Michael Cashman, who played Colin Russell in EastEnders, has revealed he had a brick thrown through his window and received hate mail after taking part in the soap's first gay kiss.
The actor joined the BBC soap in 1986 and made history as its first on-screen gay resident. His character's relationship with Barry Clark, played by Gary Hailes, included the UK's first homosexual kiss on a serial drama, which aired in 1987. The kiss, placed on the forehead, sparked mass controversy and backlash from the media and some viewers.
Backlash and threats
Speaking to Radio Times, Cashman said EastEnders' executive producer at the time, Julia Smith, warned him he would face backlash following the kiss. She suggested he speak with Leslie Grantham, who played 'Dirty' Den Watts, about handling the press.
Cashman recalled a terrifying incident where a brick went flying through his window at home as he received letters of vitriol, despite the BBC's attempts to prevent them from reaching him.
Positive impact
Despite the criticism, many praised the on-screen relationship between two men. Cashman said: "One lady wrote to me, saying her eight-year-old son had asked her why Colin had kissed Barry."
"She told him it was because Colin loved Barry the way Mummy loved Daddy, and that was that. That's why the tabloids hated us. We were getting through."
On the soap, it took three months for Colin to come out, as viewers got to know his character as Pauline and Angie did at the time. Cashman added: "The stereotype of gay men had been destroyed by this ordinary man with his chippy boyfriend living their lives in their community."
Legacy
Four decades later, Cashman shared that men in their 50s still come up to him to share what a difference Colin made to them. His character stayed in the soap until 1989, with brief guest stints in 2016 and December 2022.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am.
