Backstage, Howerd was notoriously bold in his advances, and was known for his promiscuity. One of Howerd's former boyfriends was comic actor Lee Young who created the TV sitcom "Whoops Baghdad" (1973) for him. Howerd's uncomfortable relationship with his sexuality he once said to Cilla Black, "I wish to God I wasn't gay" as well as his depressive mental state, led him to seek resolution through a series of different methods. Heymer would often drop Howerd off on Friday at his psychiatrist, who would ply him with LSD over the weekend. This experience was later the subject of the March 2015 BBC Radio 4 drama "Frankie Takes a Trip".