A very English Scandal

I thought it was very good too. Hugh Grant was excellent - somehow managing to capture the "look" and sickeningly confident manner of Jeremy Thorpe.

I think the apparent "jokiness" has a real bite to it.

GillT57 you've put into words what I couldn't put my finger on - that the "jokey" attitude of Thorpe and his partner-in-crime is sinister, chilling.

What fun NotaGran hope he was paid.

Excellent acting.

I must admit I found some of the love scenes uncomfortable viewing but that comes from my conservative (small c) up bringing.

What a terrible time gay people had keeping their love lives secret.

When I was a teenager I was into amateur acting, one of my male friends was always different in his way of dressing his duffle coat was bright red, quite unusual for the early 60s. My mother told me he was gay which had never occurred to me.

My brother made his TV debut in this last night as an extra

I disagree gulligranny I did not think it was in any way 'nudge nudge wink wink' as you put it. On the contrary, I thought it sinister and menacing the way that JT and his cohort were able to use, abuse and dispose of people like Norman. This was not just about sexual abuse, hidden homosexuality and cover ups, it was also about the political and ruling classes, the senior civil service, M15 etc who were able to just do what they like to the lower classes. The way that JT treated Norman was no better or worse than the way his friend 'Pedro' used and abused his secretary. They both rode rough shod over anyone they considered beneath them or of a lower social standing. Can't get much more dark and serious than that.

Yes, I found the scene with David Bamber very moving.

I should have known when I saw that it was written by Russell T Davies that it wouldn't be the dark, serious drama it should have been. It's far too nudge-nudge wink-wink and although Hugh Grant & Ben Wishaw are both very good, I was expecting something better. A fine turn from David Bamber as Lord Arran - a sincere man mourning his brother.

I thought it was extremely well-acted and - for someone who has only lived in the UK since 2000, so I don't know anything about the case - it is an interesting slice of recent social history, albeit that there may be some poetic license.

I like Ben Whishaw in anything and Hugh Grant's acting skills seem to be improving with age. There are many good actors in it. It is a difficult subject.

I really enjoyed it!

I think you are rightMaw - there were a few other euphemisms used. We had a neighbour who had the Christian name Gay and that started to be a bit of a problem but luckily she had left school by the time it was commonly used for homosexuals.

This was only a few years after the Profumo scandal and it was rumbling about a bit re: JT for some time before it really hit the headlines.

Seamy side of life with no good in it at all apart for Leo Abse and making homosexuality legal. Well acted.

“Gay”
I think we can all recognise a Wikipedia definition floradora
All I would say is that I was not aware of its use in common parlance before the late 70’s.

I am unsure, as the writer Russel Davies is Gay and knows Scott is he biased

I felt uncomfortable watching it - I don't know why. Perhaps because it is based on fact? HG's Thorpe came across as rather weasley I thought but perhaps he [Thorpe] was really like that. I might watch the next episode - the jury's out at present [no pun intended!]

Really well acted.No male characters come out of this well,
Least of all, Thorpe, although we have to accept some literary license going on.
Thought it was brave of Hugh Grant to take this part on really.

Have recorded, looking forward to watching this evening

I thought Hugh Grant was very good, and maybe after this he will manage to throw off his floppy haired, toff persona and get some decent roles. They were truly sinister the way they wangled, manipulated, and plotted. Well acted and well written and I look forward to watching the rest of it.

The term's use as a reference to homosexuality may date as early as the late 19th century, but its use gradually increased in the 20th century.[1] In modern English, gay has come to be used as an adjective, and as a noun, referring to the people and the practices and cultures associated with homosexuality. In the 1960s, gay became the word favored by homosexual men to describe their sexual orientation.[2] By the end of the 20th century, the word gay was recommended by major LGBT groups and style guides to describe people attracted to members of the same sex.[3][4]

I too found the use of the word “gay” anachronistic and am amazed that the rape of Josiffe/Scott could be glossed over or seen in any way as amusing or bonkers.
Paddyann is spot on and the whole “rent boy” tradition akin to the human trafficking we hear of nowadays was seamy nasty stuff.
The Beeb would appear to be pulling its punches or perhaps we are too used to the floppy- haired “rom-com” persona Hugh Grant has even associated with in the past.

Looking forward to watching this, It was a most bizarre series of events.

Do you still all believe that the paedophile scandal in Westminster has no foundation? The scene where the statement by Norman Scott was passed upwards and then put into a safe by MI5 was very telling.Did Teresa May REALLY lose all the details of paedophiles in Westminster or is she, like they did back then just covering their tracks ?

The word Gay was used. Surely not at that time?

Have you ever seen the Dirk Bogarde film - Victim- that was in the 50/60s and about homosexuals -it was from that film I discovered about rent boys and the activities which took place in public loos! I was very innocent at the time.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching it, the acting is excellent. Hard to believe that the story is based on fact.