Gay kiss Corrie star to quit

Blaise Tapp

April 23, 2004

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LEAVING: Bruno Langley

LEAVING: Bruno Langley 1/2 Play Slideshow

CORONATION Street star Bruno Langley is quitting the soap.

Langley, currently at the centre of a sensational gay storyline as teenager Todd Grimshaw, has told bosses he wants to leave.

After four years on the Granada show, the 21-year-old has decided it is time to leave "on a high".

He said: "I have worked on Coronation Street since I left college at 18 and I feel it is time to develop myself as an actor.

"The last four years have been some of the happiest of my life. The cast and crew of the Street have been like my second family."

In the soap, mixed-up Todd is torn between pregnant fianc'e Sarah Louise Platt and gay nurse Karl Foster.

Scriptwriters have promised Langley a dramatic exit but it is believed the door will be left open for a possible return.

Bruno Langley is featured in the latest edition of City Life magazine.

What do you think of the current Corrie storylines?

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John Pinter, Radcliffe, Manchester (23/04/2004 at 10:42)

I think that they do more to undermine society than can ever be imagined. Alcoholism is a major social disease in the UK but how many drunk people do you see in the Rovers? They consistently promote immoral lifestyles and hardly ever promote the traditional family unit. How many people in the street have NOT had an extramarital /gay/lesbian/transexaul affair? I guess Emily Bishop is the last bastion of moral decency. It's time to stop this rot!!

Katie, Gorton - Manchester (23/04/2004 at 11:44)

The current story lines are annoying - Sally, you need to get a grip and let Rosie live her lif as a child and not make her do things that she so clearly doesn't want to do, and also so does Todd need to get a grip they are both so annoying at the minute!!

Richard Everard, Withington (23/04/2004 at 11:49)

Good on you Todd. I would quit as well if I had to go to work everyday & start kissing a bloke. I've had to ban my wife & children from watching Coronation Street whilst this story has been unfolding. Its much to graphic to be shown before 9.00 pm in my opinion.

Steve, Manchester (23/04/2004 at 13:14)

I think it is about time that TV depicted a normal Gay bloke on the telly. Aftetr all we had Queer as Folk depicting gay life to be all nice and debouched. Good on Bruno in tackling what has been a really hard story line, it just shows the the masses that people are forced into the closet by others and it shopws the anguish they go through.
Coronation street has become one of the leading soaps in tackling such issues, and hope that it tackles more in the future.

The Sally and Rosie story is starting to echo of the Mommie Dearest Plot!

Graham, Newcastle upon Tyne (23/04/2004 at 13:38)

Richard: I'm not sure which part of your comment I find most offensive - the laughable idea that two men kissing is "much too graphic"; or the suggestion that you control your wife's viewing habits.

It's precisely because of attitudes like this that Corrie should be commended for their storyline.

steve, manchester (23/04/2004 at 15:05)

Richard banning your wife from watching TV "what's that all about" are you really protecting them? or are you dictating to them? I don't myself think that it is necessary to show this type of scene at that time of the evening, and find the story line a bit boring really. But I would never ban my wife and kids from watching it. After all its part of life it won't go away if you stick your head in the sand.

david swift, ex ashton u lyne now norfolk (23/04/2004 at 16:11)

I think the storylines are quite realistic and up to date. Even living over here in Norfolk my wife and I still watch Corrie to hear the great northern accent.

regards david

Charlotte Hawe, Huddersfield (23/04/2004 at 16:45)

I think it is good that Coronation Street is tackling this subject but the question i have to ask myself is do we really need to see them full on kissing at 7.30 on a night. I don't think so.

Sue, Warrington (23/04/2004 at 16:58)

I stopped watching from last week!
The Todd/Sally/Cilla/Dev story lines have become either too unpleasant or ludicrously predictable. Poor Norris (amongst others) is too annoying and pathetic. Come on script writers! We can follow without constant repetition. Lets have some good stories instead of repetitive "padding". We can follow the plot. It doesn't have to be a significant social issue to be interesting. The reputation of CS's superb acting quality was based on a history of "normality" with a smattering of notable occasions. If there aren't enough ideas to make 5 episodes a week, why not think about reducing them again?

mr. and mrs. diceman, hyde (23/04/2004 at 17:17)

my wife and i have watched corrie from day one, over the years it has given us hours and hours of pleasure, it used to be good clean and funny story lines. however over the past few years we think the quality of the writing has dropped considerably. as with lots of other shows the writers are now relying on sex and innuendo in most of the story lines. the gay story that is prominant at the moment we fined worst of all. there is enough homosexual content in lots of other programmes without bringing it into a family soap drama

Bridget McCardie, Bury, Lancashire (23/04/2004 at 17:38)

I am sorry that Coronation Street feels that it is necessary to show a homosexual storyline in a cheap bid to court controversy. What with murders, gay sex, transexuals, and adulterous relations on the Street, I imagine that something as noble and as significant as a wedding anniversary would seem 'too ordinary' for a storyline. Try to reflect our daily joys and sorrows rather than this vain attempt to search for 'issues'.

Sarah, Hulme (23/04/2004 at 17:41)

I'm at a loss to understand how two men kissing can be considered inappropriate viewing before the watershed??? Surely if that is the case, any kissing would be inappropriate. They are kissing, nothing else. It is sad that every act of affection between gay couples is sexualised. It certianly says more about the straight people who find it offensive than it does about the gay people showing affection. I'm impressed at the way in which Corrie have handled this. Let's hope they don't revert to their usual level of insensitivity and dress him in pink spandex when he comes out! :)

MacTavish, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (23/04/2004 at 17:55)

@Richard Everard
What exactly are you trying to 'protect' your wife and children from?
When my six year old niece saw Todd kiss Karl, all she said was "Does he love him?"
There is absolutely nothing to object to at the way this subject is being portrayed or with seeing a show of affection between two gay men.
Wake up - this is 2004 not 1904

Philip Moran, Chester (23/04/2004 at 17:56)

It staggers me that narrow-minded attitudes still exist today. That people should think that Bruno Langley has left The Street just because he is portraying a gay character is laughable. This fine young actor has more than risen to the challenge of the part and has rightly decided that now is the time to extend his career beyond TV Soap. I am sure he will do well. And as for portraying such scenes before 9:00pm? One father has already thanked Chris Finch (who plays Karl) as the story has helped his son through confusions about his own sexuality. That's good enough reason for airing the story and good enough reason for people who think otherwise to be ashamed of themselves.

Vicky, Central manchester (23/04/2004 at 17:59)

for goodness sake, it's only tv, get a grip.

Emma, Ilford, Essex (23/04/2004 at 18:04)

Well done Corrie for such a fantastic storyline. not only have they introduced gay characters to the street, they've shown (brilliantly) how hard it can be for a young lad whos struggling with his sexuality. I think Bruno Langley and Chris Finch have done a fantastic job!

And as for those people who are forcing there children (and even worse - their wives) to switch off, what sort of example are you setting them? That homosexuals should not to be tolerated in todays society? They are people, just like you and me, not lepors!

I think this storyline has proved that Bruno is a fantastic actor and will do well in whatever he does once he leaves!

Laura, Essex (23/04/2004 at 18:10)

Richard, I find it laughable that you believe the kiss between Todd and Karl is "too graphic" to be shown before 9pm....what about the sex scenes between Joe and Karen last year? Did you ban your wife and children from watching that too?! This storyline has been pretty tame compared with other scenes, like the Karen and Joe one I have already mentioned.

I for one think that the storyline between Todd and Karl has been fantastic, and it's the only thing that's keeping me watching Corrie at the moment- any more of sally and Dozy, and I'll shoot the TV!

I'll be really sad to see Bruno leave, and I wish him all the best for the future. He's a fantastic actor and deserves to go far.

terry cowan, oldham (23/04/2004 at 18:15)

the rovers cast shelly , mum etc plus the lead from the builder who is trying to bed every woman is so far from reality to be funny,also the impending family for mike baldwin to cause havoc on the street is so silly, if you didn't see it on tv, yuo wouldnt believe the scriptwritrers were living in the same world as the rest of us, they need to recognise the viewing public are not all thick planks but intelligent people.

Rob, Manchester (23/04/2004 at 18:40)

Richard- "Good on you Todd"?? Todds the fictional character..bruno is the real life acto. Two men Kissing if FAR from Graphic and is no diffrent to a man and woman kissing..you really need to stop talking like that. it is 2004 and homosexuals exist! Banning oyur wife and kids from watching corrie is an overeaction. Your not protecting your children your doing them more damage by passing on your narrow mindedness.

Dee Webber, Longsight,Manchester (24/04/2004 at 00:56)

Full marks to Corrie' for being bold enough to screen this turmoil - ridden soul's efforts to break out of the straight jacket he (Todd) finds himself in!
Many youngsters of similar age are going through this dilemma everyday.
The scenes add some normality to what must be an awful situation any man or woman may find themselves in at any stage of their lives.

Peter truffet, sydney australia (24/04/2004 at 07:40)

Re: john pinter, radcliffe 23/4.

I agree absolutely with his comments.
I visited manchester for a number of weeks in 1993. I found that here is no way that the story lines even remotely reflect life in working class manchester.
The very early episodes may have been near to the mark but they are now completely over the top.
A community could not exist with the drinking, immorality and bizzare lifestyles as depicted in the show.
Why don't the script writers show mancunians in a good light for a change? Or are there sad storylines a reflection of their own lifestyles?
Grow up coronation street and get back to basics. Stop pandering to those who like to think that mancunians are beneath contempt. If the script writers wish to 'air' their own prejudices let them do it elsewhere.

john cameron, cheadle (24/04/2004 at 09:07)

The concentration of homosexual story lines is becoming boring and embarrassing.
While I do not object strongly to homosexuals I do not think it appropriate that it should be promoted as natural behavior.

Nick Campbell, Salford (24/04/2004 at 10:33)

Well the bigots are out today!
Bruno has done a great job portrayinga gay character in a realistic way for the first time ever in a soap. Its a pity the people that find two men kissing so disgusting are prepared to stay silent in the face of all the violent, racist ,sexist and homophobic
programming present in today's schedules. You know what they say about straight men who are so against gay men don't you?

David Slattery, Huddersfield (25/04/2004 at 02:28)

I think the people who can't cope with Corrie's gay storyline are quite pathetic. As a gay man, I have to watch straight people kissing, cuddling and doing all manner of things at all times of the day on TV. Suddenly two men have a snog and it's a scandal.
There are gay people living on most streets, it's part of everyday life - why shouldn't Corrie reflect that?
We're here - we're queer - get used to it!

Billy Bell, Longsight (25/04/2004 at 08:30)

Now that Todd is leaving, I wonder who nurse Karl will turn his attentions to next ?
With Jack Duckworth forever spurning Vera's offers of early nights, could he be the next one to "come out" ?
What a great storyline that would be, with Jack propping up the bar in the Rovers with his "toy boy" Karl in between tending to their marrows down at Jack's allotment.
Sarah will have to go home to mum Gail when Todd leaves & she gives birth to his baby. That would leave the flat vacant for Jack & Karl to set up home together in as well.
This story would also open the door for Jack's son Terry to come back & create more trouble for Jack, who if my memory serves me correctly isn't his biological father anyway. Come on scriptwriters, get it together now before the writers of Emmerdale nick it & apply it to Cain Dingle & Seth Armstrong.

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