Eastenders Child Abuse Storyline

JP Liz · 22-09-2008 4:23pm #1

A recent EastEnders plot following new character Tony King's relationship with his 15-year-old step-daughter has prompted more than 200 complaints.

Last Friday's episode showed King's (Chris Coghill) introduction to Albert Square after a year in jail and included a scene where he passionately kissed a seemingly consenting Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty). The storyline suggests that he manipulated her into a relationship before being sent to prison after being charged with ABH.

The BBC has confirmed that it has received 163 complaints, while broadcasting regulator Ofcom received 41. The pre-watershed episode was watched by eight million viewers.

The broadcaster said the plot had been created "in association with the NSPCC" and in accordance with its editorial policy.

A spokeswoman said: "EastEnders has a rich heritage of tackling difficult social issues, such as domestic violence and mental health."

They added: "Our current storyline about child abuse is another such issue which had been created in association with the NSPCC and in accordance with BBC editorial policy."

Controversy for Eastenders means ratings winner

EastEnders newcomer Chris Coghill has denied claims that he has 24-hour security outside his home due to his controversial role in the BBC show.

Various tabloid reports this week have suggested that the 33-year-old actor, who plays child abuser Tony King in the Walford-based soap, has round-the-clock protection in the event of any trouble.

Solarball10 · 23-09-2008 11:15am

And soon he's gonna tire of Whitney (she is nearly 16, after all), and he's going to set his sights on Lauren.

Sick.

JP Liz · 23-09-2008 12:29pm

ozzyoh wrote: »

And soon he's gonna tire of Whitney (she is nearly 16, after all), and he's going to set his sights on Lauren. Sick.

What age is Lauren?

Is she the same age as Whitney and is she not in the same class at school as Whitney and Lucy

Whitney acts and looks alot older that 15 / 16

Solarball10 · 23-09-2008 12:35pm

JP Liz wrote: »

What age is Lauren?

Is she the same age as Whitney and is she not in the same class at school as Whitney and Lucy

Whitney acts and looks alot older that 15 / 16

Actually I didn't think of that...Whitney looks a lot older than Lauren....I kinda just assumed, going on looks alone, that Lauren is about 13/14?

trio · 23-09-2008 12:50pm

Lauren's younger sister is 12, so she must be 13/14. She has a boyfriend, Peter Beale.

I think it's a brilliant storyline as the multiple weekly episodes mean it can be a realistically slow-burner. It's very creepy the way you can see the manipulation in real time, drip by drip.

It's 3 months until Whitney turns 16 when she can expect herself and Tony to be able to run off together without being hounded by the law, so we can expect this to go on at least until Christmas, when presumably it'll all explode after her birthday comes and goes and he's still not interested in leaving with her.

Meanwhile, she'll be watching him giving attention to a younger girl. It'll be interesting to see if the penny drops that he's a paedophile, as at the moment she seems to think that theirs is a "romance" and there's nothing sinister about it at all.

tintinr35 · 23-09-2008 7:03pm

thats hot!!

dreamer_ire · 23-09-2008 7:11pm

They are being very clever... if they had gone straight to Lauren there would be uproar but Whitney looks older than 15 and so the storyline seems to be more "acceptable". The actors are doing well... hope it continues to be handled appropriately

RubyXI · 26-09-2008 10:51am

Hasn't Tony been chasing that job the vicar was talking about coz it involves working with children? So maybe one of them willl be his next interest.

thetyreman · 26-09-2008 10:57am

tintinr35 wrote: »

thats hot!!

Whats hot??????

kittex · 26-09-2008 12:11pm

tintinr35 wrote: »

thats hot!!

I'd have thought a mod would know better than to make a shady comment like that!

JP Liz · 26-09-2008 12:33pm

He didnt mind taking a job with Lucas once he knew kids were involved.

SICKO :mad:

Dudess · 26-09-2008 12:40pm

LOL at the way people are getting worked up about it and using sad emoticons etc as if it's real life...

kittex · 26-09-2008 12:42pm

Dudess wrote: »

LOL at the way people are getting worked up about it and using sad emoticons etc as if it's real life...

Huh? I count 2 emoticons up to your post...which also includes one, making it 3.
Never mind your LOL. If you have to laugh at your own 'joke'....

Dudess · 26-09-2008 1:28pm

Seriously, this is the storyline of a television show and concerning fictional characters - there are people on this thread discussing them as if they really exist. As I said, LOL...

JP Liz · 26-09-2008 1:46pm

Its a very controversial storyline for a soap opera especially post watershed. All the actors and actresses involved are portraying the storyline very well.

thetyreman · 26-09-2008 1:52pm

Dudess wrote: »

Seriously, this is the storyline of a television show and concerning fictional characters - there are people on this thread discussing them as if they really exist. As I said, LOL...

Fiction yea,but i dont know whats its like in your world,but in this world these things are happening every day,just because its a soap opera it dosnt mean it dosnt happen,they are portraying real life storys,so open your mind a little..

Dudess · 26-09-2008 1:58pm

These things are indeed happening every day and kudos to Eastenders for addressing them. However... where did I dispute that?

Sensible posts in relation to this sensitive storyline:

trio wrote: »

Lauren's younger sister is 12, so she must be 13/14. She has a boyfriend, Peter Beale.

I think it's a brilliant storyline as the multiple weekly episodes mean it can be a realistically slow-burner. It's very creepy the way you can see the manipulation in real time, drip by drip.

It's 3 months until Whitney turns 16 when she can expect herself and Tony to be able to run off together without being hounded by the law, so we can expect this to go on at least until Christmas, when presumably it'll all explode after her birthday comes and goes and he's still not interested in leaving with her.

Meanwhile, she'll be watching him giving attention to a younger girl. It'll be interesting to see if the penny drops that he's a paedophile, as at the moment she seems to think that theirs is a "romance" and there's nothing sinister about it at all.

dreamer_ire wrote: »

They are being very clever... if they had gone straight to Lauren there would be uproar but Whitney looks older than 15 and so the storyline seems to be more "acceptable". The actors are doing well... hope it continues to be handled appropriately

The ones I laughed at:

And soon he's gonna tire of Whitney (she is nearly 16, after all), and he's going to set his sights on Lauren. Sick.

He didnt mind taking a job with Lucas once he knew kids were involved.

SICKO :mad:

thetyreman · 26-09-2008 2:11pm

Dudess wrote: »

These things are indeed happening every day and kudos to Eastenders for addressing them. However... where did I dispute that?

Sensible posts in relation to this sensitive storyline:

The ones I laughed at:

Technically they do really exist,your comment on them not existing portrayed that this thing only happens on tv...

Dudess · 26-09-2008 2:21pm

I reserve the right to laugh at people - any people - talking angrily within a conversation about particular soap characters as if they are real. If something along the lines of "to think there really are sick people like that out there" were said it would be one thing, but not making the distinction is just really funny.

It's not quite the same as, but close enough to, people going up to the actors/actresses who play soap villains and giving them verbal abuse, or sometimes even physical abuse.

RubyXI · 26-09-2008 2:37pm

Dudess wrote: »

I reserve the right to laugh at people - any people - talking angrily within a conversation about particular soap characters as if they are real. If something along the lines of "to think there really are sick people like that out there" were said it would be one thing, but not making the distinction is just really funny.

It's not quite the same as, but close enough to, people going up to the actors/actresses who play soap villains and giving them verbal abuse, or sometimes even physical abuse.

In fairness now like, This is a thread about a soap. Everyone knows it's fiction. People are referring to the characters and looking at it from their point of view.
You may find it funny but this is a thread about soapland. If you don't like talking about soapland, then don't join in the discussion. Let the people who enjoy the soap talk about the characters they know.

Loose Lips · 26-09-2008 2:59pm

Dudess wrote: »

I reserve the right to laugh at people - any people - talking angrily within a conversation about particular soap characters as if they are real. If something along the lines of "to think there really are sick people like that out there" were said it would be one thing, but not making the distinction is just really funny.

It's not quite the same as, but close enough to, people going up to the actors/actresses who play soap villains and giving them verbal abuse, or sometimes even physical abuse.

Dudess: The characters in a soap opera can feel like real people, like family even, to regular viewers. It is normal for them to feel emotionally 'bought in' to their lives. This is known as suspension of disbelief.

When you think about it, what is the difference between getting emotionally involved in the lives of fictional tv characters, and responding emotionally to the opinions expressed by fictitious, anonymous internet posters?

I think you have been insensitive here and should apologise.

Slan

Dudess · 26-09-2008 3:26pm

Loose Lips wrote: »

When you think about it, what is the difference between getting emotionally involved in the lives of fictional tv characters, and responding emotionally to the opinions expressed by fictitious, anonymous internet posters?

Except they're not fictitious...

JP Liz · 26-09-2008 3:35pm

I think everyone knows its a soap opera and its fictitious but this happens in real life and this character Tony is vile and evil

Dudess · 26-09-2008 3:52pm

phi3 wrote: »

In fairness now like, This is a thread about a soap. Everyone knows it's fiction. People are referring to the characters and looking at it from their point of view.
You may find it funny but this is a thread about soapland. If you don't like talking about soapland, then don't join in the discussion. Let the people who enjoy the soap talk about the characters they know.

Exactly. Tis all just entertainment at the end of the day...

kittex · 26-09-2008 5:11pm

Dudess wrote: »

These things are indeed happening every day and kudos to Eastenders for addressing them. However... where did I dispute that?

Sensible posts in relation to this sensitive storyline:

The ones I laughed at:

You are so strange! The title of the thread says 'Storyline' therefore everything discussed in it, is based on the assumption of it being fiction, of it being manufactured. Posters shouldn't have to re-announce that fact every post they make just to keep a skim reader happy.

Anyway, you're main one coming on and getting all emo about people discussing it at all. Gosh now, if all the mods thought that way there'd be no boards at all!

And as a mod, you should know better than to continually take a thread off topic.

Dudess · 26-09-2008 5:17pm

You're really missing my point kittex. While it would be one thing to say "that Tony is a right bastard isn't he?", the quotes I mentioned already really seem to convey genuine anger and dismay and fear - as if this person is walking among us.

And soon he's gonna tire of Whitney (she is nearly 16, after all), and he's going to set his sights on Lauren. Sick.

He didnt mind taking a job with Lucas once he knew kids were involved.

SICKO :mad:

Plus, it's still all very entertaining and there'd be huge disappointment if it was taken off the air, which makes the comments even more bizarre.

Just an observation of something which amused and surprised me, not intended to upset (really it's not)...

Oh and my being a mod is completely irrelevant when I'm not on the forum which I moderate...

foxy06 · 27-09-2008 2:48am

Dudess I have admired you from afar but find your comments on this thread to be without thought. No matter what people think about the characters in the show they may be personally affected by the storylines and the only way to show their anger is through a thread like this.

SunnyP · 27-09-2008 6:21pm

Fair play to the actors involved they are playing the part very well, so does Tony get the job with Lucas?

Dudess · 27-09-2008 6:31pm

foxy06 wrote: »

Dudess I have admired you from afar but find your comments on this thread to be without thought. No matter what people think about the characters in the show they may be personally affected by the storylines and the only way to show their anger is through a thread like this.

Fair enough foxy...

Brigantia · 01-10-2008 11:59pm

i really thought i missed something with this story line, it just doesn't seem to be great at all.
Whitney is always saying how they will run away together, and they held hands on the sofa when Bianca was sitting on it as well.

i'm sorry, but it just doesn't seem like a child abuse story line to me, more like an affair story line. i think they only labelled it a child abuse story line because she is suppose to be 15, but it just seems not quite right somehow.
although i don't really know, you would probably have to ask an expert for there opinion on it.

RubyXI · 02-10-2008 9:17am

Brigantia wrote: »

i really thought i missed something with this story line, it just doesn't seem to be great at all.
Whitney is always saying how they will run away together, and they held hands on the sofa when Bianca was sitting on it as well.

i'm sorry, but it just doesn't seem like a child abuse story line to me, more like an affair story line. i think they only labelled it a child abuse story line because she is suppose to be 15, but it just seems not quite right somehow.
although i don't really know, you would probably have to ask an expert for there opinion on it.

It's a child abuse story because the "relationship" started when Whitney was 11 or 12? (open to correction) And stopped because Tony went to prision

Eastenders Child Abuse Storyline

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