The Lovers' Guide

The Lovers' Guide is a sex and relationships advice brand, produced by Lifetime Productions International Ltd, which launched with the release of the first Lovers' Guide video in the United Kingdom on 23 September 1991.^[1] Presented by the sexologist Dr Andrew Stanway, and produced by Robert Page and William Campbell, this became the only non-fiction film to top the UK video charts; it sold 1.3 million copies in the UK and went into 13 languages and 22 countries around the world.

The release caused controversy due to the explicit nature of the video. At the time of the first video in 1991, its showing of erections, oral sex, penetration and sexual intercourse was not permissible in the United Kingdom, even in R18 certificate films that are only available in licensed sex shops.^[1] The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) granted the title an 18 certificate without cuts due to its educational nature.^[1] Despite the certification, which would normally be a license for general UK distribution, this was technically merely advisory and the producer, Robert Page, faced charges of obscenity, which were subsequently dropped.^{[citation needed]} Due to its explicit nature, large retailer Woolworths refused to stock the title.^[1] The video was intended to promote healthy sex within marriage, however it was later revealed that four of the seven couples were not married, and included a former prostitute and a wife-swapper.^[1]

The Lovers' Guide was distinct for using explicit video material to illustrate the instructional points being made. While the explicit nature of the visual content would usually warrant an R18 certificate in the UK all Lovers' Guide videos and DVDs have been granted 18 certificates.

Lovers' Guide products has expanded to ten further DVDs, a book, an encyclopaedia, two CD-ROMs and cassettes and CDs of the soundtracks. It has also been shown on encrypted television.