Crossing The Bridge – Marilyn Monroe Reveals All

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So, I suppose the first question is how are you? Assuming that it isn’t a redundant question.

Not at all. I feel fine. To tell you the truth, nothing much changes from before. You still feel everything you felt before. After all, it’s what makes a person, your emotions.  Without them, you’re kinda nothing at all. So, what you were before, you still are. But all the rough edges are sorta taken off. Does that make sense?

Without going into the religious aspect too much. Is it Heaven? Have you seen God?

Heaven’s what you make it, if you want to call it Heaven. It’s not like you’re taught at school. Let’s face it, no one can know what’s out there, so it’s all guesswork until it happens to you. It’s another state of mind really. It’s whatever you want. Some people prefer the green fields and flowing rivers, others prefer a city bar and a shot of bourbon. Me, I like both and that’s the beauty, afterlife’s what you make it! (Giggles).

So let’s get this out of the way, once and for all. August 5th 1962. What really happened?

Oh God, Here we go. I knew this would come up. OK. So let’s get it straight. You can’t help laughing at all the conspiracy theories. To be honest, if you didn’t, you’d cry. I’ve seen it so many times since. Jack in Dallas, Elvis, even your Lady Diana. It just seems like when certain people die, other people can’t accept accidents and have to put a different meaning to it. I don’t know, maybe because their grief demands it. It makes people less mortal, less weak if there’s something else behind it. Of course, Jack was murdered, but people are still tying themselves up in knots over the hows and whys.

So OK, who did shoot JFK?

Who do you think? Oswald was apparently on the sixth floor (of the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas). The first shot hit Jack in the back and came out through his neck. That’s not a shot from high up. Same with the second hit. (Governor John) Connally was shot in the back too and the bullet came out of his chest. The third got Jack in the head. Oswald didn’t make the shot. Wrong place. Plus he just didn’t have the skill. For the third shot to kill Jack and miss Jackie? That’s a trained marksman. CIA. They weren’t happy with Jack’s reforms. Bang.

And getting back to you in ‘62? You must be aware that there’s talk the CIA were involved.

Ha! I think they barely noticed me in a political sense. If anything, I provided them with a convenient distraction. While Jack’s with me, they’re free to carry on while the focus is elsewhere. Listen, I’m not proud of it, but the Kennedys were great people. Jackie knew Jack had a weakness for women. And let’s face it, I wasn’t the first or last. You’ve got the most powerful man in the world paying you attention? You’d have to be as hard as steel not to have your head turned.

Truth is, I really wasn’t well. You’re supposed to be a world-famous actress, adored by millions. But honestly? It’s surprisingly lonely. No one really wants you to be yourself. There’s Marilyn and there’s Norma Jeane. When the door closes, it’s just Norma Jeane.

I know it’s a cliché, but you really do suspect everyone’s motives for trying to get near you. They may be crazy, they may think they really love you, but it’s the image they see on film they love. You’ve met people in the industry. Their public persona is nothing like the people they really are in most cases.

The Misfits was so tough. I was drinking, drinking too much really. I wasn’t sleeping and the doctors were putting me on more and more drugs. It wasn’t good for me, but, you know, you think they know what they’re doing and you’re gonna get through it. And things’ll get better in time. There just wasn’t that much time for me, I guess.

When (Clark) Gable died just days after we wrapped, I felt kinda responsible. I hadn’t been at my best during the whole thing and I confess I went AWOL a couple of times. His wife Kay didn’t blame me, of course, but I could have made things easier, I suppose.

It was Something’s Got To Give that was a step too far really. It makes me laugh that the conspiracy nuts don’t really notice how appropriate the title was. I’d done the nude scenes in the pool, which they sold to Life magazine as publicity and then, of course, sang to Jack on his birthday.

I was exhausted, but the production sacked me ‘cos I missed so many days of shooting. I could’ve lived with that, although it was a blow, but next thing Fox are suing me for half a million bucks.

Let’s be honest. If I was gonna kill myself that would’ve been the time. But we eventually sorted it all out and I even had the two-picture deal in the bag. But yeah, it affected me. Who wouldn’t’ve found it tough? And you can see from the pics I did with (Bruce) Stern, I’d lost so much weight.

But what did it was simply a medical mistake. Dr. (Ralph) Greenson had given me an enema to help me sleep, because I was having trouble coming off the barbiturates. But (Doctor Hyman) Engelberg had given me more Nembutal the day before. From what I understand now, I had enough Nembutal in my system that it reacted with the chloral hydrate I’d been taking.

It was all very quick. I chatted to Joe (DiMaggio) around 7pm, but when Peter (Lawford) called about 30 minutes later, it felt like I was drunk. I figured the tablets were making me woozy, so got into bed. And, well, “That’s all Folks!” I just wasn’t strong enough any more.

So you would have made more films?

Of course. Like I said, I had a contract literally worth a million dollars and Something’s Got To Give was due to start filming again in the Fall. And there were other offers on the table, giving me more control. It would perhaps have been a springboard for other things. I was trying to get my head sorted and was ready for it this time around.

So how do you think your later career would’ve gone?

Hmm. I don’t know really. Let’s be honest. I was never going to be one of those character actresses. I truthfully wasn’t good enough. I mean, I reckon I had more to me than the kooky blonde, and that would have been difficult to carry off as I got older.

I would have liked to have done some more serious roles, perhaps as the mom, but I could see myself ending up as the kooky granny instead on the odd film or TV sit-com. Or maybe having a cat sanctuary like Bardot. (Laughs).

Some Like It Hot has been voted the greatest American film comedy of all time by The American Film Institute. What does that mean to you?

I’m very, very proud of Some Like It Hot. It was one of those films where everything comes together, you know? I mean Billy Wilder was superb, but it’s really Jack (Lemmon) and Joe (E. Brown) who steal the show. Jack was at the top of his game and Joe just played Osgood so well. This complete unawareness of everything’s that going on around him. He just has eyes for Daphne without taking in that she’s really this strapping guy. It’s hilarious.

Tony Curtis said that kissing you in that film was like kissing Hitler. What do you think about that?

That’s just typical of Tony. We knew each other from before, of course, and had a little fling when we were younger. He denies saying it, but it was actually a bit of an aside to the film crew. I reckon he was just trying to spare their feelings. (Laughs). He enjoyed it, at least in the early takes. There are some things a man just can’t hide! (Giggles).

Are you surprised about just how iconic you’ve become? Frankly, you are probably just about the most famous woman in the world.

Amazed. Completely, utterly amazed. I mean I was lucky enough to be around at the right time and grab the public’s attention. And, of course, I had famous men around, Joe and Jack were both American legends even then. But as I said before, I was never the best actress. I had no illusions about it, so to have books still written about me. You’d think they’d be nothing left to say and now here you are too. Talking about it almost 50 years later. It just goes to show.

Had I lived, I reckon there’s no way I would have had the same recognition. But suddenly dying at 36, I suppose all that unfulfilled potential, unfulfilled life, you could say, just grabs people. You become a sort of instant legend.

And what are your thoughts on the film industry today?

Truthfully? It doesn’t change much. Of course, the special effects are just out of this world. You can do so much more, so there are other areas of films that are opened up to actors, directors and writers.

But movie actors are still among the most overpaid people on the planet.

The quality doesn’t change either. There are so many great films, but people are still making appalling movies too. Except that they’re no longer called ‘B’ Movies. Instead, Joe Public forks out and don’t realise they’re likely to see something that’s honestly garbage until it’s too late.

I suppose the big difference now is that the studio thing has gone. It used to be that stars had to dress like stars whenever they went out. To keep that illusion that we were almost untouchable for ‘normal’ people. To keep that distance and sense of wonder so people want to see the movies. We were abnormal in that sense. We were always acting in a way, even when off-camera. Nowadays, movie stars go on holiday and there’ll always be someone with a camera waiting to get a shot of their boobs or saggy chin or whatever.

And people try so much now just to be famous, without really thinking how or why or even what it means. And they want it instantly. People should remember that fame is fleeting. It soon goes, sometimes before you know it. Like life. Trust me, I know.

Chor Bizarre Restaurant Review: India transported into the heart of Mayfair.

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London is full of every kind of cuisine you could think of. However, few of these restaurants really give you the true experience of the country they are representing. Chor Bizarre is different. Just as all of the furniture is taken from different parts of India, the cuisine comes not just from one part of the country, but the width and breadth of it.

Chor Bizarre, located on Albermarle Street, Mayfair, captures the infamous Chor Bazaar or thieves market of South Mumbai. The restaurant is a relative Aladdin’s cave, with all the beauty, colourfulness and eclecticism of India.

It’s nothing less than perfection. My starter of Purani Dilliki Papre chaat was a dish both refreshing and spicy – a perfect balanced combination. It’s one of only three dishes on the menu that doesn’t change. It’s Indian street food and a speciality they have had for years.

Next, to a Tandoori special, which had a combination of chicken, salmon, lamb and the biggest prawn I have ever seen in my life. Almost the size of my fist. That was followed with Chicken Tikka Masala and Lamb Shank, with every dish having just the right amount of spice. And dessert? Tandoori Pineapple. Absolutely delicious with ginger ice-cream.

It is fair to say that the menu has so much good food, it’s almost impossible to choose what to eat. Ask for recommendations instead. The owners are lovely and knowledgeable.

Charles Metcalfe has collaborated with head chef Manpreet Singh Ahuja and they have produced wine to match every dish. In fact, I was incredibly impressed at Chor Bizzarre’s eye for detail.

Very simply, I have completely fallen in love with this restaurant. I’ll be going back again and will also recommend it to all of my friends. The hospitality is first rate, the food is delicious and the staff are first class.

One of the best restaurants in London, if not the best.

Chor Bizarre

Actress Kim Cattrall Reveals Her Secret to Younger Looking Body Skin.

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Kim Cattrall Makes the Switch to Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Body Wash & Body Lotion

Award-winning actress Kim Cattrall is revealing one of her most unexpected beauty secrets. She swapped her body products and upgraded to Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Wash and Body Lotion for softer, smoother and younger looking skin after one use.

The striking star, best known for portraying Samantha Jones on Sex & The City, is now encouraging women to follow her lead and demand more from their body products to achieve a youthful appearance from head to toe.

“As an actress, Kim works hard to look her best on and off the big screen. We are thrilled that the Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Wash and Body Lotion are essential parts of Kim’s beauty routine,” said Joe Arcuri, Vice President, North America Female Beauty, Procter & Gamble.

“It’s important that I keep my body skin looking smooth and radiant,” agreed Kim. “Now that I’ve swapped to Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Wash and Body Lotion, it’s never been easier to achieve firm skin that looks younger after just one shower.”

In a study conducted by evolutionary biologist Dr. Bernhard Fink, the impact of body skin’s appearance was explored in relation to perception of age. The study indicated that, when judged independently from the face, your body skin, if maintained, is perceived up to 10 years younger than your face and adds to the overall perception of youthfulness.

Dr. Fink’s findings signal the importance of body skin and that looking young requires taking care of both your face and your body skin – and women agree. During a recent P&G survey of over 1000 women aged 35 and older, 93% believed that looking young requires taking care of both your face and body skin. However, a staggering 80% had never heard of anti-aging body wash products.

Harnessing the power of Total Effects skin care, Olay developed the Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Wash and Body Lotion with innovative formulas that go beyond basic cleansing and moisturizing to remove dry skin cells and improve skin elasticity for younger looking skin. Designed to fight the seven signs of aging all over the body, the Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Wash and Body Lotion help to improve skin’s elasticity in seven days and provide radiant skin in just one month.

No stranger to the spotlight, Kim Cattrall continually works to keep her body looking young and healthy. The Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Wash and Body Lotion can now be credited as one of the acclaimed actress’s top beauty secrets for maintaining her famous physique.

To find out more about Kim’s partnership with Olay, log on to www.facebook.com/olay or check out www.olay.com to explore the brand’s collection of body products for women of all ages, including the now available Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Wash and coming in February, the accompanying Body Lotion .

A Peak into A/W 2011 – Part Three – Accessories

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So here we are, on the brink of S/S 2011 – engaging our enthusiasm on what’s hot for this season’s primary looks and trends. Fashion is forever changing and reinventing itself. After looking at this A/W’s main Looks and Trends, it’s time to take a little peak into the merging accessories.  Ladies, the aim of fashion is to stay one step ahead!

Hats – BIG this year, and let’s face it, the latter part of the year plays happy to cute knits and a warm palate of colours. From warm woollen in bright welcoming colours, to boyfriend peaker caps, it’s all in fashion. Checks and vintage marked pieces are all splendour, combined with gloves and woollen detailed scarves – it’s all in the mix.

The Eccentric and Bold Hat Statement: We’ve paid homage to last year’s flappy ear inspired hats – so individual and characterised, an illustration of how A/W accessories don’t need to be minimal in mirror of the weather! Russian inspired, these hats will be ever present this A/W. Turn down ears, in sync with vibrant multi colours, embedded with fur and button detail. Fun and chic.

The Chic Downtown Girl: The Cap Accessory – Boyar Mink Cream and dyed jet black winter caps are all dominant this year. Look to Oscar De La Renta‘s line for inspiration.  Feminine, cosmopolitan and eye-catching. Perfectly combined with monochrome scarves from Soft Angora.

P for Pom pom!: The Pom pom hat. Distinguished and adorable – for all women. Presented in a range of colours, the bolder, the better! A reminder of yesteryear trends – the pom pom hat was more than likely worn by most of us at some point, but this 2011 makes the stage for a large pom pom comeback!

Jewellery – Making a figurative fashion statement all year round, jewellery can be effortlessly accessorised from season to season. This A/W, look out for vintage-inspired rings and necklaces. A divine accessory to wear along with patterned, graphic autumn prints, tuxedo jackets and long knits. Think bohemian meets fall chic.

Tangled necklaces, heavily encrusted in a mix of dazzling reds, mustards and greens, in spirit of the Autumn season, as well as browns, silvers and reds for the winter.

Tassels – Remarkably popular through this S/S 2011, tassels will be making their mark this A/W, but unlike the fusion of tassels on handbags, this year will see tassels making a standpoint in jewellery. Delicately derived choker necklaces and bracelets. In addition, the featuring of tassels on ethnic gold and silver mused jewellery.

Knitted Headbands – I’m not talking slim line headbands. More thicker, striking coloured bands – perfectly accessorised with trench coats and printed scarves, again, perfect boho allure.

Knit Legwear – The chunkier, the better. Worn over your simple Osbornes’ or ankle boots, this accessory makes for a brighter statement to any footwear, and equally as comfortable without footwear.

Top handle Bags and Satchels. The trademark cosmopolitan look. Leather enthused, in a mirage of cream, black and mustard palates. For the more adventurous satchel lover, check out the line by Ed Hardy, for creative, illustrated inspiration.

The Skinny Belt – A favourite for most fashion followers, the skinny belt is a great accessory to have in your wardrobe. Versatile and easy to wear – from day to evening. Worn with Navy, Military jackets or longer collar fuelled coats, the skinny belt adds that simple edge to an outfit.

One of my personal favourites – Craft fair inspired bracelets and scarves. If you love vintage shopping, you will love this. Woollen flowered and patch-enthused scarves and bracelets. You can find these individually charactered pieces in vintage stores and markets. If you want to keep your collection exclusive this year – this is a must!

Mason Kayne. {Actor Interviews}

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What made you go into acting?

To be honest, I don’t actually remember making a conscious decision to go into acting. It was more like acting chose me. I had been doing it for many years as a hobby, appearing in the school shows and the local amateur dramatics. For some reason acting just seemed to suit my personality.

What’s your favourite job so far?

Ashes to Ashes of course!! We had an amazing crew, an amazing cast, amazing writing and it was just so much fun to be on!

And your least?

Hmm, I think I would have to say a short film I agreed to do when I first came out of drama school. I was keen to get clips for my showreel and just said yes to the first thing that came along. The script was terrible and the director and crew were inexperienced. There was very little hope in making it a good film. It was a rookie error to agree to it, but I’m glad that I made the mistake so that I know NOT to repeat it in the future.

Favourite actors?

I couldn’t possibly say! There are too many to list! I admire any actor that I feel safe with, anyone that I can watch and not have any doubts in my mind that I am about to be entertained.

Tell me about Ashes to Ashes

Ashes was probably the most fun I’ve ever had on a project to date. There was just this fantastic vibe to the atmosphere, like everything there just fit together perfectly. We had a fantastic cast, the crew were very professional, everyone was friendly and the storyline looked amazing. It felt like a true honour to be a part of the production.

What do you think of the industry at the moment?

If I’m honest I’m not entirely sure what to think of the industry at the moment. It seems to be lacking in a logical structure.

Gone are the days where you could start out in Rep Theatre and work your way up the ladder so I can understand how many young aspiring performers find it difficult to work out where to begin in an acting career.

These days as young actors, people seem to be very keen to pigeonhole us quite early on in our careers, or ‘type’ us so to speak, so that we end up playing similar roles. And politics in the acting game seem to be quite illogical at times too. Iit’s almost like people are terrified to take a chance of any kind these days, so they stick with safe decisions. Talent scouts no longer seem to exist either. It all seems to boil down to what drama school you went to and how successful your last show was.

Did you train? Do you recommend it?

I did indeed train but I never finished the course. One thing that was bugging me about drama school was that they focused primarily on the performing skills and neglected to teach how to function in the industry. It also bothered me how I felt like I was living in a bubble and that my fate was, to a certain extent, out of my control. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not dead set against drama training, It sure as hell doesn’t do you any harm, it just wasn’t for me. I learn better from hands-on experience, so I cannot recommend it, but I don’t discourage it either.

What is your advice for aspiring actors?

I’m of the mind that if you want to be an actor, then don’t do it. If you’re going to be an actor, then do it. It sounds petty, but that slight difference in attitude makes all the difference. Loads of people want to be actors, but only a small percentage will actually go out and do it, so get out there, dive in, explore options, make mistakes, learn from them, and for the love of God don’t let anyone tell you: “You’ll never succeed as an actor”.

What’s next?

Well, now that I’m all fired up from answering that last question, I’m going to follow my own advice from above, dive back in and I’ll see you in theatre or on screen at some point.

Conviction Review {Film}

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True stories are always hit and miss. Very easily falling into smaltz and cliché. Conviction not only sidesteps these, but also manages to make the story fun.

Betty Anne Waters (Hilary Swank), an unemployed, single mother of two boys, sees brother Kenneth (Sam Rockwell) begin serving a life sentence in 1983 for murder and robbery of a woman in Ayer, Massachusetts.

Kenneth runs out of public defenders and without a lawyer, is destined to die in prison. Betty Anne, convinced of her brother’s innocence, decides to become a lawyer – sacrificing everything else in the process. The love between Betty Anne and her brother is strong and beautiful. They come from a broken family and only have each other.

Hilary Swank is always a brilliant actress, but she also has the face of a movie star. Her bone structure and beauty make her easy to watch. Then there is Minnie Driver, always excellent, as her bolshy best friend. Accent right on the money.

Sam Rockwell is always good and Rockwell dancing to ‘My Sharona’ will probably stay with me forever. I have never seen him put in a bad performance and this is no exception. I really loved this movie. It is a good story on what happens when lies wreck lives and the justice system lets people down. Highly recommended as a film to go and see.

SPOILER ALERT

After spending 12 years studying, in 1995 with a law degree, she began focusing on her brother’s case. Using new, at the time, DNA evidence, with the help of the Innocence Project, she proved her brother’s innocence, and Kenneth Waters walked out a free man in March 2001 after 18 years in prison.

He only enjoyed six months of freedom. On September 19, 2001, he fell 15 feet off a wall, hit his head and died. The estate of the late Kenneth Waters settled a civil rights lawsuit against the town of Ayer for $3.4 million in 2009.

True Grit Preview/Review. {Film}

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You can always trust the Coen brothers to go off the beaten track. Their films always have a large dose of the absurdity of life about them. True Grit is no exception. A remake of the classic starring John Wayne – which Jeff Bridges claims he hasn’t seen and deliberately didn’t watch. Those are big shoes to fill, and Bridges, who is having nothing short of a renaissance at the moment, fills the shoes and makes the character his own with gusto.

Although I have nothing against any specific type of film, I found it truly refreshing to see a good old-fashioned western. Which is exactly what this is.

Hailee Steinfield has the kind of part that actresses double her age would kill for. A perfect role model for women and girls everywhere. And she plays it perfectly. She’s a talent to watch. The scene where she rides her horse across the river is nothing less than brilliant. Matt Damon joins in the fun by making his Texas ranger just as kooky as the rest of the characters.

The Coen Brothers have made it clear that this is not based on Henry Hathaway’s version of the movie, but the Charles Portis novel. Their interpretation is as stunning and original as their other movies. The film truly transports you to a different, harsher and harder era – when there really was a wild west and even dead bodies were nothing more than a money-making opportunity.

There are a lot of good films coming out this year.. This is definitely one.

In The Pink – How Doctor Who Turned Gay

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Before Matt Smith became the 11th incarnation of Doctor Who, there was the usual excited comment in the media. Would – or could – the new Doctor be black, a woman, or gay?

Seeing as Time Lords seemingly don’t have the habit or ability of changing sex or race, the talk is always irrelevant and frankly, redundant. But that doesn’t stop the lively debate every time there’s a change of face.

As it turned out, Smith’s Doctor is, like all the others, male, white and seemingly straight, but William Hartnell’s irascible first Doctor from 1963 aside, Doctor Who has always bordered on camp with more than a degree of innuendo.

With the advent of the Swinging Sixties later in the decade, more overt sexuality crept in with mini-skirted female companions – and mini-skirted males, if you care to count Frazer Hines’ kilted highlander, Jamie McCrimmon.

Wendy Padbury’s Zoe Herriot often crops up in Whovian conversations thanks pretty much to a spangly, tight purple zip-up jump suit she once wore while scrambling on to the Tardis console. But it was probably Katy Manning’s character of Jo Grant who is most fondly remembered as the girl who first put the sex into Doctor Who.

Jo, apart from being a good screamer as the role frequently required, had a tendency to flash her knickers courtesy of her early 1970’s outfit of short skirt and plastic boots. Not only did Manning thus cement her role as the first crush of small boys and the lust object of dads everywhere, ratings went through the roof.

After Manning left the series, she capitalised by posing nude with a Dalek, but it was really only as Doctor Who began its decline in the mid-1980s that Nicola Bryant’s Peri Brown briefly stirred the watching public again by appearing in a much-commented upon – and criticised – skimpy bikini.

Peter Davison has also frequently mentioned how his intense death scene as the fifth Doctor was completely upstaged by Bryant’s cleavage as she knelt beside him, but even the Doctors’ famed regenerations eventually proved no match for the BBC hierarchy. Where numerous enemies had tried and failed, poor stories and a poor time slot brought the Time Lord’s career to a close in December 1989.

Enter Russell T Davies. The TV Producer and Screenwriter had a number of hits on his CV before he tackled the resurrection of Doctor Who in 2005, including Queer as Folk, a controversial series about the Manchester gay scene, drawn loosely on Davies’ own experiences.

Despite initial scepticism, under Davies’ stewardship the ninth Doctor – portrayed by Christopher Eccleston along with Billie Piper’s superb Rose Tyler – was a huge hit. When Eccleston left, David Tennant’s Time Lord took the ratings even higher.

It would take an extremely brave move to make such an iconic figure as the Doctor into a gay man. And chances are that if anyone could have done it, Davies is the one, but that’s always likely to be a step too far for the BBC.

And yet, the reborn Doctor Who embraces numerous gay references, all the more remarkable in a top-rated, worldwide, prime time TV show aimed at the family. In fact, it is probably the gayest, non-gay programme anywhere in the TV schedules.

Davies is responsible for writing many of the episodes, but it was the Steven Moffat-penned ‘The Empty Child’, which introduces John Barrowman’s Captain Jack Harkness, with Barrowman’s character the obvious crutch – pun intended – for what soon becomes a running theme throughout the entire series.

There are no holds barred when the viewing public is first introduced to Harkness. He caresses a fellow airman’s backside at a party before it’s revealed the two are having a relationship. Which, let’s face it, is pretty bold of them considering the law and public opinion of homosexuality in the 1940s.

And in the second of the two-parter, ‘The Doctor Dances’, the character of Nancy stops a black-marketeer from threatening her with the police by telling him she knows he’s ‘messing around’ with the male butcher. Although it takes a couple of more episodes before, following much innuendo, Captain Jack kisses the Doctor in what’s believed to be the series’ first same-sex kiss.

Davies himself took the opportunity to take a sly dig at gay stereotyping in werewolf episode ‘Tooth and Claw’.

When Tennant’s Doctor is asked why he failed to notice anything odd about the servants of a manor house, he replies: “Well, they were bald, athletic, your wife’s away. I just thought you were happy.”

Meanwhile, in ‘The Age of Steel’, a deleted scene from the DVD reveals Noel Clarke’s alternate Earth counterpart, Ricky, is the boyfriend of friend Jake.

Continuing the gay theme, Catherine Tate’s debut in ‘The Runaway Bride’ shows two men dancing together at her wedding reception, while in ‘The Shakespeare Code’ the Bard responds to Tennant’s comment about future flirting with: “Is that a promise Doctor?”

In ‘Gridlock’, the pensionable Cassini sisters are clearly married lesbians, while the Doctor’s sexuality is again called into question in ‘Daleks in Manhattan’ by New Yorker Tallulah who asks if Tennant prefers ‘musical theatre’.

Tennant’s Doctor is again involved in some mild male ‘bromance’, offering another New Yorker, Frank, the chance of a kiss, while John Simm’s Master asks Tennant if he is “asking me out on a date?” after the Doctor reveals they are the last of the Time Lords.

Tate’s character of Donna Noble returns in the fourth series, and after announcing a previous boyfriend ran off with another man, it’s all about the girls.

‘The Doctor’s Daughter’ reveals two of Donna’s friends are a lesbian couple who had a child with IVF, while in ‘Midnight’, the character of Sky Silvestry is on holiday to get over a relationship with another woman. Even the return of Piper’s Rose Tyler in ‘Turn Left’ is greeted by Noble with a heartfelt: “Blonde hair might work on men, but not on me!”

Meanwhile, in the series finale ‘Journey’s End’, Davies and Barrowman’s Captain Jack up the ante big time by hinting at a possible threesome with Tennant’s two identical Doctors.

Davies left Doctor Who at the same time as Tennant in 2009 after the two-parter, ‘End of Time’, but couldn’t resist a final scene involving Barrowman.

In a homage to the Star Wars cantina scene, Captain Jack sits alone at a bar next to Being Human’s Russell Tovey – Midshipman Alonso Frame from ‘Voyage of the Damned’. The Doctor passes Jack a note giving Frame’s name. A quick suggestive chat-up between Harkness and Frame follows before Frame asks Harkness if he can guess what he’s thinking.

Well, yes. I think we get the gist.

Since replacing Davies at the helm for 2010, Moffat has largely reined in the gay references. Indeed, Smith’s 11th Doctor remains asexual while Karen Gillan’s companion, Amy Pond, is the flirt.

However, Gillan has had some viewers and newspapers frothing and complaining over her short skirts. Which is odd, considering she has showed considerably less than Manning did, despite it being almost 40 years later in a time of a much more liberal media.

And there’s the irony.

Put against the usual right wing hysteria about traditional family values, Doctor Who has done much to open the doors to more liberal views about homosexuality at prime time and Davies should be applauded for having the guts to do so.

Too bad that the complaints about Ms Pond shows that tolerance of heterosexual sex appeal still has some way to go.