• Contact
  • About
DONATE
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
  • Login
North East Bylines
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Brexit
    • Education
    • Environment
    • European News
    • Health
    • Politics
    • Science
    • UK News
    • World News
    man looking anxious

    Never assume: honesty and mental health

    Flood in York in 2022. Climate change brings about more floods and not just heatwaves and wildfires

    The Tories’ climate change policy does not add up

    A sign with the "not equal" symbol is held in a crowd

    Inequality and development: from global to local

    South Tyneside's only black electric taxi

    A sustainable policy for Tyneside taxis

    Ben Houchen by Scott Hunter

    Alleged National Audit Office review of Teesworks

    Child poverty protestor

    Child poverty: enough is enough

    Boys with kite in Kabul

    One year since the fall of Afghanistan

    North East for Europe at an earlier London march

    The North East in London for National Rejoin March

    Tyne Bridge

    Newcastle shortlisted for Eurovision 2023

    Trending Tags

    • Ukraine
  • Culture
    • All
    • Animation
    • Books
    • Illustrations & More
    • Music
    • Performance
    • Poetry
    • Social Media
    • Theatre
    • TV & Radio
    The Rock Showman

    Hardwick Festival is down with the kids

    Witty Look

    All aboard the festival bus for Hardwick this weekend

    Boys with kite in Kabul

    One year since the fall of Afghanistan

    Eurovision sign

    The North East could host Eurovision in 2023

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    Master Chef of Great Britain

    Master Chef of Great Britain at Lumley

    Prezzo

    Discovering the new summer menu at Prezzo

    Chef and son

    MasterChef’s’ Posh Street Food chef’s own summer of entertainment

    Scottish highlands

    The beauty of the Scottish Highlands

    Kleo Tabuku

    Top chef to open Newcastle restaurant, Lovage

    Pop up park

    Pop up to the park in Sunderland

    The Blackbird Inn, Ponteland

    The Blackbird Inn flies high with its new summer menu

    gymnast

    Culture of fear in British gymnastics uncovered by the Whyte Review

    Kennedy and Rhind

    Kennedy and Rhind: more time to enjoy a North East favourite

    Trending Tags

    • Business
      • All
      • Economy
      • Rural
      • Technology
      • Trade
      • Voluntary Sector
      Liz Truss

      Tory leadership election: Liz Truss should look at how economies work

      Ben Houchen by Scott Hunter

      Alleged National Audit Office review of Teesworks

      Fishing protest

      Dead crustaceans on North East coast: the next chapter

      Scottish highlands

      The beauty of the Scottish Highlands

      loo

      A room with a loo

      Newcastle quayside

      Newcastle named as one of the best cities for graduates

      Brexit economics

      New research shows the economic effect of Brexit

      Wetherspoons pub

      Wetherspoons sparkle: has it gone flat?

      Leon Fussell rehearsing

      Unsung Heroes at Queen’s Hall, Hexham

      Trending Tags

      • Region
        • All
        • Co. Durham
        • North East
        • Northumberland
        • Teesside
        • Tyneside
        • Wearside
        Fire in Gosforth

        Firefighters praised for life-saving response to Gosforth arson attack

        A sign with the "not equal" symbol is held in a crowd

        Inequality and development: from global to local

        South Tyneside's only black electric taxi

        A sustainable policy for Tyneside taxis

        Ben Houchen by Scott Hunter

        Alleged National Audit Office review of Teesworks

        Child poverty protestor

        Child poverty: enough is enough

        Tyne Bridge

        Newcastle shortlisted for Eurovision 2023

        Wildfire at Witherwack

        “Busier than Bonfire Night” as wildfire rages for over 20 hours

        Fishing protest

        Dead crustaceans on North East coast: the next chapter

        NUFC foodbank

        Howay the lads and lasses: the new football foodbank season ‘22/23

        Trending Tags

        • Opinion
          Titanic coming out of Southampton

          The 110th anniversary of the Titanic’s departure

          There is an England

          There is an England

          Prime Minister Boris Johnson signs the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union"

          The parody of disinformation: Boris Johnson on Ukraine and Brexit

          Boris Johnson’s comments on Ukraine and Brexit are an insult

          TV Agency staff jumping in the air

          The TV Agency celebrates 10th anniversary with global success

          North East of County Dublin

          North East of England and North East of County Dublin: Compare and contrast

          North Sea oil rig

          Copping out of COP: Ukraine, fossil fuels and nuclear fusion

          Placard with Boris Johnson as a clown

          Dictators, media and mobility: erosion of identity, sustenance and safety

          close up on a child's eye

          Racism and misogyny where there should have been safeguarding and security

        AUDIO
        No Result
        View All Result
        • Home
        • News
          • All
          • Brexit
          • Education
          • Environment
          • European News
          • Health
          • Politics
          • Science
          • UK News
          • World News
          man looking anxious

          Never assume: honesty and mental health

          Flood in York in 2022. Climate change brings about more floods and not just heatwaves and wildfires

          The Tories’ climate change policy does not add up

          A sign with the "not equal" symbol is held in a crowd

          Inequality and development: from global to local

          South Tyneside's only black electric taxi

          A sustainable policy for Tyneside taxis

          Ben Houchen by Scott Hunter

          Alleged National Audit Office review of Teesworks

          Child poverty protestor

          Child poverty: enough is enough

          Boys with kite in Kabul

          One year since the fall of Afghanistan

          North East for Europe at an earlier London march

          The North East in London for National Rejoin March

          Tyne Bridge

          Newcastle shortlisted for Eurovision 2023

          Trending Tags

          • Ukraine
        • Culture
          • All
          • Animation
          • Books
          • Illustrations & More
          • Music
          • Performance
          • Poetry
          • Social Media
          • Theatre
          • TV & Radio
          The Rock Showman

          Hardwick Festival is down with the kids

          Witty Look

          All aboard the festival bus for Hardwick this weekend

          Boys with kite in Kabul

          One year since the fall of Afghanistan

          Eurovision sign

          The North East could host Eurovision in 2023

        • Lifestyle
          • All
          • Fashion
          • Food & Drink
          • Health & Fitness
          Master Chef of Great Britain

          Master Chef of Great Britain at Lumley

          Prezzo

          Discovering the new summer menu at Prezzo

          Chef and son

          MasterChef’s’ Posh Street Food chef’s own summer of entertainment

          Scottish highlands

          The beauty of the Scottish Highlands

          Kleo Tabuku

          Top chef to open Newcastle restaurant, Lovage

          Pop up park

          Pop up to the park in Sunderland

          The Blackbird Inn, Ponteland

          The Blackbird Inn flies high with its new summer menu

          gymnast

          Culture of fear in British gymnastics uncovered by the Whyte Review

          Kennedy and Rhind

          Kennedy and Rhind: more time to enjoy a North East favourite

          Trending Tags

          • Business
            • All
            • Economy
            • Rural
            • Technology
            • Trade
            • Voluntary Sector
            Liz Truss

            Tory leadership election: Liz Truss should look at how economies work

            Ben Houchen by Scott Hunter

            Alleged National Audit Office review of Teesworks

            Fishing protest

            Dead crustaceans on North East coast: the next chapter

            Scottish highlands

            The beauty of the Scottish Highlands

            loo

            A room with a loo

            Newcastle quayside

            Newcastle named as one of the best cities for graduates

            Brexit economics

            New research shows the economic effect of Brexit

            Wetherspoons pub

            Wetherspoons sparkle: has it gone flat?

            Leon Fussell rehearsing

            Unsung Heroes at Queen’s Hall, Hexham

            Trending Tags

            • Region
              • All
              • Co. Durham
              • North East
              • Northumberland
              • Teesside
              • Tyneside
              • Wearside
              Fire in Gosforth

              Firefighters praised for life-saving response to Gosforth arson attack

              A sign with the "not equal" symbol is held in a crowd

              Inequality and development: from global to local

              South Tyneside's only black electric taxi

              A sustainable policy for Tyneside taxis

              Ben Houchen by Scott Hunter

              Alleged National Audit Office review of Teesworks

              Child poverty protestor

              Child poverty: enough is enough

              Tyne Bridge

              Newcastle shortlisted for Eurovision 2023

              Wildfire at Witherwack

              “Busier than Bonfire Night” as wildfire rages for over 20 hours

              Fishing protest

              Dead crustaceans on North East coast: the next chapter

              NUFC foodbank

              Howay the lads and lasses: the new football foodbank season ‘22/23

              Trending Tags

              • Opinion
                Titanic coming out of Southampton

                The 110th anniversary of the Titanic’s departure

                There is an England

                There is an England

                Prime Minister Boris Johnson signs the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union"

                The parody of disinformation: Boris Johnson on Ukraine and Brexit

                Boris Johnson’s comments on Ukraine and Brexit are an insult

                TV Agency staff jumping in the air

                The TV Agency celebrates 10th anniversary with global success

                North East of County Dublin

                North East of England and North East of County Dublin: Compare and contrast

                North Sea oil rig

                Copping out of COP: Ukraine, fossil fuels and nuclear fusion

                Placard with Boris Johnson as a clown

                Dictators, media and mobility: erosion of identity, sustenance and safety

                close up on a child's eye

                Racism and misogyny where there should have been safeguarding and security

              No Result
              View All Result
              North East Bylines
              No Result
              View All Result
              Home Culture TV & Radio

              It’s a sin

              Once or twice in a generation an era-defining TV series comes along, and Channel 4’s It's a Sin is a contender for just that.

              Suzanne Fairless-AitkenbySuzanne Fairless-Aitken
              13-02-2021 13:02
              in TV & Radio, UK
              Two males in a club

              Channel 4's It's a Sin

              Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
              ADVERTISEMENT

              Once or twice in a generation an era-defining TV series comes along, and Channel 4’s It’s a Sin is a contender for just that. The five-part drama. set in London between 1981 and 1991 to an iconic -pumping soundtrack of Lennox, Blondie, Queen, Erasure, Almond and of course the title track – moves us along with a group of gay friends through their wild parties and ultimate journey of self-discovery while they explore their sexuality and emerging careers. The first two episodes are a breathtaking pop-video of ominous fun soon to be set against the emerging AIDS pandemic – John Hurt’s voice of doom booms out more than once. Episode 3 soon progresses from the fun frolics of youth to something much darker, and to an ultimately tragic tale of ‘lost youths’.

              BBC and ITV sadly declined to develop its hard-hitting subject matter, but in the brave hands of Russell T. Davies (Queer as Folk, Doctor Who) and Channel 4 – it navigates the 1980s with compassion and humour – we even get a scene with the Daleks thrown in for good measure.

              Inspired casting with relatively unknowns –   Olly Alexander – a cross between a young Tom Hanks, Neil Tennant and Hollywood’s Frankie – as Ritchie, Omari Douglas as Roscoe and Callum Scott Howells as the introverted Colin, Lydia West as  Jill and Nathaniel Curtis as Ash. So these self-nicknamed band of  flatmates – ‘Gloria’, ‘Gladys Pugh’, and ‘Isla St Clair’ – are well-balanced with established names like Stephen Fry, Neil Patrick Harris, Keely Hawes, Tracy Ann Oberman, and Shaun Dooley.

              What becomes painfully clear is just how little we all knew – reminding me a little of last March and the eventual Lockdown. The consuming fear of a new virus is all too real, although the fact it only seemed to ‘wipes out the gays’ who were consequently a lot less informed and protected by the State is made glaringly obvious.

              As a group in society that had only too recently been ‘legalised’ and allowed the freedoms of abandoned youth, they were soon overtaken by shame, fear, and judgement – the virus was cruelly seen as a punishment. In turn we witness these wonderfully humane characters being ignored, excluded and blamed – with young men left to ‘die of shame’ in hospital isolation units, often alone. Mix in the horrors of Article 28 and clashes with the police and you have compelling drama with a powerful mix of discomfort and nostalgia.

              Occasionally Davies’ women characters are polarised into angelic carers or controlling witches, with some of the female reactions, and blaming of each other a little frustrating, but this is still, undoubtedly stellar, must-watch TV for pandemic times. You will roar with laughter and you will weep – have tissues at the ready.

              Growing up in Newcastle in the 1980s I was all too aware of the prejudices, my best mate was gay and though I didn’t understand its implications fully  at the time,  that keen sense of shame and his fears of rejection he felt growing up are fully explored. Interesting fact: Neil Tennant went to the same catholic boys’ school – the same school that inspired the song It’s a Sin.  My friend only came out in the mid-1990s when it was becoming more acceptable, and after some wild times he is now happily married – it is society that has finally grown-up.

              This is not moralising TV  – it’s a rip-roaring ride through an era, which I happily binge-watched, but to focus solely on the nostalgia, music and clothing (which are all mint) takes away from Davies’ intense social and personal drama. However, it could make us look back upon our lives, not with a sense of shame or blame, but with renewed empathy.

              Tags: Culture
              ADVERTISEMENT
              Previous Post

              If you could see her through my eyes

              Next Post

              Broken Youth: debut single from young Newton Aycliffe singer-songwriter

              Suzanne Fairless-Aitken

              Suzanne Fairless-Aitken

              Suzanne Fairless-Aitken is a mum from Hexham, who was recently elected as Northumberland County Councillor & Hexham Town Councillor for the LibDems. She works for international poetry publisher, Bloodaxe Books, and also runs her own editing company, Swift Permissions. In her murky past she has been a school governor, activist and campaigner for education, green issues, anti-austerity and anti-corruption. She writes in any spare time she can find.

              Related Posts

              Derry Girls mural
              TV & Radio

              Derry Girls: from the beginning

              byYvonne Wancke
              August 6, 2022
              girl at window
              TV & Radio

              Persuasion: why the Netflix adaptation is actually worth a watch, according to a romantic literature expert

              byRichard Marggraf-Turley
              July 27, 2022
              BBC Director General, Tim Davie
              TV & Radio

              BBC and North East working together on six new projects

              byNorth East Bylines
              April 24, 2022
              Michael Bublé
              TV & Radio

              Michael Bublé helps local BBC radio say thank you to community heroes who’ve made a difference

              byNorth East Bylines
              April 10, 2022
              Titanic coming out of Southampton
              UK

              The 110th anniversary of the Titanic’s departure

              byJames Rippon
              April 10, 2022
              Next Post
              A person with a guitar

              Broken Youth: debut single from young Newton Aycliffe singer-songwriter

              Want to support us?

              Can you help North East Bylines to grow and become more sustainable with a regular donation, no matter how small?  

              DONATE

              Sign up to our newsletter

              If you would like to receive the North East Bylines regular newsletter, straight talking direct to your inbox, click the button below.

              NEWSLETTER

              LATEST

              Liz Truss

              Tory leadership election: Liz Truss should look at how economies work

              August 18, 2022
              Fire in Gosforth

              Firefighters praised for life-saving response to Gosforth arson attack

              August 18, 2022
              man looking anxious

              Never assume: honesty and mental health

              August 18, 2022
              Flood in York in 2022. Climate change brings about more floods and not just heatwaves and wildfires

              The Tories’ climate change policy does not add up

              August 18, 2022
              A sign with the "not equal" symbol is held in a crowd

              Inequality and development: from global to local

              August 17, 2022
              South Tyneside's only black electric taxi

              A sustainable policy for Tyneside taxis

              August 17, 2022

              MOST READ

              Liz Truss

              Tory leadership election: Liz Truss should look at how economies work

              August 18, 2022
              Fire in Gosforth

              Firefighters praised for life-saving response to Gosforth arson attack

              August 18, 2022
              man looking anxious

              Never assume: honesty and mental health

              August 18, 2022
              Flood in York in 2022. Climate change brings about more floods and not just heatwaves and wildfires

              The Tories’ climate change policy does not add up

              August 18, 2022

              BROWSE BY TAGS

              Audio Beach Brexit Business castle leazes climate activism Co. Durham cost of living crisis Culture defra democracy ducklings Economy Education Environment fire and rescue firefighter Food & Drink food poverty Health Health & Care Home Affairs just stop oil Lifestyle Local Lockdown Northumberland Peace Performance Politics pride month refugee rescue Science Social Media Teesside TV & Radio Tynemouth Tyneside Ukraine volunteer Wearside

              We are a not-for-profit citizen journalism publication. Our aim is to publish well-written, fact-based articles and opinion pieces on subjects that are of interest to people in the North East and beyond.

              North East Bylines is a trading brand of Bylines Network Limited, which is a sister organisation to Byline Times.

              Learn more about us

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Contact
              • About
              • Letters
              • Donate
              • Privacy
              • Bylines network
              • Shop

              © 2022 North East Bylines. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Home
              • News
                • Brexit
                • Education
                • Environment
                • UK News
                • Transport
                • World News
              • Politics
              • Opinion
              • Lifestyle
                • Culture
                • Music
                • Poetry
              • Business
                • Economy
                • Technology
                • Trade
              • Donate
              • Newsletter sign up
              • Boriiis Cartoons
              • Authors
              • Audio

              © 2022 North East Bylines. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              Welcome Back!

              Login to your account below

              Forgotten Password?

              Retrieve your password

              Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

              Log In