The American adaptation of the British TV show, which premiered in the U.S. last week (17Jan11), has been met with outrage from viewers and a parenting campaign group over its risque storylines involving sex and drugs.
Elsley, who wrote Skins with his young son Jamie Brittain, has defended the programme, describing it as an honest depiction of modern youth.
In a statement posted on MTV.com, he explains, “Skins is a very simple and in fact rather old fashioned television series. It’s about the lives and loves of teenagers, how they get through high school, how they deal with their friends, and also how they circumnavigate some of the complications of sex, relationships, educations, parents, drugs and alcohol.
“The show is written from the perspective of teenagers, reflects their world view, and this has caused a degree of controversy both in the U.K. and the U.S.A… It tries to tell the truth. Sometimes that truth can be a little painful to adults and parents.”
Elsley’s statement comes as a string of major corporations, including Subway and Taco Bell, pulled their promotion from Skins’ ad breaks.
