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 mean they're more than friends. Mr Humphries also seems to be quite put off by Mrs. Slocombe's references to her "pussy" (to which she means her cat, one of the many double entendres the television show was known for). He often rolls his eyes when she mentions stroking the cat or having to dry it out after it was soaking wet. Mr. Humphries is rarely shown to have a serious disagreement with his colleagues. Potential disciplinary measures against him are usually the result of a misunderstanding rather than out of any actual wrongdoing or malice. He is the subject of