Barrowman's Gay Sex Scene Cut by BBC

Though it aired in the U.S., the BBC chopped a gay sex scene on Torchwood from U.K. broadcasts.

The scene, involving a romp between a bisexual alien-hunter (played by gay actor John Barrowman) and a hot bartender, was cut because it was too explicit, not because it was gay, according to BBC insiders. The scene already aired on the U.S. cable network Starz.

An anonymous show source backed up that claim, saying, "You can get away with scenes like that on American cable channels, but you can't on prime-time BBC1."

Britain's Metro, which reported the story, had an unfortunate use of words in its lead: "BBC bosses decided to cut the scene -- which was set to feature bisexual Captain Jack Harkness (John) enjoying a rendezvous with a hunky barman, and due to be broadcast just 20 minutes after the 9 p.m. watershed -- as well as another gruesome part of the show because the channel feared a backlash from viewers."

It's unclear whether Metro believed the sex scene was gruesome.