John Partridge reveals BBC's secret rule for gay couples on EastEnders

Former EastEnders actor John Partridge has revealed a surprising behind-the-scenes rule that applied to gay couples during his time on the BBC soap. Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Partridge shared that during bedroom scenes with co-star Marc Elliott - who played Syed Masood - only one of them was permitted to remove their shirt.

Partridge, who portrayed Christian Clarke from 2008 to 2012 and again between 2014 and 2016, described the restriction as a clear example of unequal standards in LGBTQ+ representation. “Funny thing is, when Marc Elliott and I would do any scenes in the bedroom, only one of us was allowed to have our shirt off,” he said. “Because we were a gay couple. Any other scenes in soaps or TV dramas, heterosexual couples are allowed to show as much skin as they like, but we were not allowed to do that - and that was recently.”

When asked if they ever joked about who would be topless, Partridge quipped, “Needless to say, I was the one who had his top off.” He added, “That just goes to show that [homophobia] is alive and well.”

The actor was promoting his new stage production The Code, a dark comedy exploring the hidden rules of Hollywood and the challenges faced by gay actors in the 1950s. Partridge plays William “Billy” Haines, a silent film star who chose love over career when pressured to hide his sexuality. The play runs at Southwark Playhouse Elephant until 11 October.