Response to the complaint i sent to the BBC over the sex scene being cut!

[missthingsplace]

Thanks for contacting us regarding ‘Torchwood: Miracle Day’ on BBC One.

I understand you were unhappy with reports that a scene had been cut from an upcoming episode.

It is not unusual for co-productions to have slightly different versions of a show to reflect the different audiences. For episode three of ‘Torchwood: Miracle Day’, as part of the usual discussions between broadcasters and the production company, small potential edits in two intercutting scenes of gay and straight sex were discussed and made by production. This minimal edit makes little difference to the episode to be broadcast in the UK. Both scenes remain but run a few seconds shorter than the US version. In a later episode a sequence of gay sex is important to the story and therefore both the US and UK will show the same version.

‘Torchwood: Miracle Day’ continues to be a series that will ask important questions of how we all live in today's society and the drama reflects life as we recognise it. The BBC and Starz have both been huge supporters of the writers' vision for the series.

I’d also like to assure you I've registered your complaint on our audience log. This is an internal report of audience feedback which we compile daily and is available for viewing by all our staff. This includes all programme makers and commissioning executives, along with our senior management. It ensures that your points, along with all other comments we receive, are circulated and considered across the BBC.

Thanks again for taking the time to contact us.

www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

NB This is sent from an outgoing account only which is not monitored. You cannot reply to this email address but if necessary please contact us via our webform quoting any case number we provided.

Kind Regards

BBC Audience Services

Comments

[trektorch]

Being here in the States I will get to see the scene in all it glory, whatever glory that it is remains to be seen. Is there frontal nudity? Will we see more of Jack then ever before? Is it a graphic simulated gay sex scene? I guess I'll find out tomorrow night. The thing that amazes me is that it was alright to see a child get his brains fried in a graphic scene in COE, but not a sex scene in MD. Interesting.

[missthingsplace]

I will be watching both versions ... will be interesting to see what they do actually cut, but i am getting the feeling that this has been blown out of all proportion ...

[angstosaur.livejournal.com]

I've read that the Barrowman buttocks won't be seen but there is a side view of the other guy naked ... that's the scene in ep3 ...

I am wondering about the other scene they are referring to ...JB has said that the sex is not gratuitous but has something to do with the actual story, which this reply from the BBC seems to confirm ... I have my theories, but I'm keeping them to myself for fear of being wrong....

[missthingsplace]

Yep, i think all this has been blown out of proportion and if it is just seconds of footage missing i really can't see the point in cutting it!

I did hear that there was more than one sex scene in this and judging by this response this is the case and according to them it will be shown in full.

Censorship like this just bugs me ... if it is the case, we saw Jack's bum in CoE, so i can't understand what the big deal is ... sigh ... I guess we shall just have to wait and see now, i for one will be watching the US version anyways.

[angstosaur.livejournal.com]

I imagine it must relate to what those buttocks are up ... I suspect walking buttocks are ok, but thrusting buttocks are too naughty for us sensitive souls .. heaven help us, cruelty and violence are fine, but a naked thrusting bum could bring about the fall of the western world ... obviously fee-paying cable customers are able to cope ... I say, those buttocks are British bred buttocks and we deserve an eyeful of them :-)

[missthingsplace]

Perhaps the 'we are british dammit and we don't even talk about sex' is still being taken seriously by the BBC ... in fact, i believe this to be true!!! So yes, thrusting buttocks would be far too much for us, what were we thinking?!

[angstosaur.livejournal.com]

btw - I'm smirking at the image of Barrowman's buttocks being blown out of all proportion now ;-)

[missthingsplace]

Hee hee :D

[ganamor13]

Don't understand why it's being cut, don't agree with it being cut. Just be glad you don't have the censors from BBC America not only would it be cut but what was left would be pixeled out.

[missthingsplace]

Me neither, it seems rather pointess!

[thraceadams]

Hmm interesting...strange how violence is always allowed but sex isn't - and I thought that was just an American thing...

[missthingsplace]

It's more of a BBC1 thing than anything else, cos it's classed as prime time tv on their 'flagship' channel, if it was still on BBC3, or even BBC2 for that matter it would probably never even be thought of.