ITV viewers were outraged, calling the soap “hard to watch” following a “disgusting” storyline.
Emmerdale has sparked 60 Ofcom complaints following a distressing storyline that left many viewers feeling “upset and unsettled.”
The ITV soap has been exploring the dark realities of county lines trafficking and sexual exploitation through a harrowing plot centered on April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan).
As fans know, April became entangled in drug dealing for Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) in an effort to help pay off her boyfriend Dylan Penders’ (Fred Kettle) debt. It was later revealed that Ray’s adoptive mother, Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths), was the real mastermind behind the gang — and had coerced April into sex work.
The October 30 episode, which aired before the watershed, has drawn 60 complaints to Ofcom, all linked to a scene depicting a sex predator named Callum attempting to assault April after Celia arranged to sell her for sex.
In the episode, after consuming a large amount of alcohol, April refused to go through with the ordeal, but Callum became violent and attempted to assault her. In self-defense, she struck him on the head with a bottle, believing she had killed him.
Viewers were appalled by the harrowing scenes. One commented, “Soaps are meant to be light entertainment after a long day. We see enough of this in dramas — it doesn’t belong in soaps.”
Another said, “It was extremely hard to watch, absolutely awful,” while someone else described the plot as “dreadful.” One viewer declared, “This storyline is disgusting — I’m going to stop watching Emmerdale.”
One viewer commented, “So disappointed with this — it’s sickening. Such a shame; it used to be a good soap.”
Another added, “I agree. I’ve had enough of these storylines. I understand they’re trying to show real-life issues, but it’s just too much to watch now. We used to watch for entertainment, to lift our spirits, and now every episode comes with a warning about being affected. What’s going on?”
A different fan fumed, “No wonder the show is going downhill with these harrowing and violent plots. I’m glad I don’t watch it anymore — I want to watch something in the evening that’s uplifting, not this depressing and disturbing nonsense.”
Meanwhile, another viewer offered a different perspective: “It may only be a soap, but it highlights how young people can be drawn into drugs and sexual exploitation. Personally, I think the writers have done an excellent job raising awareness.”
In the following scenes, April opened up to her father, Marlon (Mark Charnock), about everything that had happened, and he promised to protect her and take action. But just as he was about to go to the police, Ray barged in and shot Marlon, leaving April watching in horror as he seemingly died before her eyes.
It was later revealed that the shooting was a daydream, and Marlon was actually unharmed, though April’s future remains uncertain.
The actress shared a clip from the episode on Instagram, paying tribute to her co-star with the caption: “@markcharnock No one I would rather have done this ep with.”
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