I’ve got a guilty pleasure.
I am obsessed by the often terrible but wondrously camp gay/queer storylines in British soap operas. I can’t get enough of them.
I use YouTube to catch up on my current favourite storylines. I don’t have terrestrial TV in my house (please stop sending me TV license scare letters!) so I don’t watch full episodes. Instead, I watch highlight reels on YouTube that focus on my favourite gay storylines.
I was in the midst of an Emmerdale storyline about poor Vinny being blackmailed after someone discovered his confusion surrounding his sexuality when I noticed a row of plant milks lined up in the local shop!
Read more below.
It’s fascinating to me that in 2025 I can see three prominently displayed plant milks in frame during a tacky soap opera. Need proof that vegan food is part of the mainstream in the UK? It is right here on screen next to Kammy and Vinny trying to navigate the complexities of the ham-fisted script writing.
I’m thrilled to see the coconut, oat, and almond milks lined up. I know it isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I’ve been vegan long enough to remember finding plant milks in real life was a struggle. Seeing them in a shop on Emmerdale seemed like an impossibility.
Have you seen seen any vegan products in the background of your favourite shows?
Before I wrap up, some of you might be interested in knowing my current gay soap opera obsessions:
- As mentioned, I’m heavily invested in the Vinny Dingle struggle in Emmerdale. He tried to kiss his friend, Kammy Hadiq, even though Vinny is engaged to Gabby Thomas. Vinny tried to confide in an online friend named Mike who turned out to be a blackmailer whose business it is to beat up and extort closeted or confused men.
- Emmerdale has another simply wild storyline. Robert Sugden and Aaron Dingle have a tumultuous love story made more complicated by the fact that Aaron is now in a relationship with Robert’s brother, John. To add further turmoil, John has disposed of a few bodies around the village.
- Nothing is as queer as Hollyoaks. I have lost track of the number of LGBTQ storylines over the past few decades. John Paul (who has been a favourite of mine for years) almost got married to Patrick’s identical twin bother Jez, who is a psychotic serial killer. It is too complex to explain.
- Legendary soap Coronation Street also makes an appearance on my list. Todd Grimshaw had a sexy fling with new face in town, Theo. Unfortunately it turns out that Theo is married to a woman and is being manipulated by an evil conversion therapy lunatic.
Got any gay soap storyline recommendations for me? Don’t send BBC suggestions. No TV license means I’m not allowed to watch it even on replay.
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Aaron and Robert is the best one. Shame about BBC only other ones I can think of are EastEnders, Holby city or casualty. I watched the whole Ben and Paul then Ben and Callum EastEnders storiee on YouTube.
If you fancy going back the Aaron and Jackson Emmerdale story is good or the todd and billy in Corrie one
I’m trying to stay current as there are so many that take up my time. I have loved every John Paul Hollyoaks storyline ever, though.