LONDON - Russell T Davies, the celebrated writer behind series such as It's a Sin and Queer as Folk, is set to release a new drama that examines the growing threat of online radicalization and its impact on the LGBTQ+ community. The Channel 4 series, titled Tip Toe, will explore what Davies describes as a "sliding back of gay rights" in the current social climate.
The series, produced by Nicola Shindler’s Quay Street Productions, stars Alan Cumming and David Morrissey. The story is set in Manchester and follows a feud between a queer bar owner (Cumming) and his long-standing neighbour (Morrissey). Davies explained that the drama reflects how "the voices that were online are transferring into the real world."
A Story for All Minorities
In an interview with the BBC, Davies emphasised that while the show is told through a "queer lens," its themes of persecution and radicalisation are universal. He noted that the vitriol depicted is something faced by many minority groups today.
"A Jew could have written this," he said, referencing a recent rise in antisemitic attacks in London. "If this was a Jewish version of the story you wouldn't be calling it timely, you'd be calling it too late."
He also shared an anecdote about a friend in a wheelchair who was harassed at her home by someone accusing her of benefit fraud, illustrating that such aggression is "physically happening in the world" to various communities.
Davies, who recently returned to helm Doctor Who for the BBC, also commented on the creative freedom at different broadcasters. He stated that for a show like his dystopian thriller Years & Years, the BBC "insists" on happy endings. He noted that Channel 4, which also aired It's a Sin, allows him to be more radical with his storytelling.
Tip Toe is scheduled to premiere on Channel 4 in the UK on May 31.
