6 hard-hitting soap storylines: From EastEnders stillborn birth to Coronation Street grooming ordeal

Never underestimate the power of a programme
Hard-hitting: Coronation Street have just embarked on a male rape storyline
ITV
Natasha Sporn18 March 2018

There is no denying it – we are a nation of soap lovers. No, not the cleaning kind, although that’s popular as well, but us Brits want nothing more than to settle down and catch up on Coronation Street, check in on the residents of Emmerdale and drop into EastEnders.

Soap operas can be powerful, whether the producers realise it or not, and there have been numerous examples over the years of continuing drama helping people to improve their own lives or to face something that has long been bothering them.

In scenes aired on Friday, Corrie’s David Platt – played by Jack P Shepherd – went out for the night with his supposed-friend Josh Tucker. Over the next episodes, he wakes up in Josh's bed and realises he has been raped, after being spiked on their night out and sexually assaulted.

This isn’t the first time male rape has been the subject of a soap plot, indeed Hollyoaks tackled the subject many years ago with Gary Lucy’s character Luke Morgan facing a similar ordeal.

Here are six of the most hard-hitting and heart-wrenching soap opera moments…

EastEnders: Shabnam Masood gives birth to her stillborn son

In 2015, Shabnam found out she was pregnant by Kush Kazemi and the two prepared to become parents, initially concerned but soon over-the-moon excited. But all was not meant to be as actress Rakhee Thakrar confirmed at the beginning of August that year that Shabnam would deliver a stillborn baby boy later that month, marking a powerful neonatal death storyline.

Commencing the last week of the month, Shabnam became alarmed she could no longer feel her baby moving and was rushed to hospital where her worst fears were confirmed. What followed next were some of the most beautifully acted yet heartbreaking scenes the soap had seen in a long while, as Shabnam laboured and the family greeted their newborn, Zaair, who had already passed away.

EastEnders: Whitney Dean’s grooming ordeal and sexual exploitation

When Shona McGarty’s character first rocked up in Albert Square in 2008, the 15-year-old was hiding a secret that would go on to become the central point on a key storyline. Whitney was sleeping with Bianca’s boyfriend Tony King for several years and believed that the two were in love but all came crashing down with Whitney’s big reveal on her 16th birthday ending with her stepmum calling the police.

Some years later, a troubled Whitney’s vulnerability saw her in the midst of another grooming storyline as she was exploited for the financial gain of Rob Grayson (Jody Latham) and forced into being with other men. The plot culminated in a dark but powerful Red Nose Day 2011 mini-episode to raise awareness.

Coronation Street: Bethany Platt’s sex ring ordeal

Coronation Street: Bethany Platt was manipulated by her evil boyfriend Nathan
ITV

Similar to Whitney’s experience in Walford, Bethany Platt’s fiancé Nathan Curtis cast a dark cloud over the Cobbles when he picked the upset and struggling teen – played by Lucy Fallon – off the floor and indoctrinated her, claiming he loved her and wanted to be with her. Millions watched what happened next as evil Nathan began to introduce Bethany to his friends and tell her she had to sleep with them.

After becoming aware he was trying to sell her, Bethany begged strangers for help in a service shop café and Nathan was arrested with his horrible arrangements and crimes unravelling. He, thankfully, ended up behind bars.

Coronation Street: Tyrone Dobbs is domestically abused by Kirsty Soames

Kirsty and Tyrone seemed like a perfect match when they first locked eyes in a bar in 2011 but things quickly turned sour as Kirsty’s nasty streak was revealed. Over the months she was on screen, an increasingly erratic Kirsty attacked Tyrone physically multiple times as well as subjected him to emotional abuse.

The powerful storyline played with the emotions of the audience, pulling on heartstrings, and even sparked an upsurge in domestic abuse against men, especially, being reported and spoken about.

Hollyoaks: Jason Costello’s gender dysphoria

Jasmine Costello arrived in the Chester town in 2010 and it soon transpired that the student was weighed down by a secret which set the soap embarking on a hard-hitting GID storyline.

Over the next months, Jasmine began to live openly as Jason as viewers were given an insight into how being trapped in the opposite sexes body impacts the mind.

The storyline was widely praised, especially because it was based on real-life experiences of teens who had gone through similar gender identity disorders.

Emmerdale: Ross Barton’s acid attack

Emmerdale: Ross Barton was left with life-changing scars after an acid attack
ITV

Earlier this year, Ross was splashed with acid leaving him with severe burns after drug-dealer Simon mistook him for Joe Tate, the original target of Debbie Dingle’s ordered hit.

While the storyline did attract complaints (mainly from people taking umbrage at the time it was show), the emotional and sensitive subject matter was hailed as was the subsequent struggles Ross faced when it came to facing life with his injuries and scars.

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