in a debate about the controversial section 28 bill which inhibited schools and local authorities from promoting homosexuality, mckellen finally went public in his own characteristically nuanced way. so, you would like to see clause 28 disappear. - i certainly would, it is offensive to anyone who is, like myself, homosexual, apart from the whole business about what can or cannot be taught to children. i properly thought, this would be a good debating point and it was and i seem to remember that he shut up, really! oh dear, oh dear. we were both knighted on the same telly! we stood next to each other. do you feel that the bbc has been an important part of your life? i can remember seeing my first television, the vote race, in a shop window. so, it was radioed that i listen to as a child. which we as a family listen to, we sat down to listen to particular programmes.