Bob & Rose is a British television drama series, originally broadcast in six one-hour episodes on the ITV network in the United Kingdom from 10 September to 15 October 2001. It was produced by the independent Red Production Company and was that company's first prime-time drama for ITV.
Background and Production
The series was created and written by Russell T Davies, who had previously written the acclaimed Channel 4 drama Queer as Folk. The show was directed by Joe Wright and Julian Farino. Bob was played by stand-up comedian and actor Alan Davies (best known at the time for Jonathan Creek), and Rose was played by actress Lesley Sharp, who received BAFTA and Royal Television Society Best Actress nominations for the role. The supporting cast included Penelope Wilton, Jessica Hynes, and John Woodvine.
Plot
The story follows Robert "Bob" Gossage, a gay secondary school English teacher in Manchester who is disillusioned with the gay club scene and yearns for a meaningful relationship. After an unsuccessful date, he meets Rose Cooper while both are waiting for a taxi. Rose is unhappy in her relationship with her boyfriend Andy. Despite Bob being gay, the two develop a romantic and eventually sexual relationship, exploring the unconventional dynamic and the challenges it presents to their identities and those around them. The series also follows Bob's best friend Holly, who is secretly in love with Bob and attempts to sabotage his relationships, as well as Bob's mother Monica, who runs a gay support group called "Parents Against Homophobia" (PAH!).
Reception and Controversy
Although critically well-received, Bob & Rose was not a major ratings success for ITV, and the final two episodes were moved from prime-time to later night slots. The series won the British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Drama in 2001. Lesley Sharp was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress and a Royal Television Society Award for Best Actress.
The premise—a gay man falling in love with a woman—caused controversy among some gay rights activists, who felt it suggested homosexuality could be a choice or a phase. This drew a counter-reaction from bisexual viewers who called the criticism unfair. However, the character Bob explicitly states in the script that he is not bisexual, saying: "I was born gay, I'll die gay and I'll have a gay gravestone." The storyline was loosely based on events in the real life of a friend of Russell T Davies.
Legacy
Bob & Rose was the inspiration for Jules & Mimi, the fictional British television show featured in the American series Sex and the City. The entire series was released on DVD in 2002 (UK) and 2004 (US). In 2020, the series was added to BritBox in the UK, marking its first availability in reruns or streaming in the UK due to previously complex music licensing issues. For the BritBox release, most of the music was replaced and a key scene was edited.
