John Barrowman says he exposed himself on the Torchwood set to "entertain" his colleagues. The 54-year-old actor's past behaviour was thrust in to the spotlight in 2021 when his co-star from Doctor Who , Noel Clarke made a series of shocking revelations about their time on set. At 2014 sci-fi convention Chicago Tardis, Clarke told fans that John exposed himself "every five seconds" on set when they worked together - a revelation that destroyed his reputation as a family friendly entertainer and Dancing On Ice judge.
According to The Guardian , a number of people claimed to have seen the actor exposing himself while he appeared on both Torchwood and Doctor Who. One of the women who spoke to The Guardian were quoted as saying: "He would get his genitals out on a regular basis." After seeking therapy for the trauma of being 'cancelled' John opened up about his reasons for exposing himself and said he wanted to draw a "thick black line" under the past.
"As Captain Jack Harkness I was the star of Torchwood, so I felt it was down to me to lead the company and keep them entertained," he told the Daily Mail in 2021. John added that due to the nature of filming, everyone on set would have been aware days in advance that he would be recording a nude scene, and flashing his genital area was a way of making fun of any awkwardness. He added: "I'd be waiting in my trailer wearing just a robe with a sock over my 'parts'.
"Then, if I were standing waiting to film a scene where I needed to be.