EastEnders paedophile plot sparks over 200 complaints
LONDON - A highly controversial 'EastEnders' storyline about a paedophile's relationship with his 15-year-old stepdaughter has sparked more than 200 complaints to the BBC and media watchdog Ofcom that it is unsuitable to be shown before the watershed.
Last week a character called Tony King was introduced to Albert Square as the boyfriend of Bianca Jackson, played by Patsy Palmer, who had just been released from prison.
The plot revealed that Tony had groomed his stepdaughter Whitney before he went to prison and that the pair are now having a sexual relationship.
Tony was shown sneaking into his stepdaughter's bedroom and kissing her before the pair fell onto her bed.
In one scene he told her "You look just like the same 12-year-old girl I fell in love with."
The BBC and Ofcom have received a total of 205 complaints about the storyline with some viewers upset that Whitney is shown as a willing participant in the relationship.
The BBC has defended the plot, despite the show airing at 7.30pm on some nights and 8pm on other nights, both times well before the 9pm watershed. The BBC said that the plot was created in association with the NSPCC and in accordance with its own editorial policy.
Earlier this year the BBC revealed in its annual report that 'EastEnders' was its most complained about programme in the past year. It attracted 5,500 complaints, more than double the number provoked by any other BBC show.
In June this year Ofcom censured the BBC for scenes of a character being drugged and buried alive.
EastEnders: controversial storyline
Comments
Jonathan Godson - 18/09/2008
I don't watch Eastenders so I haven't seen this storyline in context but I'd like to hear what the NSPCC have to say about it having been involved in its creation. This aside, it seems barmy to me to actively portray this kind of relationship on national TV at this time. Yes it might go in in real life but that doesn't make it right to showcase it in Eastenders.