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BBC One orders gay love drama from best-selling novelist Patrick Gale

By Fabio Crispim

BBC One have ordered a two-part gay love drama from best-selling author Patrick Gale.

The miniseries, called Man In The Orange Shirt, will tell the story of the relationships of two couples set 60 years apart who are tied together by a painting.

Gale said, “Man In An Orange Shirt is the most exciting screen project I’ve worked on to date: an original drama exploring strands of gay male experience since the 1940’s.”

“It has been such a privilege to be given such an open brief and then allowed to run with it. I don’t want to give too much away but after much experimenting, we’ve ended up with two hour-long films, one set in the 1940’s and 50’s and one set in the violently contrasted present, one depicting a love made impossible from society, one love story nearly derailed by the long-term fall-out from the 1940’s story.”

The gay author continued, “People who know my novels will be unsurprised to hear that the stories give equal focus to wives and mothers and are very much about tensions between family bonds, the need to be good and the urge to seize happiness.”

“I hope [it will] appeal equally to straight and gay viewers but also that they’ll leave either side feeling challenged about things they take for granted.”

Man In An Orange Shirt has yet to have a premier date so watch this space!

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