East Enders

[MKG]

In the words of Victor Meldrew, I do not believe it. I just switched on the news to be confronted (affronted) by a serious discussion of the portrayal of an East Enders character who has just lost a baby and therefore stolen someone else's, the potential damage this portrayal could do, and a claim that it shouldn't really be allowed (the portrayal, not the baby stealing).

It's a story, for goodness sake! When did we become such wimps that we're not to be allowed to watch (not, of course that I would watch such crap) a story which might just include stereotypes? I can now see the book of Genesis being banned because of the extreme view it takes of sibling rivalry (no, I can't - that would never happen because, of course, East Enders and Genesis are completely different. Aren't they?).

I despair for the nation!

Mike

[boboff]

I Think in the trade it's known as a slow news day.

I agree 100% it is all a loud of complete and utter Betty's.

[okra]

I noticed when I was shopping this morning that it warranted front page news on one red top rag! Slow news day indeed.

Nothing more important happening in the world

[oldjerry]

No,I dont think there's such a thing as a slow news day,just not enough murders(respectable people only),dead rock stars(getting their comeuppance)massive drug busts(bloody foreigners),to take our minds away from the war we are currently waging on the other side of the world,the fact that prices of staple goods and services are increasing exponentially,and we seem to have a government persuing policies nobody voted for(i.e. real news).

[Millymollymandy]

I don't watch EE but just after that ended before something I wanted to watch came on there was a quick newsclip on the Beeb mentioning 6,000 complaints about it..... Why are they complaining, I thought these soaps were supposed to portray real life? Oh don't bother answering me I don't really care about EE, not since Tiffany died anyway.

[TheGoodEarth]

Bring back Den - he'd sort em out! I'm the Guvnor round 'ere sunshine! Sling your 'ook

[Uller]

I read an item about there being 6000 complaints and now the SIDS organisation is getting onboard, complaining that it doesn't accurately portray the victims of SIDS, belittles the syndrome etc.

Whilst I wouldn't want to make light of the suffering that anyone who has experienced SIDS goes through, I can't believe that, of all the storylines in EE, this is the one that people complain about. I've never watched it, but I seem to remember that there have been murders, rapes, drug abuse, domestic violence, arson etc etc.

Apparently the BBC are now going to stop the storyline earlier than planned because it is such a controversial subject - aren't all their subjects controversial??

[Thomzo]

I must admit that I do occasionally watch it and I have seen this story line. Even though I'm not remotely child friendly, even I found it a little bit disturbing so I can imagine that someone who has been touched by a cot death would be extremely upset.

What I do think is news, however, is that the BBC have decided to actually listen to the opinions of their viewers and do something about it. Maybe if we all complained a bit more about bad programmes, something would get done.

Overall, a good news story in a funny sort of way.

Zoe

[AngeB]

I think it may have been more of a case of thinking that if it was all over the news that there was this big controversial story on the programme, that more people would tune in to see what it's all about. Since they're ending it early - people better tune in quickly. I can't bare the programme personally, I don't know why people would want to subject themselves to such misery on a daily basis :-)

[TheGoodEarth]

Agree that it is just trash and misery but wasn't the issue to do with swapping the dead baby for another one?