February 2nd 2025.
Why have we had to wait so long for a successful lesbian wedding? Weddings are a major event in every soap opera, often drawing in millions of viewers and taking center stage in an episode. Whether it turns out to be a complete disaster or a fairytale ending, they are a rite of passage for any character... unless you're a lesbian. Surprisingly, in the 65-year history of British soaps, only three lesbian couples have successfully tied the knot on screen. This is in stark contrast to the 341 straight couples who have had a successful on-screen wedding across the four main British soaps, showing a clear disproportion.
Unfortunately, gay men don't fare much better, with only nine couples making it down the aisle and out the other side. Soaps are often praised for their handling of sensitive storylines and giving a platform to underrepresented issues and communities. So why is there such a lack of lesbian weddings? It's a question that has been raised by many, especially considering that same-sex marriage was legalized in the UK in 2014.
That same year, Emmerdale's Ruby Haswell and Ali Spencer were set to tie the knot, making history as the first lesbian couple to do so on British soap. However, their vows didn't actually make it onto the screen. Instead, the focus of the episode was on Belle Dingle's mental health storyline, which was undoubtedly important in its own right but overshadowed what should have been a momentous occasion. By the end of the episode, with vicar Harriet Finch being taken away in a police car, it was easy to forget that the wedding had even taken place. And to add insult to injury, the show dropped a helicopter on Ruby less than nine months later, abruptly ending the marriage in a violent manner.
It wasn't until two years later that Hollyoaks aired its first successful lesbian wedding between Kim Butterfield and Esther Bloom. However, in true soap fashion, things didn't quite go according to plan. After a hiccup that saw Kim running out of the wedding and accusing Esther of being in love with her best friend, the pair eventually tied the knot. But their happiness was short-lived when Kim disappeared on their wedding night.
It's clear that lesbian weddings have been few and far between in British soaps, despite the progress made in other areas of LGBTQ+ representation. This is even more surprising when we look back at the history of LGBTQ+ representation in soaps. From gay characters being introduced in the 1980s to the first same-sex kiss on a pre-watershed show in 1994, soaps have often been at the forefront of breaking boundaries and challenging societal norms.
In recent years, there has been a shift towards casting trans actors in trans roles, something that was not always the case in the past. And yet, when it comes to lesbian weddings, there seems to be a reluctance to give them the same importance and attention as straight weddings.
It's a trend that is not unique to British soaps, as many other TV shows and films have also struggled with representing the LGBTQ+ community in a meaningful and equal way. But as we continue to push for more diverse and inclusive representation, it's important to acknowledge the progress that has been made and continue to strive for equal representation for all members of the LGBTQ+ community.
It's no secret that weddings are a major event in soap operas. They often attract millions of viewers and become the main focus of an entire episode. Whether it's a complete disaster or a fairytale ending, weddings are seen as a rite of passage for any character...unless, of course, you happen to be a lesbian.
In the 65-year history of British soap operas, there have only been three successful lesbian weddings on screen. Compare that to the 341 straight couples who have tied the knot and it's clear that there is a significant disproportion. Gay men don't fare much better, with only nine couples making it down the aisle and out the other side.
Soaps are often praised for their handling of sensitive storylines and giving a platform to underrepresented communities. But when it comes to lesbian weddings, there seems to be a glaring lack of representation. The legalization of same-sex marriage in the UK in 2014 should have opened the door for more diverse and inclusive storylines, yet it took nearly a year for Emmerdale's Ruby Haswell and Ali Spencer to have their wedding...off screen.
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But even when a lesbian wedding does happen on screen, it often gets overshadowed by other storylines. Take, for example, Belle Dingle's mental health storyline, which took center stage during Ali and Ruby's wedding episode. While this was an important and necessary storyline, it's disheartening to see a historic moment for British soap overshadowed and almost forgotten.
And let's not forget about the unfortunate fate of Ruby and Ali's marriage, with Ruby meeting her end under a helicopter just nine months later. It's a cruel reminder of the lack of representation and the unequal treatment of LGBTQ+ couples in soap operas.
Two years later, Hollyoaks finally aired its first successful lesbian wedding between Kim Butterfield and Esther Bloom. But, in true soap fashion, it didn't go exactly as planned. After an initial hiccup where Kim accused Esther of being in love with her best friend, the couple eventually tied the knot. But even then, Kim disappeared on their wedding night, leaving viewers to wonder if their marriage was truly meant to be.
While lesbian weddings may be scarce on British soap operas, they have certainly paved the way for LGBTQ+ representation on TV. From Tony Warren's creation of Coronation Street in 1960 to EastEnders' first gay kiss in 1986, and Brookside's pre-watershed lesbian kiss in 1994, there have been many milestones in the history of LGBTQ+ representation on British soaps.
But it wasn't until 2014, when same-sex marriage was legalized, that we finally saw a same-sex wedding on a British soap. Hollyoaks' Ste Hay and John Paul McQueen walked down the aisle, marking a landmark moment for LGBTQ+ representation. And in recent years, we have seen more progress with the introduction of trans characters played by trans actors and actresses.
It's clear that British soaps have come a long way in terms of LGBTQ+ representation, but there is still work to be done. We hope to see more diverse and inclusive storylines in the future, including more successful lesbian weddings on screen. Love is love, and it's time for British soaps to reflect that.
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