Not only useless but so miserable and unlikable. I cannot think of many characters here I would like if they were real people. Marlon has become an unbelievable idiot. I use to like Dawn but not now, not because she killed Malone, I am OK with that, but she is so whiney now. Chastity likewise, how long is she going to punish Paddy, things actually worked out better for Charity because he went to the police, Kirin agreed to the adoption and she got her money back. The whole programme not seems devoted to relationship problems with people I feel nothing for. Cannot wait for Mandy and Paul to leave.
I think the producers and writers exist in a bubble where they think viewers love what they are doing. Media tend to describe Mandy as a "viewers favourite", don't know about other viewers but she is not my favourite. Funny enough Paddy is still one of the characters I quite like bit not as much as I used to.