Nowt So Queer

Charlie Hunnam was 19 when he appeared in Queer as Folk, but his character was very expressly 15.

Aidan Gillen was 31, and it was never suggested that his character was in anything other than the same age range.

The whole thing centred on their extremely explicit and wildly enthusiastic sex life, which was depicted very graphically indeed.

All the way back in 1999.

Queer as Folk was, and has remained, lavishly acclaimed. Its stars have gone on to considerable success in the United States.

Its creator has become one of the biggest players in British television. Even I cannot deny being an admirer of some of his more recent work.

The positive portrayal of sex between men and teenage boys has been a staple of British television drama ever since.

But imagine, if you will, a drama series that centred on the very graphic depiction indeed of the extremely explicit and wildly enthusiastic sex life between a 15-year-old girl and man in very late youth or very early middle age.

For example, a 28-year-old footballer.