It's the soap storyline that everyone and their mum's hairdresser's cousin is talking about – and it seems opinions are very starkly divided. The plot involving the grooming of teenage character Whitney by paedophile Tony has been both applauded and condemned, so we thought it was about time we had a little chat about it. When we first told you that over 70 complaints had been received this morning, your reactions were mixed. EyeCandy commented that, "I think EastEnders have done the right thing, the issue needs to be addressed." While some of you simply thought people were overreacting. "Turn the f***king channel over if you don't like what you're seeing," blasted chealseababe278. Bit harsh, but essentially that's true. No one is in any doubt that both actors involved, 16-year-old Shona McGarty (Whitney) and Chris Coghill (Tony) are doing a fantastic job with a difficult issue, and EastEnders have assured viewers that they are working alongside the NSPCC to ensure the subject is handled in the right way. When heatworld spoke to Ofcom just a few moments ago, they had only received around 30 complaints, while the BBC have got over 200. As this storyline is only just in the beginning stages, we can only assume the complaints will continue to mount up. But what are people really upset about? Well, one disgruntled viewer has left a comment on the BBC website saying, "This is a family show and I think I should be able to choose how I approach/inform my children about abuse." Another had this to say: "I too find this quite distasteful for a programme scheduled in the early evening... I watch soaps for enjoyment, not for public service messages." Do you agree with any of these sentiments? Have EastEnders simply proved once again that they're brave enough to tackle society's most sensitive issues, or have they pushed it too far? Let's have a little vote and discuss, shall we?
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