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By now a hugely successful West End star,
John was to meet a man who would bring stability and security to his hectic life;
his partner of 18 years, architect Scott Gill.
John and I met in Chichester when he was doing Rope back in 1993.
A good friend, Howard, told me “there are really cute guys in this play”.
So we were in town and watched this show, the lights went off, and there was John.
On stage he’s got this huge personality that comes across...
And I’m turning to Howard asking “Wow who is that guy?”
But it’s amazingly an engaging attractive personality.
We met afterwards and just clicked.
I turned around and I looked at him and I knew that was the one, that was him.
And in my inside, again, I got that “ooooh”
and I thought “I’m gonna have to talk to this guy in pers…
he’s the one I’m gonna spend the rest of my time with, I just know it."
And, I thought “I’m never gonna see him again”.
I went back to London after doing a play,
and I was driving to an audition and I saw him at a bus stop.
Then I was in Soho, driving and there he was on the street.
And then I was walking in Chinatown and there he was walking past me.
And I just said “Hello” 'cause I got really flustered and nervous.
But he assumed that I was with somebody else,
and I thought “Well he’s got this huge career and TV and on stage and so on…
kind of out of my league anyway."
That was when I knew I had to date him.
I made a date with Scott later; Cher had just been to see Sunset Boulevard.
I mean, the fact that I’m sitting here, telling you this,
even to me, like goes “this is just bizarre”.
- She hunted me down… - Cher did?!
Yep, the next day, through management,
they said “Cher wants to have dinner with you.”
I bet she did.
I said “I can’t have dinner with her”
and there was a dead silence on the phone: “What?"
“I can’t 'cause I have a date tonight with Scott!”
They went “Right, hold on.” Click. On hold.
On the other line, apparently, they told her
“He’s got a date and he doesn’t want to break it.”
This is a chance of a lifetime for me,
I’m not talking about dinner with Cher, but my date with Scott.
Management came back and they said “Fine, she says “Bring him!”"
I drove my car, Scott rode his bike, he parked it down the street,
and we all met up, we had dinner with Cher and we had a fab' time.
At the end of the evening, she said to me “Walk me to my car.”
She said “You’ll love it.” And I’m like “Ok”. So I walked her to the car.
We were walking, arm in arm, the photographers just came out of the bushes.
Then she leans over and says “When I get in the car, give me a kiss.”
Fine, what gay man wouldn’t want to give Cher a kiss?
So as I go to kiss her, she goes...
They catch it, just at that moment.
The next day in the tabloids, I was her new toy-boy.
But, the boy with the bicycle who walked out after us went and unhooked his bike.
I put her in the car, got my Jag, put his bike in the trunk and took him home!
That would have been the story. And he stayed.
He stayed 18... 18 years now.
You're now in a Civil Partnership, which you refuse to call a marriage.
Well, I, for a longest time, refused.
It goes back to the word "marriage" because it upsets a lot of people
when we use that word.
Now, I don’t like to call it marriage myself.
But I don’t want others telling me I don’t have the choice to call it a marriage.
That’s the reason Scott and I had our Civil Partnership.
Because we love each other, but we also wanted people to see
two men, as two women and, as a man and a woman,
can have a loving relationship and make a commitment.
Yes.
And that’s what marriage is about.
It shouldn’t matter if it’s same-sex or mixed-sex marriages.
And it’s still a Civil Partnership,
but the day we can get married, we will get married.
And again, this comes down to your faith in the higher power
that is sending the only message which is of importance, which is love.
Yeah, it’s a human right, to be able to love openly and freely,
and express and show your love for somebody else.
Do you believe that love transcends everything?
Of course it does. Because...
What was that line from… it’s from Les Miz,
“To see the face of others is to see the hand of God.”
I’m misquoting it dramatically but if you can love then you are being godlike.
- Why not? - Why not.
It was nice, it was fun, we had the families and friends around,
throw a little ceremony in Cardiff.
It lasted about 10 minutes, then John had to go to panto. It was over by 11am.
His mum sang a beautiful song before the ceremony started,
then John walked in with the dogs, they were the bridesmaids, they looked lovely.
After the toast, we all stood up and gave a couple of words
and just wished them all the luck and love in the world for the future.
And then John went off to panto!
Took his tights off, put another pair on.
And nobody blinked an eyelid. "Ok, take care!"
John’s desire to work, even on his wedding day,
is typical of his absolute commitment to his profession.
John really grabs every opportunity for work.
When an offer comes through, he rarely turns it down. He loves and lives to work.
It’s a huge thing for him to be busy, busy, busy all the time.
You have to work hard in the industry, I didn’t come into it to be famous,
but I knew that fame came along with it, that was a blessing,
that was something... I love it, ok. I adore it.
I wake up every day and love when someone recognizes me or wants an autograph.
But, for me, it was about working rather than being a star.
Back in 2005, another man arrived on the scene.
This one would send John’s career intergalactic.
He was tall, dark and handsome. His name was Captain Jack Harkness.
Jack?
Excellent bottom!
I say, old man, there's a time and a place.
Sorry old man! I gotta go meet a girl.
But you’ve got an excellent bottom too!
When we were setting up the first series of the new Dr Who,
there was this character, Captain Jack.
I only knew that the episode we met him was a sort of 1940s episode.
There was a sort of matinee idolness about him that John just summed up.
‘Wish I had never met you Dr!'
He came in, and he was wearing motorcycle leathers.
He came to meet 2 gay producers in leathers so I think he knew what he was doing.
But he walked in and he was the most handsome man I think I’d ever seen.
Then we cast him in 20 minutes, it was amazing.
Doctoooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
You cannot underestimate
how big a fan of Doctor Who John was when he got that part.
He heard about it in Covent Garden when he was with my daughter Clare,
and he literally ran up a wall.
Captain Jack Harkness.
I thought it was very refreshing to see such a lead character.
He’s... omnisexual and explores men, women, cupboards.
You name it, he explored it.
Captain Jack Harkness… and who are you?
Captain Jack Harkness… and who are you?
- Captain Jack Harkness - Stop it!
- Can’t I say hello to anyone? - I do not protest.
Captain Jack… an absolutely iconic hero.
You’ve created him, and it’s difficult,
it's a sensitive and responsible figure you’re playing because sexually…
Ambiguous.
That responsibility for a young audience, do you feel that?
I don’t feel a responsibility because kids are smart.
And with Captain Jack, kids don’t judge;
there was one instance where I realised
I was on to something very special.
I was at a convention, I love to do them,
I still go today and I sign autographs and meet the fans.
And a little boy came up with his dad,
and his dad said “Are you sure you want Cpt Jack’s autograph?”
He said “Yeah, I don’t care if he likes boys or girls, he’s cool.”
That was it.
That was when I realised I don’t have a responsibility,
I just have to continue to do what I’m doing.
I have to continue to play Jack with passion.
Kids will just clue into it and take out what they want from it.
And that was exactly what this little boy had done.
In terms of Jack’s sexuality,
Russell did a really bold thing in putting him in the middle of the show at 7pm.
So Alonso… going my way?
For young people, it's important to see a character who is such
a positive role model, honest and decent, and good and a hero,
and for him to have a sort of non-defined sexuality.
- How do you know my name? - I’m kind of psychic.
Your sexuality doesn’t make you good or bad.
Do you know what I’m thinking right now?
Oh yeah!
John was really keen on that too, he was excited
about the opportunity to do that I think.
Captain Jack has changed my life.
He's given me the career, the life and the lifestyle
that I always dreamt about and never thought that I would have.
Well, also Captain Jack has given me fame and I love it.
I celebrate it every day,
I cherish it and I’m appreciative of it because I know that,
although I have fun playing Jack and being Jack,
it’s the audience who have given me that...
thing that I cherish and love, and the life I lead.
Fame means John is now a staple of our television screens,
be it as a presenter, an actor,
talent show judge or making people’s dreams come true in Tonight’s The Night.
You could think that this love affair with fame and the ambitious drive
that took John from Opryland to a Saturday night staple on BBC1
means that John must have a ruthless side.
But, breaking news, John Barrowman really is the nicest man in television.
And it’s his parents and their Christian values he has to thank for that.
My parents are Christians, my parents...
raised me to be a good person and be a kind person.
And I think that also reflects in what I do...
...making people happy and particularly the shows that I've done.
Everyone has dreams and on this show, I actually make them come true.
It's the sense of doing something nice for someone.
It’s you... Pearl!
John Barrowman is always going to be an entertainer in some form or another.
He was going to be either on stage, on screen, or a presenter, or a writer...
something that allows him to make other people feel good.