Out UK actor John Barrowman says he was told by producers to stay in the closet

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Openly gay UK actor John Barrowman reveals in his new book that he was once told by a TV producer that he should stay in the closet to protect the show and his career. The award winning star of "Dr. Who" and "Torchwood" has written a new autobiography "I am what I am", in which he discusses his anger over being told by bosses to keep his sexuality a secret.

The actor says he was approached by a producer who told him, “John, we wondered if you really wanted to reveal that you’re gay? We think it might change how people feel about you.”

Barrowman recalls telling the corporate toady, “I really hope you’re not saying this, because I’m not going in the closet for you or anyone. You’ve hired me to be a professional, not to have sex. Being a gay man has nothing to do with my abilities on this show.”

He goes on to say, “The incident was even more offensive because they sent a gay producer to discuss this with me, as if somehow this would ease the blow."

The 42-year-old actor has done numerous TV shows in his career and would not say which one he was working on when the conversation took place. Barrowman says he received an apology for the incident, but added, “One of my explicit missions as an entertainer is to work to create a world where no one will ever make a statement like this producer did to me to anyone who’s gay."

Comic Con goes gay as Dr. Who and Capt. Jack smooch for the fans

By now you know I'm a big old Sci-Fi geek, especially the British variety. At this year's Comic Con convention held in San Diego over the weekend, "Dr. Who" star, David Tennant capped off his introduction of "Torchwood" star John Barrowman with a full on lip-lock. Barrowman never misses an opportunity to queen it up and does so in this clip.

"Torchwood" is a spin-off of the BBC series "Dr. Who", which Barrowman co-starred in for a season. Barrowman has said in interviews that around the set, Tennant was known as David "Ten-inch" and that the two often engaged in bouts of competitive flatulence. (Sounds like a fun place to work.) Towards the end of the clip, Barrowman plants one on Russell T. Davies, creator of both series.

"Torchwood: Children of Earth" Premiers Monday on BBC America

Captain Jack is Back!

Yes, I am a big old SciFi geek. The long anticipated third season of Torchwood airs for five consecutive nights starting Monday on cable's BBC America.

The Torchwood team, lead by time agent Capt. Jack Harkness, is two members short after the loss of Owen and Tosh last season and must once again save the world from alien invasion.

Look for lots of explosions, creepy children and more man-on-man action between Capt. Jack (John Barrowman) and Ianto (Gareth David-Lloyd) as their relationship deepens.

Gay Torchwood Star John Barrowman Tells Homophobic Bishop, "Stop Talking Rubbish."

Torchwood star, John Barrowman has taken on the homophobic Bishop of Rochester, Dr. Michael Nazir-Ali, who recently said gay people should "repent and be changed." Barrowman says comments like these will drive LGBT people away from the church. The out actor says the bishop should, "stop talking rubbish."

(From PinkNews.co.uk)

"From a gay man, weren't the actions of Jesus Christ supposed to be about compassion and love and understanding? And here you have a man who is supposed to be teaching that and he is teaching bigotry.

I think more gay men would go to church if the teachers weren't as bigoted as they are. Now, I'm not saying all Christians believe like that, because there's a lot out there who don't.

But these kind of men and women who are preaching that, they are going to lose their congregation because mums and dads are going to realise they have gay siblings - or children or family members who are gay - and they are not evil. Stop talking rubbish."

The new five-episode season of Torchwood entitled "Children of Earth" airs this week on BBC1 on five consecutive nights. Stateside, you can watch on BBC America starting July 20th.

The New Season of "Torchwood" Coming in June

If you're a middle-aged, gay, white, British-SciFi-TV-Show lover like me (and who isn't), then you're just as excited as I am about the upcoming season of "Torchwood", starring out and proud actor John Barrowman as the dashing Capt. Jack Harkness.

The third season will be a five-part, single story entitled "Children of Earth", airing for five nights on BBC America in June. (Check your TV listings.)

A spin-off of the reborn series, "Dr. Who", "Torchwood" follows the exploits of the mysterious and immortal Capt. Jack and his team in Cardiff, Wales, where they monitor a rift in the space-time continuum. Naturally, all sorts of alien beasties pop in for a visit to wreak havoc on the human race. Since Capt. Jack can't die, he always manages to get the upper hand.

In the popular series, The Torchwood Institute was founded by Queen Victoria in 1879, (after battling werewolves with the time-traveling Doctor on an episode of "Dr. Who") to research and combat alien threats to the British Empire, and use their findings to restore the Empire to its former glory.

Fast forward to the 21st century, and we find a high-tech operation that is above the law, outside the government and beyond the U.N., ready to kick some alien ass.

Did I mention that Capt. Jack is a randy bisexual who will shag anything with a pulse? Lots of man-on-man snogging gives the show that little something extra that's been missing from the Sci-Fi genre. It's about time!

Watch the official trailer on YouTube.