[001steven]

from DS:

BBC defends Enders' Hillsborough reference
Wednesday, November 14 2007, 17:49 GMT

By Kris Green, Soaps Editor


The BBC has today apologised to any viewers who may have misinterpreted a line in last night's EastEnders episode which referenced Hillsborough.

A line delivered by the one of the programme's characters, Minty Peterson – played by Cliff Parisi – has sparked outrage amongst Liverpool fans who construed it to be equating football hooliganism to the Hillsborough disaster of 1989.

The line in question saw Minty reply say to the show's former-football hooligan character Jase Dyer (Stephen Lord): "Five years out of Europe because of Heysel, because they penned you lot in to stop you fighting on the pitch, and then what did we end up with – Hillsborough."

Members of the Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG) claim that scriptwriters' reference was irrelevant. One said: "Hillsborough was proven not to be hooliganism. Do the BBC not realise 96 people died and many families are still suffering?"

Similarly, fans on the official Liverpool FC website have also criticised the soap's decision to include such a line, with one suggesting it was an "ignorant, ill-informed and without justification reference to Hillsborough."

However, a spokeswoman for the BBC today told Digital Spy: "In last night's EastEnders, Minty was actually reminding Jase that football hooliganism at Heysel led directly to the fencing-in of fans at football matches.

"He points out that this had tragic consequences - for the innocent spectators at Hillsborough. The BBC apologises if this remark was misinterpreted or caused any offence."

Many also believe that the episode in question was "too violent" for its pre-watershed timeslot, with one contributor to the BBC's Points of View message board saying: "Afternoon and early evening violence is unacceptable because youngsters will be watching… Then we wonder why kids start slashing each other in the playgrounds. Such programmes are not suitable for family viewing and should be shown at 10pm or later."

The BBC spokeswoman continued: “Last night’s episode involving the character of Jase reached a climax that many viewers would have been anticipating. Whilst we acknowledge this was a particularly dramatic episode, we were very careful to make sure that the violence portrayed was, in the main, implied rather than explicit."

She added: "As with all of our episodes, this programme adheres to our editorial guidelines. However we are sorry if some people were offended by this drama unfolding.”

In June, the BBC received nearly 200 complaints in an episode which saw Dr May Wright (Amanda Drew) threaten to perform a caesarian on Dawn Swann (Kara Tointon) in a bid to steal her baby.

Compleately ridiclious to BLAME a soap for stabbing

[001steven]

some people are really pathetic it WANST VIOLOENT VIOLENT it was violent a BIT yeah i mean the smashing whole vic glasses ect lasted what...5 mins the rest was GREAT drama

[Scarlett.]

Apparently there has been thousands of complaints made about the episode

The BBC has received more than 1,000 complaints about violence and references to the Hillsborough disaster in Tuesday night's episode of EastEnders.

The broadcaster has received 663 emails and phone calls about violent scenes of thugs attacking drinkers in the Old Vic with baseball bats, shown before the 9pm watershed. Character Honey Mitchell, who is heavily pregnant, was thrown to the floor.

A further 389 complaints were made about a reference in the same episode to the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy, in which 96 Liverpool fans died as a result of crowd congestion at an FA Cup semi-final in Sheffield.

John Beyer, the director of pressure group Mediawatch UK, said the representation of violence was "beyond the pale" for the timeslot and audience.

"It's a ratings game and they seem to be prepared to do anything to attract controversy," he said.

The BBC defended the episode, which started at 7.30pm after a warning and was seen by an average of 9.6 million people. However, the broadcaster has decided to edit some sequences for the Sunday afternoon omnibus.

"The climax to the storyline shown on Tuesday night was absolutely in line with our editorial guidelines for pre-watershed viewing," a BBC spokeswoman said.

"EastEnders, however, is aware that the audience mix on a Sunday afternoon can be different and is therefore is undertaking some editing while retaining the drama for this time slot."

She added that the BBC had edited the omnibus in the past, most recently in April when it removed a scene with a crying baby.

The BBC's response, published on its website, acknowledged that this was "a particularly dramatic episode", but argued the violence was "in the main, implied rather than explicit" and "in no way glamorised or glorified".

The broadcaster said the scene was over relatively quickly, with the rest of the episode focusing on the fallout, which saw Honey rushed to hospital. The BBC added that viewers were warned of the nature of the content through pre-programme announcements, billings and programme publicity.

The complaints about the reference to the Hillsborough tragedy were prompted by a comment by character Minty Peterson.

He told northerner and reformed soccer hooligan Jase Dyer: "Five years out of Europe because of Heysel, because they penned you lot in to stop you fighting, and then what did we end up with - Hillsborough."

The BBC response said Minty was actually reminding Jase that football hooliganism, such as that at Heysel in 1985, led directly to the fencing-in of fans at football matches and that this had tragic consequences for the innocent spectators at Hillsborough. The BBC added that it apologised if these remarks were misinterpreted or caused any offence.

The Guardian

[Jackie]

I didnt complain

[001steven]

why are these people complaining it is ridicoulous EE can NEVER win one minute people moan that its is to boring and when EE is Brilliant they moan..

Oh well EE gained over 9million viwers out of it

I know people are complianing about what minty said BUT it was only in Reference

[Scarlett.]

The poop is really hitting the fan over this

Hooligans link angers Liverpool fans

Nov 14 2007 by Catherine Jones, Liverpool Echo
Liverpool supporters on the Kop to promote Justice for the 96 fans that died at Hillsborough and protest against former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie - Picture: COLIN LANE

THE BBC faced criticism today after a scene in EastEnders linked hooligans with Hillsborough.

Fans said they were shocked at the reference to the tragedy which left 96 Liverpool supporters dead.

The row was sparked by a scene following a violent gang attack on the soap’s Queen Vic pub where hoodlums were searching for the character Jase, who is from Manchester.

Scriptwriters then introduced a storyline about the character’s football hooligan past.

And EastEnders mechanic Minty rebuked him saying: “Five years out of Europe because of Heysel, because they pinned you lot in to stop you fighting on the pitch, and then what did we end up with – Hillsborough.”

Phil Hammond, of the Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG), said the scriptwriters had “got it wrong”.

He added: “They should apologise to the people of Liverpool. It’s totally out of order.”

One viewer, writing on one of the BBC’s website forums, said: “Linking hooliganism to the Hillsborough stadium disaster.

“Was it relevant? No. Was it accurate? No.

“Hillsborough was proven not to be hooliganism. Do the BBC not realise 96 people died and many families are still suffering?”

Another said: “How do they continue to get away with airing lies and perpetuating the myth that 96 innocent people who died at Hillsborough were in any way connected with hooligans?”

BBC bosses today stood by the storyline.

A spokeswoman said the corporation had received 17 complaints following the show, which also received 150 complaints about the level of violence.

She said, "In last night’s ‘EastEnders’ Minty was actually reminding Jase that football hooliganism at Heysel led directly to the fencing-in of fans at football matches. He points out that this had tragic consequences - for the innocent spectators at Hillsborough."

But fuming fans hit out on LFC fans’ websites with messages and bombarded TV watchdog Ofcom's switchboard following the show.

Many said they were surprised by the reference which seemed to have nothing to do with the plot.

One described it as an “ignorant, ill-informed and without justification reference to Hillsborough.”

[001steven]

Apparently there is a forum telling people to complain THe people who Complain ARE sados who dont even watch EE my little couzin watched EE and My Aunt didnt moan it was violent People that are moaning are SNOBS with sad lifes

[Scarlett.]

Aye I agree

[001steven]

it true though why complain we didnt see someone get there head smashed in or someone being battered to death

I bet ITV are loving this

[Scarlett.]

Aye, yeah, ITV are being real childish lately, removing videos from youtube and the ED-EE scheduling war

[001steven]

yep..... Apparently there is yet ANOTHEr clash on Tueaday havent ITV learnt there lesson

[Scarlett.]

Its seriously getting silly now

[001steven]

I hope itsw not true..But when someoe says it on DS it is usually true

[Matt08]

If people wern't happy about the episode then why didn't they simply turn it over instead of ruining it for everyone else?

[Scarlett.]

Because they cant help but moan
They need shooting (joke dont take serious)

[001steven]

they have no lives

[001steven]

EE was on Points of view today...so says someone on DS

How pathetic are these people complaing and i have noticed that the Media have jumped on the bandwagon for the EE complaints

EE did nothing wrong they were told to take risks and they did BUt now people are moaning