BBC Look North 9th May 2019 ‘Gentleman Jack’ Yorkshire premiere in Halifax live on red carpet

Ian White reports from Halifax where the Yorkshire screening of BBC drama Gentleman Jack is taking place. Ian talks to writer Sally Wainwright and the stars Suranne Jones and Sophie Rundle. The drama is based on the real diaries of Anne Lister an 1800s landowner who had a string of lesbian encounters, and many other dramas in her life.

[@Cordy712]

The love scenes are not raunchy. They are lovely and tasteful and respectful of the lesbian relationship and that's part of the reason I love the show. It represents us, as lesbians. It doesn't exploit us.

[@rainbowghentian]

Also 'a lot of' is also as if every episode has this long ass love scene. It's generally the beginning or the end of sex and it's not really about the act but the feelings behind it, which is lovely. I hate to say it but... *sigh* men xd

[@j4jools292]

@@rainbowghentian I'm a Transman, but lived most of my life as a Lesbian. I 'eye roll' every time I hear/read comments from Men with regard to Lesbian love scenes. I'm seriously thinking, please do better! I've only seen 3 episodes so far, but have watched countless KZbin videos which include scenes from later episodes. In my opinion they're not salacious or exploitative, certainly not 'raunchy', but brilliantly written, directed and played. They are tender, loving and, from the perspective of my own past experiences, an accurate representation of the Intimacies Women enjoy/share. This series is SO refreshing in it's celebration of such a complex Woman and I'm delighted that a second series has been commissioned. Suranne Jones' Anne Lister is a Force of Nature and I might just be a little bit in love with her!

[@OlgaLevin]

I love it that they interrupted the male reporter immediately after he said that there’s some steamy scenes, and made it clear that this show is about a beautiful love story between two women who were deeply in love and that it needs to be respected. I work in a bookstore and I remember being very bothered that our LGBTQ+ section wasn’t only a shelf and a half, but was also filled with pornographically obscene type of content that really reflected poorly on the LGBTQ+ community. Some of my former coworkers who happen to be gay and lesbian also took issue with that as well. I remember having a conversation about this with one of them and they said, “I just don’t understand why there isn’t a lot of content that puts a lot of positive light on us and our community. We’re not only all about sex, we are people who have meaningful relationships with our partners like heterosexuals do. And we have a wide array of interests in literature like everyone else. Why can’t there be more authors like Sarah Waters who writes about beautiful time period lesbian relationships”? Thankfully since the legalization of same sex marriage here in the States and the recognition and popularization of Pride month, many companies have really started to get behind the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Ever since that happened I’ve seen things change at my store. We have great content for LGBTQ+ teens right now, I’ve also seen the general LGBTQ+ section grow. They got rid of a lot of the pornographically sexualized content and more authors have been writing in general social issue involving that community of people. I am also seeing more writers coming out with fiction content involving LGBTQ+ characters for adults as well. It’s a very slow growth compared to the content they have out for young adults, but it is growing. And that’s very refreshing to see.

[@j4jools292]

@@OlgaLevinYeah, I noted that! And rightly too. I've managed to watch the entire series now. What can I say? Episode 6's 'but you came so close' had me in a blubbering puddle. And, the finale? Couldn't have been more perfect :)

[@OlgaLevin]

J4Jools I’ve read Anne Choma’s book that’s about Anne Lister. Like many people (so many of us here in the States), I have never heard of her. And what happens to me when I learn a bit of new revelation about something or someone? I start digging up more info on the person, I start doing more personal research on that particular thing, subject matter, event or whatever, and I start to soak up all that knowledge like a sponge. This is where I found myself really relating to Anne Lister in that she had a ravenous hunger for knowledge herself. She studied human anatomy intensely because she was fascinated by biological sciences and medical advancements in her time. I have a degree in Psychology and ask anyone who knows me well, they’ll tell you that I’m very passionate about history and geology. All three subjects psychology, geology, and history have been my favorite since I was quite young. So this side of Anne Lister is insanely relatable to me. Oh and the fact that she was just as much of a crazy lover of books as I am. The other most relatable thing was her cryptic writing. I know that’s how she kept her most intimately personal relationships relationships secret, but it did bring back very fond memories of a former middle school friend of mine with whom I had my own cryptic way of writing letters to her. Nothing romantic of course other than maybe writing about some of our middle school crushes maybe, but that brought back some warm memories.

[@kimporter6518]

Thank you for correcting him about saying the love scenes were raunchy. I was so taken a back by that. I absolutely love this series. Thank you Sally, Surranne and Sophie for bringing to life these amazing characters. Thank you BBC and HBO for the prime time slot for such an amazing character.

[@markeysparkeymarkey]

Sophie looked embarrassed at having been asked a rude question. When Sophie trails off saying ‘that’s what the story’s about, their love’ I swear she gives that interviewer daggers haha

[@katarzyna2478]

Sophie is right:this is beautiful love story, which has universal value.And the love scenes are simply touching and beautiful as well.

[@beakittelscherz5419]

This Woman is writing hit after hit! Unbelievably talented Writer & artist!

[@kbaylor123]

I can’t believe he said that, what a gaff! No one would ever speak that way about a heterosexual love scene.

[@ceekay1676]

you can blatantly see that the ladies did not like the word 'raunchy' or 'steamy'...LOL

[@nilaydervish9973]

Great show in all aspects but especially that it is a brilliant dramatisation which is finally doing justice to an extraordinary character like Anne Lister. She had to become an icon decades ago. Very fine acting from the actors' side, and such delicate precision at every detail. Every single episode of this production is a treasure :)

[@lynwatts4391]

Gentleman Jack is just brilliant and Suranne and Sophie the acting and the writing just brilliant love it can't wait for the next series of Gentlemen Jack ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👏👏👏👏💋💋💋💋

[@amykolly998]

IAN WHITE The "reporter", and I use that term loosely, epitomizes the very straight male idea of lesbian relationships- Of COURSE its all about sex that is raunchy and steamy, and not about two human beings that enter into a loving relationship. YOU SIR, are part of the problem, and WHY a show like Gentleman Jack needed to be made.

[@sitinurbaya3552]

Original residents of Halifax worked on this drama as director/scriptwriter and author. Anne Lister will be recognized as an icon thanks to these two wonderful Halifax women.

[@everythingispossible513]

Great show thus far. Anne Lister is a unique character

[@susandempsey9385]

Absolutely fabulous...Starting to watch it all over again!

[@carysbailey3800]

Best to programme I have ever watched! Suranne Jones is phenomenal!!

[@somesuchx8912]

Couldn't the BBC have found a better interviewer than this creep? His interaction with Sophie Rundle was extremely rude.

[@RedHandedKojak]

She's been working on it for 20 YEARS ??? WOW.

[@abic8560]

She pitched it years ago and surprisingly no one was interested. Only after she did Happy Valley they offered her to do anything she wanted next and she wanted this!!

[@prettykiray]

Wow. The determination

[@kelsian_smith03]

It’s been made at the right time I think because people will enjoy it more nowadays with how society as a whole has changed since the 90’s and 00’s and the camera angles wouldn’t be as good if it was done 20 years ago. We wouldn’t have gotten Suranne and Sophie to play these amazing characters. Right place at the right time.

[@txpete296]

Great actors, beautiful, talented, and so clever. Can’t get enough of these two, look forward to each and every episode

[@myheadfelloffff]

Suranne and Sophie side eyeing each other, glad they corrected this guy. It's a love story 😍

[@lilywei864]

i loVE THIS SHOW SO IF YOU WANT TO WATCH IT WATCH IT IF YOU'VE WATCHED IT ALREADY DKEEP ON FRICKIN WATCHING IT

[@danstastic1]

I loved watching all of it. Its so interesting, it's left me wanting to know more about her life.

[@user-xg7yp7py7d]

I love how dedicated all three of them are to their work - you can see it in their eyes. Hope we can have season 2 sometime (covid 19, leave us alone, you asshole! 😉). Stay healthy, folks all over the world! 🤗

[@henryecheverria8580]

Labeling the love scenes as “raunchy” reflects a biased perspective. The scenes were passionate and lovely.

[@owenbutcher1954]

AWESOME EXCELLENT SUPERB

[@rimidiaze1750]

Suranne jonse , I like you

[@user-pq7cp5vz8v]

So much "aam" Suranne Jonse😯