Phil Lewis, one of the real-life inspirations for Russell T Davies’ hit TV series “It’s A Sin,” has passed away, prompting a heartfelt tribute from the show’s writer.
Known as a “much-loved” drag queen, Lewis, affectionately called Pinky, played a key role in the creation of the 1980s-based HIV/AIDS drama.
Lewis was a founding member of the actual London flat-share known as “The Pink Palace,” which was featured in the 2021 Channel 4 series.
Davies first met Lewis at the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre Company, where Lewis and his friends were known for their lively, camp style.
“What a beautiful man,” Davies wrote in an emotional Instagram post. “The wonderful Pinky has died, what a loss. Pinky and his gang were camp, hilarious, wise, and brilliant. Camp became a way for us to express who we really are.”
After moving to London in the 1980s, Lewis helped establish The Pink Palace with friends before becoming a beloved drag queen in Brighton.
Davies shared that he hadn’t seen Lewis for decades but recently reconnected with him, recalling, “We all met up recently, and my God, we laughed. Like I’d seen him yesterday.”
Davies expressed his condolences to Lewis’s partner Colin, his friends, and family, as well as his close friends Jill and Jae. “Night, Pinky darling xxx,” he added.
The five-part drama “It’s A Sin” broke audience records when it premiered, with 6.5 million viewers streaming it within the first month.
Despite its success and multiple BAFTA nominations, Davies described the series as a “hard sell” due to its challenging subject matter of people affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s.
The series garnered widespread acclaim, with celebrities like Graham Norton calling it “the best five hours of television I’ve seen in years,” and Sir Elton John praising it as “a triumph of creativity and humanity.”
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