Russell T Davies

If you’re queer and enjoy watching the box, the liklihood is that you’re a fan of Russell T. Davies, whether you know it or not. Born and raised in Wales before being educated at Oxford’s Worcester College, Stephen Russell Davies OBE - professionally known as Russell T. Davies - always had a penchant for dramatic literature. Enamoured by the works of D.H Lawrence and Charles Dickens, it was clear from a young age that he was destined for a career in the arts.

After cutting his teeth writing on the likes of Coronation Street and On The Waterfront, his writing prowess was affirmed with the release of Queer as Folk (1999), the critically acclaimed series about a group of queer friends living in Manchester. Exploring topics ranging from substance abuse to co-parenting, the series was considered to be the first contemporary and fair portrayal of gay life in Britain, with many praising both Davies and Channel 4 for covering topics which were still considered to be taboo. Its unapologetic depiction of gay sex was both shocking and, to many young gay people, a welcome addition to prime time television. This honest portrayal of homosexuality arguably cemented Davies as a ‘gay writer’, and encouraged him to pursue queer themes in later works.

More recently, Davies wrote the dark and delirious Cucumber, Banana and Tofu, three different stories for TV existing in the same universe but airing across different outlets. The 2015 series explored a broader spectrum of queerness than had been seen in Queer as Folk, exploring gay love amongst middle-aged men as well as millennials. It went on to be nominated for GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series.

While many queer individuals champion Davies’ gay-centric work, it isn’t the only string to his bow. He was also at the helm of sci-fi drama Doctor Who between 2005-2010 and is considered to be responsible for the show's epic revival. In 2019, he received widespread acclaim for his new series Years & Years, a political drama starring the likes of Emma Thompson and Russell Tovey.

Whether you’re a fan of his work or not, there’s no denying the cultural impact that Russell T. Davies has had in representing queer people within film and television. His unrivalled range and depth of characterisation ensures that, if you’re LGBTQ+, you’ll see a little bit of yourself in at least one of the characters in the universes he creates. Endearing and often deranged, his work to me is the kind that sucks you in. While you might catch a quick glimpse of his work while flicking through the channels, that’s all it takes to be drawn into his colourful world of make-believe.