Seven’s Home and Away has come under fire for seemingly cutting another kissing scene between the show’s gay couple.
At the end of 2019, the broadcaster cut two kissing scenes between a lesbian couple on the show – Alex and Willow. Interestingly, the scenes were screened in full in New Zealand.
Last week, Seven told the ABC it blamed “human error” for the wrong version of two episodes airing in Australia.
However, pictures taken by Matrix Media Group at one of the locations where Home and Away was filmed seem to show an additional scene where a kiss was filmed, but since edited out.
One of the photos taken by the media group shows a scene where Alex and Willow kiss in a park while another character watches. Last week, an episode went to air in Australia with the same three characters in the same clothes and location, but without the characters kissing.
The same episode has not gone to air in New Zealand yet.
B&T contacted Seven for comment, with a spokesperson saying the broadcaster had nothing further to add to what it told the ABC last week.
Now, the actors who play Alex and Willow (Zoe Ventoura and Sarah Roberts) have released statements on social media addressing the issue.
They both wrote: “Please know that every scene was written, performed and shot with the utmost love and respect for the characters, the relationship and the community”.
https://twitter.com/zoe_ventoura/status/1223926817792221184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Fnews%2F2020-02-04%2Factors-speak-out-after-home-and-away-cuts-gay-scenes%2F11924422
Ventoura’s husband, former Neighbour’s actor Daniel MacPherson also weighed in: “Thoughts tonight with fans of this show left feeling that the demonstration of their love or affection isn’t worthy of broadcast,” he wrote on Twitter.
He added: “What a shame for viewers so excited to see themselves represented in a wonderful relationship on TV”.
Obviously for many reasons I’m closer to this than most so I’m just gonna say this :
Thoughts tonight with fans of this show left feeling that the demonstration of their love or affection isn’t worthy of broadcast.
Well done ZV & SR on your beautiful work. #Willex https://t.co/zgmoLsQx41
— Daniel MacPherson (@DanMacPherson) January 31, 2020
