OUR LATEST ISSUE
Gay news: Sean Tully is a 'tea-time' gay, like 'lots of queens in the West End'
Attitude
EastEnders's gay says Coronation Street's is a 'stereotype'
John Partridge, who plays gay EastEnder Christian Clarke, has branded Coronation Street's Sean Tully character a "stereotype".
In an interview in the latest issue of Attitude, he reveals that the popularity of Sean, played by Antony Cotton, was what prompted the BBC to create their own gay character, but with the proviso that it should be quite different.
Partridge, 38, said: "What I didn't want as a stereotype was what I call a tea-time gay. The Sean Tully type of character is the reason my character is here.
"I've worked in theatre for 20 years and there are lots of queens in the West End that look and act like that.
"I'm not going to diss his performance or his style, or say 'Who does he think he's representing?' because he is representing one of those shades of gay.
"It may not be your taste, but if that character hadn't happened and been so successful, I don't think the BBC would have gone, 'Right, we need a gay character.'"
However, although Partridge accepted that some would perceive his muscly, vest-wearing character as merely a different gay stereotype, he said: "The vest thing was my idea. It was my way of saying, 'I'm here, I'm gay.'"
Christian is currently embroiled in a love triangle with gay Muslim Syed Masood, played by Marc Elliot, and his wife Amira, played by Preeya Kalidas.
Partridge said he had received many letters from people in the same situation and praised the soap for its "groundbreaking" examination of the combination of sexuality and religion.
"I'm a gay man, my family are Christians, and I'm sure there's a part of them that goes, 'I don't really agree with that,' but they get on with it."
