Joe Bonamassa

Friday, February 25, 2011

First look: EastEnders' Whitney Dean takes to the streets as a teenage prostitute in soap's controversial new storyline

By Georgina Littlejohn

Controversial: EastEnders' Whitney Dean, played by Shona McGarty, walks the streets looking for clients after turning to prostitution

It's been a pretty tough life so far for EastEnders' Whitney Dean.

First her father died when she was young, she was sexually abused by her adoptive mother Bianca's paedophile boyfriend, and her true love Billie Jackson died from alcohol poisoning.

Sadly, things are only going to get worse for the teenager as she desperately turns to prostitution - as these first pictures show.

Whitney, played by Shona McGarty, is seen walking the streets round Albert Square after descending into a life of vice after being exploited by her new boyfriend called Rob, played by Jody Latham, who is best known for his role as 'Lip' Gallagher in Shameless.

She meets Rob after running away from home after falling out with her family.

According to the People, he manipulates her into sleeping with strangers as favours for him, and she is so smitten, she doesn't realise she is being exploited.

Relaxed: Shona looked happy enough to film the scenes but they are set to cause fresh controversy for EastEnders off the back of the cot death plot

And when confronted by her brother Ryan's estranged wife Janine Malloy, she denies she is is having sex for money.

Instead she tells her: 'If he gets stuck I help him out. A couple of times he's got into a mess I've done favours for him. For his mates. I keep them happy. Off his back.'

And she defends him to cousin Lauren Branning who tries to get her to see sense, and says: 'We're in love. We're soulmates. Why is that so hard for you to understand?'

Don't do it, Whitney! Lauren, played by Jacqueline Jossa, goes looking for her cousin

The storyline, which is set to start in a few weeks, has already been slammed coming so soon off the back of the controversial cot death plot.

Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe said the scenes should be switched to a later time after the 9pm watershed.

She said: 'There are 11-year-old up at this time. We shouldn't be encouraging children as young as 11 to watch stuff like this.'

Former cast member Billy Murray, who played gangster Johnny Allen, said the new storyline was 'near the mark'.

But he added: 'People will vote with their feet. If they don't want to watch it, they can change channel.'

Where are you? Whitney's sister-in-law Janine, played by Charlie Brooks, goes looking for her

But EastEnders bosses had defended the new plot and said it was a serious look at the issue of child sexploitation.

And Eastenders bosses defended their decision and said: 'This is about Whitney being emotionally abused and groomed. It is different to prostitution. Whitney is initially not aware she is selling sex.'

Devised with help from Comic Relief, the storyline will culminate on Red Nose Day March 19 in a special ten-minute episode.

Gilly Green, Head of UK Grants at Comic Relief, said: 'It is vital that we continue to alert young people to the dangers if we are to stop them being exploited and the opportunity to work with EastEnders will make a huge audience aware of this issue.'