Home and Away's Charlie in lesbian plot

Home and Away actress Esther Anderson has spoken out about an upcoming storyline, which sees her character become involved in a lesbian relationship. Esther plays Summer Bay's resident cop Charlie Buckton in the Five soap, who falls for trawler worker Joey Collins (Kate Bell). In an interview with Australian newspaper The Herald Sun, she revealed how kissing another girl 'wasn't a big deal'. She added: "You learn pretty much everything at school. I don't think it's like I'm lifting the lid on something they don't already know about. To me there's no difference - love's love. The fact that your partner's the same sex is no different. You just want to be loved." The storyline, which is set to air in the UK in a few weeks' time, has divided opinions Down Under - but psychologist Dr Janet Hall has praised the plot, saying: "Young audiences are basically aware of the whole gay thing anyway. All it's doing is reflecting society. "It sounds like it is being treated with sensitivity, and this is great for all." Get exclusive access to your favourite stars. Subscribe to TV Times magazine

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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.