Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty)

[Siobhan]

Agreed.. 6 years is a bit too young to watch the soaps... This storyline is aimed at teenagers who need to know what they can get themselves into..

[Dutchgirl]

Agreed.. 6 years is a bit too young to watch the soaps... This storyline is aimed at teenagers who need to know what they can get themselves into..

Well the reality is there.

[tammyy2j]

John Altman has revealed that he doesn't think EastEnders' new plot is suitable for a family drama.

The actor, who played Nick Cotton in the soap, explained that children who watch the programme will be questioning the storyline which sees 17-year-old Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) become a £50-a-night prostitute.

He told Now: "You've got 6-year-olds watching EastEnders while having their dinner. I don't think children of that age should be watching that sort of thing. They'll be asking, 'Mum, what's that?'"

Altman explained that he thinks the issue is one that needs to be addressed but not when there are "young viewers".

He added: "I think it's all very well that it's part of life. A lot of young ladies turn to prostitution and I've heard of students who do it to pay for their university courses.

"It's fine as far as a storyline goes, but not when you have young viewers."

DS

And Nick Cotton selling his child and trying to kill his mother was great storylines for 6 year olds - I agree EE is not suitable viewing for kids of that age

[walsh2509]

I thought it was on here the picture I seen , I seen the ones on here a couple of pages back of Whit standing waiting for a punter(s) but the one I seen for I thought she is going to lucky not to break her legs if not worse. A picture of Whit jumping out of an upstairs window and it looks high enought to cause damage.

[alan45]

Former Shameless star Jody Latham makes his debut in EastEnders next week, appearing as unscrupulous newcomer Rob.

As revealed last month, Rob is to play a key role in Whitney Dean's (Shona McGarty) sex exploitation storyline as he uses her for his own financial gain.

Rob is first seen on screen on Tuesday, February 22 when Whitney makes a desperate attempt to pickpocket a man. However, her attempt at petty crime goes wrong and she's grateful when Rob steps in to save the day.

Whitney is clearly taken with her new acquaintance and is keen to see him again. Later in the week, when Rob arrives back on the Square and offers to let Whitney stay with him for a while, she eventually agrees - feeling that she has nobody else to turn to as her life is spiralling out of control.

Things are expected to take a dark turn in the weeks ahead in a plot which has been developed in conjunction with Comic Relief to raise awareness of a growing problem that faces many young women in the UK.

[Dutchgirl]

Wow that sounds grim. If things could not have been worse all ready!

[alan45]

TROUBLED EastEnders teenager Whitney Dean will try to seduce Max Branning in a dramatic new storyline.
The tearaway - played by Shona McGarty, 19 - desperately needs cash after stepmum Bianca's (Patsy Palmer) jail sentence left her homeless.

Max (Jake Wood) offers her a job at his car dealership Branning Brothers after his daughter Lauren realises Whitney's plight.

But Whitney - who is set to become embroiled in drugs and prostitution - will soon be making a move on dad-of-three Max.

Shona previously starred in one of the soap's most explosive storylines when it was revealed she was raped by Tony King (Chris Coghill).

She said: "Max asks Lauren to work at the car lot but she tells her dad to offer the role to Whitney.

"Lauren knows that her friend needs the money right now. Whitney enjoys working there but she's not very good at taking calls.

"And she's actually quite uncomfortable being around Max as she has a bit of a crush in him."

When she kisses Max a horrified Lauren walks in on them and accuses her dad of seducing Whitney in the same way he pounced on Stacey Slater.

(c) The Sun

[Perdita]

EastEnders' Ricky Butcher is to be caught by cops trawling a dodgy red light district.

The Walford wimp - played by Sid Owen - will be forced to beg officers to turn a blind eye to his misdemeanours when they assume he is looking to score a cheap thrill with a working girl after his mouthy wife Bianca (Patsy Palmer) recently got put in prison for assault.

However, rather than being on the prowl for sex, kind-hearted Ricky is on a desperate mission to find his troubled step-daughter Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), who has been led into prostitution by his conniving sister Janine (Charlie Brooks).

With Whitney already hooked on drink and drugs after hooking up with evil pimp Rob Grayson (Jody Latham), who forces her to turn to the dangerous streets to work, her stepdad could be the only one to save her from his clutches.

According to the Daily Star newspaper, in scenes which are to be aired next month, a heartbroken Ricky will be close to tears as he frantically attempts to save Whitney from a life of prostitution.

However, if the devoted dad is hoping Bianca will save the day by arriving back on the scene, he could be waiting a while, as actress Patsy Palmer has admitted she is in no rush to return to the BBC One soap.

Speaking on 'Piers Morgan's Life Stories' TV series, Patsy - who gave birth to her fourth child Bertie in December - said: "I don't miss it. At the moment I'm being a mum and that's the job I want to do, so I don't miss being at work. I don't know when I'm going back.

"You could be watching it one minute then it's your funeral the next. You never know."

(C) BANG Media International

[tammyy2j]

This might be best in thread already about Whitney and prostitution maybe a mod might please move

[alan45]

EastEnders star Sid Owen has announced that he plans to take a break from the soap.

The actor, who plays Ricky Butcher on the Walford serial, handed in his notice to bosses last week and will make his departure in the summer, The Mirror reports.

Owen is following in the footsteps of his screen wife Patsy Palmer (Bianca Butcher), who is currently out of contract with EastEnders and concentrating on motherhood following the arrival of her fourth child Bertie.

A BBC spokesperson said: "Sid will be taking a short break from filming but we fully expect to see Ricky and Bianca return to Albert Square in 2012, when Patsy also returns."

In a statement, Owen explained that he plans to focus on charity work in the coming months. He commented: "I will be taking a break from EastEnders so that I can dedicate more time to Drop 4 Drop, a charity to help alleviate the global water crisis in the developing world. Ricky will definitely be returning to Walford at some point next year."

Owen has played Ricky on and off since 1988. His current stint began in 2008 when Ricky returned to Albert Square for the funeral of his father Frank, before deciding to stick around on a permanent basis.