The British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC] has announced that it will be filming Man in An Orange Shirt. The two-part drama was written by gay author Patrick Gale.

 

"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 1940s," Gale explained. "It has been such a privilege to be given such an open brief and then allowed to run with it."

 

However, the writer isn't about to share too many details about the project.

 

"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 1940s and 50s, one set in the violently contrasted present; one depicting a love story made impossible by pressures from society, one a love story nearly derailed by the long-term fallout from the 1940s story.

 

"People who know my novels will be unsurprised to hear that that 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 they’ll appeal equally to straight and gay viewers, but also that they’ll leave either side feeling challenged about things they take for granted."

 

The film is part of the BBC's attempt to reflect more diverse storylines. In 2014, Ben Stephenson -- drama controller for the network -- asked writers to specifically pitch storylines with realistic queer characters.

 

"[...] are there many portrayals of gay characters on television? I would say it’s probably one of the lowest (represented) areas,’ Stephenson, who is gay, said. "When the great gay script comes in, I shall definitely be commissioning it."