All language subtitles for Ch4.Secrets.of.the.Sauna.720p.HDTV.x264.AAC.MVGroup.org.eng

On the side streets of towns
and cities across the country
there is a secret world.

A world with its own rules...
Right, push the door, mate.

..and its own rituals.

Only men are welcome.

And they come here for one reason -

to have sex...

with strangers.

Come on, lad. Suck me off.

MEN MOAN

In this film we enter
the infamous world of the gay

sauna for the very first time...

Shit, sorry.

THEY LAUGH

..meeting the men who come
here for sexual adventures...

The reasons you get orgies
at a gay bath is

because there is no woman
there to say no.

..and the workers who clear
up after them...

There's sperm everywhere.

OK. So, I'm not touching that.

One puts one's head there
and legs up there.

If you'd like to
get your kit off I'll show you.

..as we find out what really
happens in a gay sauna.

In almost every town and city
in the UK there is a gay sauna.

In a country where being gay
is more accepted than ever,

the gay sauna remains a secretive
world of another era.

Lacking signs and notices,
most people wouldn't know

they exist,
let alone what goes on inside.

I've got to open up today
cos our lovely James is off.

In Nottingham, CS2 is housed
in an old warehouse.

It remains the city's
best-kept secret.

The weather's looking promising.

It's, like, sauna weather.
Nice, cold and chilly.

So they can warm their...

their little, er...

their little friends up
in our sauna.

HE CHUCKLES

Joe and partner John set up
their sauna nearly four years ago.

Most people are regular people
who come here, but first timers,

we give them a little
guided tour first.

Put them at ease and show them round

and then just really
let them get on with it.

Downstairs the sauna looks
a bit like most health spas.

It's got a hot tub, a dry sauna,
and showers.

But it's upstairs
that is unique to a gay sauna.

This is quite unusual
to be taking you up to this

part of the sauna because we
treat this as a very private

part of the club.

What are these rooms called?

Private rest rooms.

People come
and have private sex in them.

Inside a rest room you've got a bed.

We provide condoms and lubes.

We encourage safe sex.

Down this corridor leads to...

What's known as a sling.

A little bit like a dungeon.

Then there's a cine room just here.

The appeal of this, really,
is it's cruisy.

Generally, it's in darkness,
or very low lit in these areas

and then this area here is
made to appear a little like...

Public toilets.

Public toilets, yeah. Yeah.

It's got a very famous name.
Glory hole.

Well, let's say, Joe, you
go in there.

Oh, OK. Thank you.

So Joe's suddenly decided
to pop into that one.

I've clocked him doing that

so I think,
"Oh, he looked interesting."

So I'll go in.

Hello.

Oh, he's poking his finger through.
I wonder what that means.

And then, "Wow, somebody else next
door!" It's very anonymous.

You may not know...
In fact, nine times out of ten

I don't think people do know
who's next door.

I think that's kind of part
of the the fun of this

type of environment.

Like skiing, innit?

Like skiing.

Um, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I mean, what happens from there?

I'll leave it to your imagination
what happens in here.

Do you have gay couples who come
here together?

You do get couples come quite a lot,
don't you, really? Yeah.

People who like...

But they need to be in a total
open relationship.

Yeah, they've got to be... Like us.

Because it causes jealousy. Yeah.

Together for over 30 years,

John and Joe's relationship has
never been monogamous.

And they find that running a sauna

comes with plenty of fringe
benefits.

We met a a lad and John says,
"Shall we take him back?"

We give people nicknames that...

And we called him Geronimo
because we were laid in the bed...

I'd forgotten about that.

And he'd said, "I'll just
go to the toilet."

And when he came out of the toilet
he just took a running jump...

Rushed from the bathroom.
..and jumped onto the bed.

Jumped in the middle
of our double bed.
In between us and the bed...

And the bed collapsed!
..just collapsed.

With the sauna cleaned,
condoms stocked and towels rolled,

the doors open every day
at 12 o'clock.

Hello. One towel, locker 25. OK.

Open at 8pm every night,
men from all walks of life,

backgrounds and races
will come through the doors.

And with a £12 entrance fee,

business is booming
at this backstreet sauna.

Hiya, mate. You all right?
How are you?

Good, thanks. Are you?
I'm not bad, thank you.

Here's your towel. Thank you.
And your key.

If you just want to go
through your locker there, OK,

and just get changed into your
towel. OK, thank you. Thanks.

What do you come here for?

Um, what do I come here for?

Well, primarily, it would be sex.

On arrival, all the
customers need to jump in the shower

first before they can use
the facilities.

It's a bit like going to the spa,
but with added extras.

Yeah, it could be, you know,

a little happy ending
somewhere, I suppose.

You can do as much or as little
as you want to do in a sauna,

that's the thing.

So if it's, like...

If you're in a particularly
busy sauna with loads of fit men,

you're going to have a busy day.

No membership is required to
enter the sauna.

Old or young, married or single,

once inside, customers
are free to roam around,

pick up whoever they like,
or join in with whoever is willing.

MEN CHATTER INDISTINCTLY

Come on, lad, suck me off.
I'm getting hard.

We won't leave you out, then.

Oh, shit!
MAN MOANS AND GROANS

That's £12, mate. Cheers.
Do you want to come through?

I've got some miniature lubes.

Not miniature condoms,

but miniature lubes
for the less endowed gentleman.

Yeah, where are we?

Owners Joe and John like to play
the field, and they're not alone.

Gay relationships are arguably
less monogamous than straight ones.

But last year, gay marriage was
legalised

and some feel that the community
is at a crossroads.

I can do this. You go and have
a jacuzzi

while you've got the chance.

OK.

Joe has decided to pop the question.

I've got a little surprise
for John, I think.

I'm actually going to see if
he really does want to get married

and see what he says about that.

So...

What do you mean?

Well, I'm going to get in the
jacuzzi with him and get James to

bring a bottle of champagne and then

ask for his hand in marriage!

69-year-old former English
teacher Narvil

is a regular at the sauna.

It's my sort of... I see it
as a kind of a sport, really.

Being a gay man,
Narvil believes it gives him

more sexual freedom
than his straight counterparts.

I do believe that men are
promiscuous anyway by instinct.

They are more likely to stray

and I often say that
one of the reasons you get

orgies at a gay bath is because
there is no woman there to say no.

You might say all hell breaks loose.

Certainly a very pleasant hell
from my point of view...

because I like sex.

Locker 26, all right?
Thanks very much.

Hello, John. Hello there, Narvil.
How are you today?

I'm good, thanks.
How are you keeping?

Oh, not too bad. Yeah.

Push the door and come through.

OK.

There you go. So locker 42.

How important is the sauna to you?

This is where I come.

This is where I chill out.

This is my gay bar or my club.

Cold day like today, you take
your clothes off and come in here.

It's like tropical paradise.
It's really very pleasant.

In his inner city paradise,

Narvil heads upstairs to see
what tropical fruits he can find.

Here, come...

Shit, sorry!

THEY LAUGH

How do you indicate that you
want someone?

Oh, well, if you lay down on a bed.

It's not a case of smiling.

That can put people off, you know.

It's a case of...

Open your legs a bit, you know.

That should be a pretty strong hint,
shouldn't it, to anybody?

There are rooms to satisfy
everyone's tastes and needs.

For Narvil, it's the dark room.

Now this is more me here.

Here's a bench, it's very dark.

The light's on it now

but I can assure you,
you can't see anything.

Let me switch the light off,
let's see what happens. Yeah.

It's a little bit
like the glory hole in a way.

You can't see who the
other person is

and I, personally, find that
quite exciting.

Shall we go somewhere else? Yes.

Despite being a regular sauna user,

Narvil has been in a relationship
for almost 40 years.

But his partner never joins him

and Narvil's hobby has become
a constant source of tension.

CS2 in Nottingham is a place where
men meet other men for sex.

One pump.

The owners of this sauna,
Joe and John, first met in 1982.

Homosexuality was still a taboo

and many gay establishments were
often raided by the police.

The pub was called
the Hearty Goodfellow in Nottingham

and it was a downstairs venue.

In those days, um, it was always
a private thing,

it was a secret thing.

That's when pubs
and everything was hidden

to keep it
away from the general public.

All gay bars used to have
"private party" on the door.

I just saw him,
I thought, "He's a nice lad."

I remember those words like it
was only yesterday.

He said to me,

"I'll come back with you,
but I'm not doing anything."

Didn't you?

All sweet and innocent.

His knickers were off before
he came in the door.

THEY LAUGH

This is a quick way of emptying
a Jacuzzi.

Joe may be thinking of asking
John to marry him.

Oh, that's gone down quick.

But after 30 years, it's still
not a conventional relationship.

We've always sort of, er, enjoyed...

Well, I've enjoyed... Mingling.

..enjoyed other people's
company as well as our own.

We've always mingled with the crowd.
Yeah, we have.

Do you ever get jealous of
each other pulling other people?

I would be lying
if I said, you know,

that didn't
cause problems in the early years.

Um, but you can meet
whoever you want.

It's like meeting
somebody in a sauna

and whatever you do with them,

there's only one person
you're going home with that night,

and that's the person you love
and you live with

and you've done
for...for all those years.

And it gives me a break as well.

HE LAUGHS

With the hot tub clean, Joe decides
now is the time to take the plunge.

Well, you know everybody says
we're like a married couple,

an old married couple? Yeah.

Well, why don't we...

..be an old married couple
and get married?

Yeah? Yeah.

What are you crying for?

I'd like that. You know I...

..you know I would, yeah. Oh, right.

THEY LAUGH

Having had sex with two men
this morning at the sauna,

Narvil is back at home relaxing
with his husband Terry.

Did you enjoy that, Narvil?
I did, yeah.

Your music soothes me. Oh.

Especially after a busy
afternoon at the sauna! You slut.

Narvil has been a regular
user of the sauna,

in spite of his 38-year relationship
with partner Terry.

Committing yourself to sex
with the one person,

even the most gorgeous person...

it wouldn't suit me at all.

I'd be horrified
at the thought of it.

Because different people have
different talents, actually.

In an orgy, you know,
in an orgy situation, you know,

darkened room, of course,

and I mean, I get excited
if I can't see them,

if I don't know them.

When I go to the baths,
I try to get other people...

involved. I mean, I turn
nobody away, you know.

I mean, I always think,
"The more, the merrier!"

Gay saunas aren't just
a UK phenomena.

They exist in cities
across the world.

In his teens,
Narvil lived in the US,

where he was
a local at a sauna in Detroit.

It was a...
It was in a black area,

so most of the men were
African-Americans, you see.

And, er...and they used to say...

SOUTHERN ACCENT: "Pass over the
white boy. Oh, Lordy be!" You know.

And they used to actually
physically pass... I was 19 then,

and they physically used to pass me
over to the middle of them all.

And some of these black men were fat

and they'd got fabulous tongues
and I loved it.

I loved it. You know, I used
to come and come and come

and I reckon about...

four or five times
in a couple of hours

was not unusual.

Now, of course, I am 70 next year

and one of my great sadnesses is

that I can't do
anything like that now, you know.

I mean, I go to the baths and I...
and I have to be satisfied with two.

Because if I try for number three,
I'll kill myself.

I mean, my heart's beating,
you know,

and I know that if I die,

it'll probably be there with
all those people there,

and the bath attendant will be
in awful trouble, wouldn't he?

Whilst Narvil
dreams of dying in the sauna,

Terry can't think of
a worse way to go.

Do you use the saunas?
No, I don't use the saunas.

Narvil enjoys it.

I'm sad that he feels
it necessary, but...

..that he needs...
It's like a drug.

40 years ago, Terry was in a more
traditional monogamous relationship.

He was married to a woman.

He met Narvil
and embarked on a secret affair.

I got really nasty with my wife...

"What's the matter with you?"

And I said,
"I don't know, I don't know."

I knew. I knew that I was upset
and I couldn't admit it,

couldn't admit that I'd seen
these boys and, oh, you know,

the desire that was there -
what could you say?

Was within two months
when I met Narvil.

I was high as a kite.

And I couldn't be without Narvil.

If I wasn't with him, I was crying.

I wanted to be with him
all the while.

But that was
the beginning of my new life.

That was the beginning
of me coming out.

But I really was ready for this.

I found somebody and I'd just
fallen in love with him.

And he was the same with me.

With just two weeks to
Joe and John's wedding...

This one. Have you been in this one
before? No. Oh, right.

..Joe enlists sister Mandy
for some help.

So, how's the plans coming along?

Oh, God. I've got so much to do.
Like what?

Do you want me to help you?
Got to order a wedding cake.

Are you having groom and groom
on the top, or bride and groom? No.

Are you... Are you the girl,
or are you the boy?

THEY LAUGH

Mandy has known Joe's been gay
since he was 16.

I fancied a bloke in Spain once.

Next day I woke up.
He was in his bed.

He went, "Oh, he's crap."
THEY LAUGH

She has interesting views on Joe
and John's relationship.

They're dirty bastards.

I don't believe how
you're saying that.

Yeah, you are. Why are we?
Because you two... Yeah?

You bring the chip shop lad in,

the chinky-chonky takeaway lad,
everybody.

If you meet
someone on a Saturday night,

guaranteed John will have him
on a Sunday morning.

THEY LAUGH

Yeah, but men are like...

They just want to do the business
and go, don't they?

They don't want to...
Chuck the muck.

They don't want to have a chat
or anything like that. Yeah, I know.

But that's the same with
straight men and gay men.

It's... Yeah. Men are just...
It's in-built in them.

Despite frequently enjoying the
fringe benefits of owning a sauna,

Joe and John's desires no
longer extend to each other.

John gets bored with people
very quick.

You know, he just likes to
have his little fussy with them

and move on to the next.

Do you and John ever have sex? No!

Why?

Not even a BJ or a wank or...? No!

Mandy! Really?

I'm not a chicken any more.
He's not interested in me, is he?

So you've got a saggy arse?

What, like yours? Don't start.

In Nottingham, thousands of men
use CS2 every year.

Because it's so busy, the sauna
is staffed by bath attendants

who keep the place clean
and serve the punters.

26-year-old James has been
doing the job for six years.

I'll check if there is any stains
on them or blood.

Technically...

..I need to wear gloves for this.

You know, this ain't one
of the prettiest sights of the job.

They have accidents...

which still
makes me heave, to be fair.

You know, stains like that,
you know, that's sperm.

It could be also...something
else. It could be crap.

No, I think it's
more of a club and society here.

And a lot of people belong.

It gives people
a feeling of belonging, you know.

But James isn't part of the club.

As a straight man, he definitely
doesn't fraternise

with the clientele.

Like, why is a straight guy
working in a gay sauna?

It doesn't matter
that I'm gay or straight.

I mean, obviously people do try it,

but I just let them know I'm
straight, and that's basically it,

and then they move on.
So it's not a really big problem,

plus I suppose it's
kind of flattering as well.

Unfortunately you have to
clean it all up

when it's ready to be cleaned.
That's the only downfall upon it.

Bath attendant James may well be
an old hand at the job,

but it wasn't always the case.

Before you started to work here
what did you think

happened in a gay sauna?
Was it a...?

I didn't even know what a gay sauna
were, mate, to be honest.

I didn't know places
like this existed.

And I suppose it's really,
really broadened my horizons,

because I were kind of homophobic
before, you know. I were, mate.

And yet I actually realised that,
you know,

there's a lot of gay people
who are just really, really cool.

I'd rather go out with a gay guy
than a fucking straight guy

that's a complete
and utter nutter knob, you know,

where before it would've been
the opposite way around, you know.

VOICES TALK OVER EACH OTHER

Gay saunas attract men
from all backgrounds,

from teachers to salesmen,

policemen, mechanics,
businessmen, plumbers...

and local politicians.

Hello!

Drinks over there, food inside.

Robin has been a local Tory
councillor for over 30 years.

First elected 1979, the same day
as Margaret Thatcher came to power.

So I've been around a while.

I'm president of the
Conservative Association

for three constituencies.

Um, uh, we're having a sort
of fundraising garden party

here today in my house.

You're going to eat
inside, are you? Oh, I must, yes.

The first gay saunas
opened in the swinging '60s,

with the legalisation
of homosexuality.

Robin has used them all his life,
but remembers a time

when doing so would put you on
the wrong side of the law.

I've always gone to gay saunas,

right from the days when gay saunas
were seen as a place

where the police could make
lots of arrests.

Um, they actually had
plain-clothes policemen

with no clothes on at all, which I
always thought was slightly ironic.

And the people running the
premises actually went to prison.

Yes, darling.

Six years ago, Robin met his
partner, Andy, in a gay sauna.

'He's a plumber, I'm a politician.

'We probably would have never have
met in quite the same way,

'if we'd been wearing our
respective work clothes.

'So, actually, meeting with just
a towel put us as equals.'

Love is in bloom!

Yeah, all a question of where Cupid
shoots his arrows, I think.

I mean, you don't plan these things
to happen, but they just do. Yes.

Andy, like many users of the sauna,
kept his sexuality a secret.

Uh, I come out to me family
about a month ago.

Everybody's been really supportive.

Mum's taking a long
time to come round.

Yeah she's, uh,
she's still in shock.

And do you friends know that
you use gay saunas?

Um, if it comes up in conversation,
all well and good.

If they say, "That's outrageous,"
I'd ask them to justify that.

There's absolutely nothing new.
The Romans did it.

Do you know anything
about gay saunas?

Not really, no, to be honest.

I'm sure my wife doesn't.
No. No.

I know nothing
whatsoever about gay saunas.

I didn't know there were
gay saunas,

but it's entirely up to them.
You know, it's consenting adults.

And so long as I don't have to be
involved, that's fine.

Is it like, um, somewhere
where you go and sit and get...

get impurities from your skin?

I don't know, I don't know.
You're going to have to tell me.

Gay men go there to have sex.
In...? Actually in the sauna room?

Not the sauna. Well, yes.

OK, to be honest! OK.

THEY LAUGH

Despite recently tying the knot,

Robin and Andy are not about
to give up the sauna.

Jacuzzis are interesting
because you get a few guys...

in the tub together, so things
are touching you as water currents.

There may be the odd hand
or a knee or a toe.

I stroke your ankle, you
stroke my ankle with your toe and...

things can progress from there.

Some people think it's a bit seedy.

Some people think anything to do
with sex is seedy. It isn't.

Nobody's doing anything
against their will.

Everybody's consenting.

What's wrong with that?

After a splash in the hot tub,
they couldn't wait to get upstairs.

Oh, very nice.
I know where my friends are.

Oh, that's quite nice, actually.
I quite like that.

HE LAUGHS

Through here...

there's the cinema...

..which is showing porn.

Relax on this padded area and either
enjoy the film or the audience,

whichever you find more attractive.

All a bit of a turn-on, of course,
even at my age.

ANDY LAUGHS

One of Robin and Andy's favourite
rooms in the sauna

is a little more specialist.

There's a sling here for people
who are into a particular fetish.

One puts one's head there
and legs up there,

an act of penetration
can take place...

without the resistance
of being on a bed.

If you'd like to
get your kit off, I'll show you.

Gay saunas attract men
of all backgrounds,

and most use it anonymously.

We don't know their names or
they like to keep it all secret -

they don't tell you where they work
or anything like that.

I don't know what they think
I'm going to do -

track them down or something.

Joe thinks over half
of his customers

are in straight relationships.

It's quite funny when you see them
out and about in town

with their missus pushing a pram.

They sort of, like, turn
and go the other way.

I don't know whether they think

I'm going to tell the missus
or something.

Where are you going?

Oh, what for?

Oh!
HE LAUGHS

No, I've got to be professional
in me own reception.

I can't do that sort of thing...
unless they're exceptional.

CS2's bathroom attendant James
ended up working for Joe and John

after they tried to pick him up
six years ago.

Joe and John, we met
when my cousin come out as gay.

And I went to go and support him.

I went up to him and said...
They obviously thought,

"You know what, we're gonna try it
with him," or something.

But they didn't obviously know
I was straight,

cos I was in a gay bar, to be fair.

And then basically I got a job.

Being straight didn't put
26-year-old James off

from working at the sauna,

but he's kept it a secret from
his friends and family.

Well, the thing is, for some reason,
I've got this massive problem

with telling people
that I work in a gay sauna.

So I tell... I mean, I'm even
worried about people overhearing me.

So I tell everyone I work
at a clothes shop at the moment.

I think people's got
the wrong idea

what's actually involved in a sauna,
you know what I mean.

I think they mainly think it's a
brothel and it's not, you know.

In my eyes it's just like...
It's a sauna.

There's no rent boys or anything

or, you know, prostitutes
or anything like that.

It's different than working at
Costa Coffee, I can tell you that.

This is the famous clothes shop

that all my friends
and family think I work at.

We have three cinema rooms

which I'm now going to switch on
for our customers obviously,

which will show adult films.

Don't ask me what's on them,
because I don't tend to watch them,

believe it or not.

Before he can open,
James has to make sure
the sauna is spick and span.

We have to clean it...continuously.

You know, there's nothing
worse than standing on a used condom

and it exploding on the floor.

Oh, I can smell sperm.

Uh, fuck it, is that...?
There's sperm everywhere -

there and there.

This room again has been tarnished.

Whilst James is manning
the sauna,

Joe and John are off to celebrate
their engagement

with a big family lunch.

Everybody knows what
me and John do for a living,

because they've all been
and visited.

My dad even helped
paint most of the place.

What do they think about it?

I think they just think it's
an exclusive men-only health club.

Hello. Are you all right, Joe?
Yeah, mate, you?

What am I supposed to do with this,
Lawrence?

I've been left presents
like that before at the sauna.

Ever been in? I have been in...
early days to help out.

He's not been in as a customer.
I've not been in as a customer.

WOMAN: Cut that bit. Clarify that
bit. Just clarify that bit.

What do you think about the sauna?

I think it's a good idea,
to be honest.

I mean, there's been
a load of stigma over the years,

but it's finishing that stigma.

LAUGHTER

Here's...
ALL: Cheers!

You've been to where we work,
haven't you?

Oh, yes. What did you think?
Yeah, I think it's lovely.

..if you like that sort of thing!

Who's looking after the sauna today?

Uh, James is there, I think.

Sunday's normally a mega-busy day,

so hopefully they're
all in there having fun.

The weekend is
the busiest time at the sauna.

On Sunday, up to 50 men
can come looking for some action.

We're gonna have to...
At yours, yeah?

Get some more lads first.

No, we'll get... No, Jamie.
Yeah. Who do you think I am?

You're a slut. I'm not. Fuck off.

Making me out to be something
like I'm fucking, like, a slag.

He is, in't he? I'm just quiet.

LAUGHTER

INDISTINCT CONVERSATION

It's nice, this.

MAN MOANS

Some vino? Please.

Get pissed?
LAUGHTER

Do you get many straight people
coming to the sauna?

Yeah, we get plenty of
so-called straights.

I would say probably over half,
if they're honest,

are, uh, secret.

Really? That high? Yeah.

I can't believe that.
That's so many. That is high.

We had one lad who'd got
a tracker on his mobile and he said,

"Oh, me missus knows where I am."

Did she come?

She turned up. She was outside.
No!

Yeah.

He's going, "Have you got
a back entrance, cos she's outside"?

LAUGHTER

So now I'm putting the lights on
to reveal what shit has been left.

It's like magic,
but a terrible version of it.

Someone's had a slight accident.

Looks like faeces.

So now I've got to wipe all that.

Great, eh?

Oh, you fucker.

HE LAUGHS

Right, OK.

So funny...

It's got a fucking condom on
and everything.

I'm not touching that.

Stuff like that happens
all the time, though.

MUSIC PLAYS

Ole!

Narvil and his partner Terry
had a civil partnership in 2004,

before gay marriage was legal.

It didn't change their relationship.

To Terry's dismay, Narvil still
visits the sauna every week.

Right, Terry.
I'll see you later, OK?

Oh, right. Where are you going?
Oh, you know where I'm going.

Bye-bye, then, darling.
Have a nice... Have a nice time.

Thank you very much. Give my regards
to Guy and Terry and Thomas.

Yeah, yeah. So you know some
of the people that...?

You talk about them often enough.

Well, of course I have to
talk about them, yeah.

Anyway, see you later, then.
About half-three would it be?

Something like that, yeah.
OK. OK, bye.

Bye-bye, darling. Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.

Better see him off, I suppose.

Bye!

He's gone now.

Oh, ho, start the day now on my own.

Terry would have preferred
somebody who would be faithful.

But we put up with each other.

You know I have been asked,

"Do you love Terry?"

And the answer is yes,

and he loves me.

With Narvil looking forward
to some action in the sauna,

Terry takes a trip down memory lane.

This River Garden now...
It used to be a private tea shop.

And in 1976,
when I met Narvil,

that was when we had our first meal
together in there.

And it... Oh, it was so romantic.

It were fantastic.

Hello. Hello, John.
How are you, Narvil? All right?

Not too bad. Here again.
Yeah, I know. Can't keep away.

You can't, can you, these days?
There you go, locker 36.

36. All right, Narvil.
You know where you're going?

I find it works better for me
if I get in early.

To be honest...

I will be honest.
Because the clientele...early

tend to be older men.

And that works out better for me,
not looking for...

I don't come here looking for a
husband. There's a husband at home.

Can gay men not be monogamous?

There are monogamous gay couples, of
course, and I say good luck to them.

I think it's nice if they can equal

or get near to
the heterosexual model.

But that's pretty rare.

Shower.

To cope with Narvil's infidelity,
Terry has set some ground rules.

You don't bring anyone home for sex.

HE LAUGHS

That's a rule.

That...that causes distress
and so that does not happen.

If he does try to enlarge on that,

I will say, "No details, thank you."

Upstairs now. I've had steam,
I've had sauna,

and now it's a case of going...
to ascend.

I know there are lots of people
that... And it's all sex.

And I just think,
"How shallow that is!"

I think to do it that often,

there's nothing else in your life,
you know.

You've got to... You've got
a poor life.

I do think that you still love
that one person.

I don't think you can love
everybody. No.

But you can have sex with everybody.
Yeah.

I suppose some people would say
that's having your cake
and eating it.

Sometimes...

I just wish he didn't go there.

But the sex side, it's irrelevant.

Anybody can have sex.
It's over in seconds.

I like things that last.

It's why I take a load of time
eating my meal.

I always judge people,
their sexual acts,

the way they have sex, by the
quickness they eat their meal!

You were quick, weren't you?

That was very nice today, yes.

Yes, I quite enjoyed it, yes.

I...

I'm a little bit lighter,
which is a good thing.

Thanks a lot, then. See ya.
Bye, then, bye.

HE HUMS

Joe is finishing on the late shift.

That's it for another day.

Tomorrow, him and partner John
will be getting married.

Hello, fiance!

JOE LAUGHS

You won't be able to say that
tomorrow.

I know. Come on, then, come in.

Are you looking forward to
the big day, Joey?

Yeah.
I am, I'm telling you.

JOE SIGHS

Tomorrow is the most important day
of our lives.

Well, it is mine anyway.
It's the end of an era.

And the beginning of a new era.
It's the end of an era.

You're not gonna be young, free
and single any more.

I won't be young, free and single
any more?

Well, you're not gonna be young
anyway!

Are you excited?

Um, yeah. Just think, next time
we come here we'll be married.

Yeah.

Just like most of our customers!

THEY LAUGH

Stop feeling me bum!

THEY LAUGH

It's date night
for Narvil and Terry.

So what time are we leaving, Narvil?

Well, I think we should go
at about 20 to.

We always go to the Durham Ox
tonight, don't we?

Wednesday night is Durham Ox night.

It happens every Wednesday.

That's me. Am I all right?
Yeah, you look great. Yeah.

You look OK, yeah.
All right. Get gone.

OK.

We'd better back out now, hadn't we?

Right, get on with it.

Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on.

All right, nothing coming up.

So we need to be facing down,
don't we?

Yes, yeah, that's lovely. Thank you.

Ooh, lovely.

Despite Narvil being
a regular sauna user,

it's a source of conflict
between him and Terry.

It's like a sport.

It'd be like I went to play football
or something like that.

When he comes back,
I can tell if he's won or not.

Definitely.

I look at him and say, "Definitely.
That was a draw today. Oh, OK.

"Not so good, eh? OK."

Terry made a very poignant
statement.

It wasn't long ago he said this.

He said, "You never made love
in your life."

That did hit home.

You know, I think there may be
something in that.

With the background I've had,
I was...

Most people would say... I say used
but most people say abused

in a paedophile circle.
I was only 12 years old.

So that was very damaging,
that experience.

I suppose it has an effect on you.

There's a lot which
binds us together.

I believe I love Terry.

And, in that sense, I could
almost say I've been faithful

in that I haven't loved
anybody else.

I... I love Terry.

I love you.

Well, give me a kiss, then.
All right.

After 30 years together,

the big day has finally arrived
for Joe and John.

God, even this feels tighter now!

You know you've never
had to put a suit on.

Oh, James, just... Stop being
stupid. Get your shirt on!

This is it, eh?

How are you feeling, Joe and John.

I'm off my face on diazepam
at the moment so I'm fine!

And Joe's pissed, probably!
I haven't had a drink!

He says he hasn't.

My God, have I put weight on
since I tried these trousers on?

It's only a couple of days!

Wow, there you go.

And we are gathered here today

to witness the marriage
of John and Joe.

I know of no legal reason

why I, John Gains,

may not be joined in marriage.

To Joseph Aaron Core.

Place the ring on his finger.

I promise to give you my love
and friendship.

These promises I make to you.

For the rest of my life.

I am very pleased to announce

that you are now lawfully joined
together as husband and husband.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

HE SOBS

Calm down, now. Don't be...

You all right? Yeah.

Supposed to be the greatest
day of our lives and he's crying!

Follow the jizz.

There you go. Good as new.

I'm just going to do
a quick room check.

I think somebody sort of got
a bit overexcited on here.

Probably met up with
the man of their dreams

and now I've cleaned away
all the evidence.

Oh, hang on.

I missed a bit.

You notice there's no scally boys
around today so...

I'd probably be spending a bit more
time up here if there was

but don't tell Joe I said that.

Joe, do you there'll always
be a need for saunas?

Yeah. There'll always be a need.

Won't there? We'll always be here
for them if that's what they want,

to get off with each other.

Yep. To get off with them.

Subtitles by Ericsson