Mr. Humphries is never elaborated upon. Though Mr. Humphries exhibits many of the behaviors typical of a gay stereotype, his true sexual orientation is never explicitly confirmed in the series. The reticence was a necessity given prevailing attitudes at the time the series was produced: after the first five episodes of "Are You Being Served?", a senior BBC executive ordered David Croft to "Get rid of the poof" from the show – Croft declined, saying: "If the poof goes, I go." Many jokes throw Mr Humphries into heterosexual clinches. At one point he is asked to fill in for Mrs. Slocombe at
Mr. Humphries Despite this, due to his lateness for work, he clashes with Captain Peacock, and due to sarcastic and rude comments towards Mrs Slocombe, he clashes with her (although in general, they get along quite well). In a few episodes Mr. Humphries claims to have served briefly in the Royal Navy. But given his young age, this is impossible. In "Fifty Years On", "Grounds For Divorce", "The Hold Up", and "The Pop Star", Mr. Humphries makes note of the presence of the audience by occasionally smiling or winking at, or addressing, the audience, thus breaking the fourth wall. Although early seasons