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Russell T Davies discusses fierce fandom, finding love after grief, and the fear that drives him to keep a knife by the door, in a candid interview about his life and career.
Russell T Davies, the 63-year-old screenwriter who revived Doctor Who and created Queer As Folk, has revealed he keeps a kitchen knife by his front door ready to use, in an interview about his new memoir The Queerest of Folk. The Swansea -born writer said he has received years of death threats and groomer smears over his support for trans rights, and that one person turned up at his house after finding his address online.
Fandom and Fear: Davies on Online Threats
Davies, who is 6ft 6in, said he is called a paedophile and a groomer online by people like Graham Linehan, and that such claims are now believed by many. He said the online world is becoming the real world, and that people have worked out his address. He added that if someone believes a paedophile lives at his home, it is not mad for them to come and get him.
He said he has been saying for years that LGBTQ+ rights are paper-thin, and that he cannot see an end to the hatred. He argued that nothing will unseat the tech barons without some sort of revolution, and that for the first time in history hatred is being monetised by an algorithm.
Davies also recalled being gay-bashed by a gang of bus conductors in the street, but downplayed it by saying people have been beaten up far worse than him. He said writing was a nice escape when he returned to work within days of his husband’s death due to a production schedule.
Queer As Folk and Depicting Controversy
Davies made his name with Queer As Folk in 1999, which followed three gay men in Manchester and was a surprise hit. The Daily Mail criticised the show, writing that any nation which allows it is hell-bent on destruction. The show included a one-night stand between Stuart, 29, and Nathan, 15, which sparked controversy.
Asked if he would still write that storyline today, Davies said he would. He explained that in 1999 Nathan would have been in school under Section 28, meaning he had no one to talk to. Davies said he was trying to say this is what is going to happen, and that Nathan wants to get fucked and has no one to talk to about it. He added that people say it was illegal because Nathan was 15, but it is a drama.
Davies said his new memoir, The Queerest of Folk, covers his life as Britain’s most celebrated showrunner. He also discussed his drama about a simmering feud between neighbours on opposite ends of the political divide that boils into a horrific act of violence, which upset some viewers by including a gender-critical character, Stephanie.
Gender-Critical Voices and Political Complexity
Davies said it is important to hear all voices, and that Years and Years and It’s a Sin both had lead gay characters who were Tory voters. He said if you watch most dramas you would think those people do not exist, and that he knows people who are gender critical. He argued that the whole argument is so polarised that to some people being gender critical means she might as well be a murderer, which is nonsense.
He said there are people with genuine concerns and they need to be discussed, asking where the debate is. Another character, Melba, delivers a monologue about the state of LGBTQ+ rights with a fleeting reference to women who are furious, and with good reason. Davies said he was saying that maybe on the issue of women’s sports he agrees, and that they left it vague. He asked why there is an assumption that no camp gay man would ever say that, and said he could find a right-wing drag queen on Canal Street. He said it is kind of his job to show those complexities.
Personal Life and Career Reflections
Davies greeted the interviewer at his Swansea home with open arms, and inside the TV was on, as he famously never turns it off. He said his new one turns itself off automatically and he really resents that. The TV continued humming in the living room while they chatted at his dining room table, which features a ceramic Tardis and is overlooked by an original Peanuts cartoon illustration that cost him £2,000.
His parents, both classics teachers, were the same, leaving the TV on even when they had guests. Despite their awe at television, Davies could never quite bring himself to admit to his father that he wrote for it full-time. His father once branded him yesterday’s man after his initial departure as showrunner on Doctor Who, but Davies concluded cheerfully that he knew he was not.
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