# Random TV History

**URL:** <https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/random-tv-history/12489>\
**Category:** TV History\
**Created:** [January 17, 2020, 4:08pm UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/random-tv-history/12489 "2020-01-17T16:08:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2056

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**Author:** ![TelevisionAU](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/televisionau/32/125_2.png) [@TelevisionAU](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/TelevisionAU)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 9:14pm UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/random-tv-history/12489/2056 "2024-02-05T21:14:16Z")

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> [@Neighbours](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/neighbours/330/4366):
>
> Not only that but Australian drama has a horrible history of writing gay characters only to turn them straight when the network balks or they get complaints from the conservative audience

Even _Number 96_ back in the day, despite its huge popularity the network is said to have pressured producer Bill Harmon to turn Don Finlayson (Joe Hasham) straight, even though Don was one of the show’s most popular characters.

Harmon called them out on it and said if he has to change the character then he’ll pick up the show and take it to another network. He won that battle.

Though it was a bit of a grey area around the camp Dudley Butterfield (Chard Hayward). Dudley was always supposedly bisexual but was long attached to Don, but towards the end of his run in the show they turned him “straight”. But the series had well jumped the shark by this stage and the character was gunned down when Hayward left the show.

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