always believed there was 'a significant homoerotic content' in the relationship between laddish flatmates Gary and Tony.

And he says featuring two lesbians in his new project, Wild West, is just a step on from that.

He told The Guardian: " Men Behaving Badly was about a same-sex relationship. Everyone latched on to the lad thing, but to me there was always a significant homoerotic content in the relationship between Gary and Tony.

"You always got the impression that they'd rather be left alone together, but that was something that they could never admit to themselves."

Dawn French and Catherine Tate play the two lesbians , Mary and Angela in Wild West, which starts on BBC1 tomorrow

But Nye says: "Wild West is as much about living in Cornwall as it is about being a lesbian.

"It is, in a strange kind of way: grown up. It presents sexuality as a significant, but not overwhelming, fact of life."

Published: 21 Oct 2002