BRITAIN’S GREAT GAY BUILDINGS, C4, 8pm
DOES the daft title of this show suggest our TV executives are running out of ideas?
I did a double-take when I saw it in the listings: can a country have “gay” buildings?
If so, what the hell are they? Allow Stephen Fry to explain. He presents this show, marking the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act which decriminalised homosexuality, by celebrating buildings that have a special place in gay culture and history.
Fry is joined by seven gay celebrities who nominate their favourite “gay building” and explain its importance.
The Rev Richard Coles chooses the Heaven nightclub in London which offered a safe space for gay clubbers and which he calls “Disneyworld for gay people”.
In a more sombre mood, Simon Callow chooses the Old Bailey where Oscar Wilde endured his notorious trial.
We also visit theatres, pubs, Bletchley Park and Westminster, and quite soon the title of the show stops seeming so silly.
DOCTOR WHO, BBC1, 6.45pm
THIS is the second time I’ve seen Matt Lucas on TV this week, and he’s always a welcome sight. The first was when he appeared in BBC2’s Proclaimers documentary where he spoke about his love for the band alongside Nicola Sturgeon. There can’t be many programmes that bring together Matt Lucas and the First Minister!
In tonight’s episode, the penultimate in the series, the Doctor is called upon to make a bold decision.
Called World Enough And Time (I love the poetry in the episode titles) it sees the gang arrive on board a huge colony spaceship which is struggling desperately to edge away from the rim of a black hole.
The laws of gravity mean time is running faster at one end of the ship than the other, and there are scenes of panic and fear.
Missy arrives in response to the ship’s distress call and, with the main characters gathered, the Doctor witnesses the death of someone he was charged with protecting.
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