More than half a million viewers tuned
in to watch the debut of the BBC lesbian drama Lip Service.
The six-episode drama, which follows
the lives of a group of 20-something lesbians, premiered Monday on
BBC3.
Creator Harriet Braun told BBC Newsbeat
that she wanted the show to feel authentic: “It was important to me
that the lesbian characters came across as authentic to a lesbian
audience.”
She added that she was looking to tell
stories about people's passions, not their sexuality.
“Often gay characters in drama, the
storyline centers on their sexuality, so there's stories of coming
out or issues around homophobia. I guess what I would like to see
more of is gay characters where their stories are potentially about
fighting crime or being a doctor.”
The show – dubbed the “British L
Word” – features Ruta Gedmintas (Spooks) as Frankie, a
young woman whose return from America to Glasgow for the funeral of
her beloved aunt creates a stir among her friends. Former lover Cat
(Laura Fraser, Vanilla Sky) becomes anxious when she learns
that her old flame has returned after a two year absence. Exciting –
but wild – Frankie quickly gets the town talking.