The SABC1 has given a nod to the rights of consenting adults and gay lifestyles when it decided to not censor an episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day last night. The episode contained a minute-long gay sex scene, which was originally edited by the BBC when it was broadcasted in the U.K. But the SABC1 decided to not make any cuts, nor did Starz, the network that broadcasts Torchwood in the United States.

The scene, which can also be found online, contains no nudity and also shows a straight couple engaged in sexual activity. When it was broadcast in the U.K. last year, the BBC received over 500 complaints – though none were about the straight sex scene. A total of 3.5 million viewers saw the episode that night. At the time of publishing, neither the SABC nor the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) had received any complaints. Earlier this year the BBC also received numerous calls from irate – some might say prudish – viewers over semi-nude scenes in its hit series Sherlock.

Torchwood, a more mature spin-off of the popular Dr. Who science fiction series, has been a target for complaints over its sexual content. The show’s creators have defended it, saying that the time-travelling lead character Captain Jack Harkness was openly known as “omnisexual” since the show started in 2005.

Torchwood is broadcast every Monday night at 22:00 on SABC1.

By James Francis

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