Whitney Dean
Encyclopedia
Whitney Dean is a fictional character
from the BBC One
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Shona McGarty
. The character is the adoptive daughter of long-running character Bianca Jackson
(Patsy Palmer
), and was introduced in April 2008 when Palmer returned to the series after a six year absence. Whitney is described by executive producer Diederick Santer
as both an equal to, and younger version of Bianca, and is the oldest of Bianca's four children. Her storylines have revolved around her fractured family life, and her sexual abuse by Bianca's partner Tony King
(Chris Coghill
).
The paedophile storyline marks the first time the subject matter has been broached in a UK soap opera, and was researched and developed with advice and approval from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The inappropriate nature of Tony and Whitney's relationship resulted in over 200 complaints being made to the BBC and television regulatory body Ofcom
by members of the public, with the storyline deemed "horrifying" by the Daily Mail
Lizzie Smith, and "one of the darkest and most disturbing storylines EastEnders has ever attempted" by the Daily Mirror Beth Neil. The NSPCC however have praised the storyline for "helping to raise awareness of the hidden nature of sexual abuse". The storyline also gained EastEnders a Royal Television Society
Programme Award in March 2009 in the Soap and Continuing Drama category.
(Patsy Palmer
), half-sister Tiffany Dean
(Maisie Smith
), and Bianca's sons Liam Butcher
(James Forde
) and Morgan Jackson-King (Devon Higgs) are evicted by their landlord. The children spend a week in care after Bianca is arrested for assaulting a police officer, returning to her custody a week later and moving into Pat Evans
' (Pam St. Clement
) home. Over the next few months, Bianca becomes the beneficiary of a mystery "guardian angel", who is revealed to be Whitney. Whitney tells Bianca she found a winning lottery ticket, but kept it secret as she knew that Bianca would spend the money. Bianca reluctantly agrees to deposit the money; however Whitney hides some to be used in emergencies.
It is revealed that Bianca's imprisoned boyfriend Tony King
(Chris Coghill
) has been grooming Whitney since she was twelve, and that they have had a sexual relationship. Having served a year-long sentence for assaulting a boy who apparently harassed Whitney, Tony is released on 12 September 2008. He makes it clear to Whitney that they will resume their sexual relationship, and Whitney in turn reveals that she has kept some of the lottery winnings so they can run away together. Tony, however, harangued by Bianca about the prospect of marriage, gives her Whitney's money to use as a down-payment on a flat.
When Whitney and class-mate Peter Beale
(Thomas Law
) are cast in the lead roles of the school play Romeo and Julie
, Tony is jealous of them rehearsing in private and punches Peter. Whitney convinces Peter and his sister Lucy Beale
(Melissa Suffield
) not to report the attack to the police, but Tony blames her for the incident and ends their affair. Whitney is devastated when Tony accepts Bianca's marriage proposal, locking herself in her bedroom. Not knowing what to do, Bianca accepts Dr. Poppy Merritt's (Amy Darcy) help and she refers Whitney to a psychiatrist. Bianca takes her away on holiday, attempting to mend their relationship. When they return on Halloween, Tony and Whitney share a passionate kiss, and Tony informs Whitney that their relationship is back on.
Whitney becomes jealous when Tony begins showing an interest in Lauren Branning
(Madeline Duggan
). As her sixteenth birthday approaches, she buys tickets for them to travel abroad. Tony has lost interest in Whitney and hides her passport, but it is found and returned to her. On the day she turns sixteen, Whitney confesses everything to Bianca. Horrified, Bianca calls the police, and Tony is arrested. Whitney initially refuses to discuss her and Tony's relationship with the police, believing that they were in love but Bianca makes her realise that Tony abused her and raped her for years. Tony is released on bail and returns to Pat's house, hoping to convince Whitney to lie to the police for him, making Whitney realise Bianca is right, and agrees to make a statement against him.
Whitney contacts her biological mother Debra Dean (Ruth Gemmell
) and tries to discuss the past, but Debra isn't interested and rejects her. She meets Todd Taylor (Ashley Kumar
) and agrees to go on a date with him, which goes well until he asks about past relationships. Whitney runs away and is found by Bianca's ex-husband Ricky Butcher
(Sid Owen
), drunk. She tries to kiss him but he pushes her away. When it is discovered that Whitney has been shoplifting, she agrees to get professional counselling. Todd returns and Whitney eventually relaxes in his company, agreeing to another date. When Whitney finds a condom in his wallet, she assumes he wants to have sex with her and runs away. Todd is later scared off by a man who is interested in Whitney, and who saves her and several other locals from a hostage situation.
Debra turns up unexpectedly, claiming she is homeless, but reveals she is planning to move to Greece
when she has enough money and says Whitney can come with her. Whitney accepts, but later realises that Debra is using her and she is only there to hide from someone. After being tracked down, Debra leaves. On Bianca's birthday, a misunderstanding leads her to suspect Whitney of having an affair with her uncle Max
(Jake Wood
). Whitney is upset and packs her things, but is halted by Debra's unexpected return. Whitney finds her panicked mother at the door with cuts and bruises on her face, saying that someone is after her. This person is the same man that saved Whitney from the hostage incident, who tells Whitney he is her half-brother, Ryan Malloy
(Neil McDermott
). He has stabbed someone and Debra is keeping the knife for him. Whitney hides the knife and later disposes of it in a canal.
Whitney receives a mobile phone from Tony prior to the commencement of his trial. He leaves her a message begging her to call him, saying he loves her. At the trial, a distressed Whitney runs into the court shouting that she and Tony love each other. She says she will refuse to testify, claiming her witness statement was lies and she was forced to say it. Tony's barrister, Mrs Taylor (Jacqueline Defferary
), cross examines Whitney, implying that she pursued him for several years and lied about her accusations. Tony shouts out that he is innocent but Whitney says she trusted him and he abused her. After leaving the courtroom, Whitney hands over the mobile phone with Tony's messages on it to her barrister. Tony is later sentenced to 13 years' custody.
During the trial, Whitney learns that Tiffany is Ricky's daughter. She is initially distressed, but accepts that Tiffany is still her sister although they are not related. She repairs her friendship with Todd, and they kiss at Ricky and Bianca's engagement party. Their reunion is short-lived, and Whitney breaks up with him in favour of Bianca's half-brother Billie Jackson (Devon Anderson
). Whitney is attacked by Billie's jealous friend Kylie (Elarica Gallacher
), and when his friends cause trouble at a grime
night at The Queen Victoria
public house, Whitney asks him to choose between her and his former gang. Billie chooses Whitney, and Kylie takes revenge by attempting to shoot him, hitting his uncle Jack
(Scott Maslen
) instead. Jack is hospitalised with major injuries, and Whitney struggles to help Billie deal with his guilt and subsequent anger and rejection from the Branning and Jackson families. She is further deeply upset when Billie decides to join the army in an attempt to make Jack proud. Billie is angry when he discovers that Leon Small
(Sam Attwater
) kissed Whitney, though she does not reciprocate. Though he later apologises and they reunite, he upsets Whitney by spending his army leave with friends, and later ends their relationship as he has changed. Whitney tries to help Carol arrange his birthday party, saying that they are still friends, but Carol refuses Whitney's help, stating that she will organise the party alone. At the party, Whitney ends up kissing Peter. She spends the night with him and the next day is upset to learn that Billie has died in his sleep. She blames herself for leaving the party after she sees a text message from Billie saying he still loved her. She sends a reply and lays flowers and candles for him. However, she later goes back to Peter for comfort, and he comforts her again on the day of the funeral. The pair then begins a relationship. However Billie's friend Connor Stanley (Arinze Kene
), starts flirting with her, and questions her as to why she would date someone like Peter after dating Billie. He also asks her to sell some stolen jewellery for him, which she agrees to.
At Peter's birthday party, Whitney confides to Lauren (now Jacqueline Jossa
) that she feels smothered by Peter's affection for her. Peter's father Ian
(Adam Woodyatt
) then insults Whitney, which causes Peter to storm out of the party, and Whitney follows him. Later, Whitney's relationship with Peter starts to sink, and she falls for Connor. Connor and Whitney have an on-off relationship, and he continues to see her and Carol at the same time. After it is revealed that Connor has been sleeping with them both, Bianca attacks him and gives herself into the police. Whitney and Carol argue over Connor, and Whitney feels she is not wanted by her family so decides to move out, and stays with Ryan's estranged wife Janine (Charlie Brooks
). They go on a night out where a drunken Whitney takes a man, David Priors (Daniel Coonan
) back home, though Janine tries to put her off as he thinks they are prostitutes. Janine takes £50 from him before he and Whitney have sex. The next morning, Whitney discovers this and is upset. Janine buys Whitney a gift with the money but Whitney rejects it, however, Janine manipulates her into changing her mind. Whitney then finds out Janine used to be a prostitute. Whitney and Janine meet David again with his friend Gary Dewsbury (Daniel Husbands) at the club, but Whitney is left alone with David. Not wanting to sleep with him again, she steals his wallet when he is at the toilet. He goes to their flat and threatens to call the police but Janine makes him change his mind. Whitney moves out when she and Janine have a falling out and sleeps rough, but Janine allows her to move back. Kat Moon
(Jessie Wallace
) offers Whitney a work trial at The Queen Victoria her a job, but catches her giving free drinks to Janine. Despite this, she lets Whitney off, telling her she is a natural, and works well at the till. When Kat catches her stealing again, she sacks Whitney, leaving Janine angry with Whitney. After Whitney sees Janine successfully pickpocket someone, she decides to try it herself, but ends up being hit in the face. A man called Rob Grayson (Jody Latham
) helps her, buys her food and returns her to Albert Square, giving her his phone number.
Whitney tries to kiss Max, causing her to fall out with Lauren. She also argues with Carol, rejects Ricky and is rejected by Liam, Tiffany and Morgan for ruining Ricky's birthday cake days earlier. Upset, Whitney contacts Rob and asks to stay with him, which he accepts. She throws her phone away and tells nobody that she is going. Janine lies about Whitney's whereabouts but when she admits she does not know where Whitney is, Lauren and Janine attempt to find her, and Lauren sees her in Dartford going into a club. Lauren goes back with her to her bedsit, but Whitney does not want to go, saying she and Rob are in love. Lauren is then thrown out by Rob. Whitney has sex with a man called Chris (Richard Simons) and it is revealed that Whitney has been having sex with Rob's friends in order to pay off his debts to them. Janine tries to get Whitney to come home but she refuses, and Rob ejects Janine. Rob then drags Whitney out of the house and into his car, while Janine and Lauren see them driving off. They go to a house where Whitney meets another woman, Chloe (Georgia Henshaw
), who is also being exploited. Whitney tells Rob she wants to leave, but he says to either be nice to his friends or he will hurt her. He locks her in a room so she breaks the window and escapes, stopping a car and asking for help, while Rob shouts after her.
The following month, she sends Lauren a message and meets her outside the police station, looking rough, as she has been arrested for shoplifting. She returns home with Lauren, who calls Ricky to collect her. However, she opts to live with Dot Branning
(June Brown
) instead of her close family, but Dot convinces her to move back to Ricky's. When Ryan returns from a holiday, he learns of Whitney's ordeal and urges her to go to the police and get tested for sexually transmitted infections. She says she is not ready to go to the police but agrees to the test, which shows she has a chlamydia infection.
When Whitney starts a relationship with a man named Lee (Mitchell Hunt), it is revealed that he is a friend of Rob's, and when Whitney agrees to meet Lee by text, Rob takes control of Lee's mobile phone. She goes to meet Lee and is shocked to see Rob instead. She is taken in by his charm until she texts Lee not to come, and then sees the message on Rob's phone. She allows Rob to take her home but then tells him to wait outside while she escapes through the back door and hitches a lift to Southend-on-Sea
with friends. She leaves him a voicemail message not knowing that he has followed her. He finds her in her hotel room and tells her how much he loves her, but when Fatboy
(Ricky Norwood
) comes in, Rob attacks him, so Whitney tells him to leave. Fatboy calls Ryan, who comes to Southend to look for Rob. When he finds him, they fight and fall over the edge of the pier. The next day, a body is recovered from the sea, and is later revealed to be Rob who has died. Whitney thinks Ryan may also be dead until he appears. She tells him she has told the police everything about Rob, including Ryan's fight with him, and Ryan tells Whitney he has to leave. They say an emotional farewell.
Lee returns and is warned off by Whitney. Whitney takes an interest in Tyler Moon
(Tony Discipline
) but refuses to date him. Tyler takes part in an unliscenced fight at the boxing ring and Whitney turns up to support him. He tells her he won it for her before fitting in front of her eyes. Whitney pleads for Tyler to wake up in hospital. When he returns, he continues to flirt with Whitney and they share a kiss. Whitney applies for a new work experience at the local nursery which she later gets. When Michael Moon
(Steve John Shepherd
) tells his brother Tyler about Whitney's recent ordeal, he rejects her but later gives her his special Moon pendant to make up for it. He later gets her some fish. The following week, Tyler upsets Whitney just as she begins to make an effort with him. He later gives her a little black and white bear she thought was cute. She agrees to go on a date with him. They agree to have sex but Whitney is unsure as she remembers her past and runs out, telling Tyler she never wants to see him again. Tyler is hurt. He later tells Fatboy she needs a shrink which Whitney overhears. She runs out and kisses Fatboy and starts a relationship with him. Tyler admits he wants to be with Whitney and tells her that she is using Fatboy to make him jealous. She argues back, insisting that Fatboy is what she needs right now. The following day, Whitney finds out that Lauren slept with Tyler and she is furious with him. Later on, she is comforted by Fatboy and they soon get intimate. Whitney passes an interview to start a child care course.
said that his vision for the character was someone "quite spiky, quite gobby, a bit of an equal to Bianca, and in a way a version of Bianca at that age". Shona McGarty was cast in the role.
Considering the character's role in the wider context of the show as a whole, it was decided that Whitney would be involved in a sexual relationship with Bianca's partner Tony King. BBC News
described the plot as an ongoing "predatory paedophile storyline", noting that this was the first time this subject matter had been tackled by a UK soap opera. The storyline was conceived when EastEnders series consultant Simon Ashdown
viewed a documentary about homelessness, featuring a mother and child at a bus stop with nowhere to go. Ashdown questioned what might happen if a paedophile were to befriend the mother in order to grow closer to the child, and related the scenario to Bianca's return to the soap. BBC Head of Drama John Yorke explained that the idea when presented "drew a sharp intake of breath. Most EastEnders stories that have been good and successful have been the ones that caused the sharp intake of breath, so they're always the kind of stories you look for."
The idea that McGarty play a child groomed for sex was put to the actress on 9 January 2008. Santer has stated that, had McGarty or her parents objected to the storyline, they would not have gone ahead with it. In the event, McGarty's parents merely requested that their daughter not be asked to publicise the role, and the actress began filming her first scenes on 14 January 2008.
's Tom Narducci, Jude Toasland, who deals with abused children, and Yvonne Traynor, CEO of the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre. Duplock has stated that: "One thing that was quite difficult for me to get right was the idea that she didn't want sex. It's Whitney's way of keeping Tony happy. If she lets him do it, then he's nicer to her and he makes her feel special." Research highlighted the fact that 12% of abused children go on to become abusers in turn, however Duplock explained: "We felt that to imply on TV that someone who has been abused is going to go on to abuse other people is not a message you want to give out. Those people have been through enough." Narducci for the NSPCC stated that importance was placed on making children viewing the show "feel comfortable about asking for help if they felt they needed it [and] for the wider community - to recognise the signs and let them know that they can do something about it. [...] We're not trying to cause a national panic. This is a responsible effort to try to get over an important story."
It had initially been decided that, alongside Tony's sexual abuse, Whitney would be seen to self-harm
. This aspect of the storyline was discarded, after the NSPCC suggested that it may distract from the main issue of her abuse. Final approval for the storyline was sought from BBC Head of Fiction Jane Tranter
on 2 June 2008. Tranter explained:
Chris Coghill was cast as Whitney's abuser Tony on 20 June 2008. Upon accepting the role, he commented: "Shona doesn't act, or look, like a little child. Which helps." He has added of their off-screen relationship: "Shona's fantastic to work with. She's very natural, very instinctive and a natural actress. There isn't any uncomfortable feeling at all." Having undergone a thorough characterisation session, Coghill began shooting on 30 June 2008, and first appeared on-screen on 12 September 2008. Coghill has explained that Tony began grooming
Whitney as soon as he met Bianca, ingratiating himself so as to become the family's "hero figure" and "saviour". Discussing his character's relationship with Whitney, Coghill explained that: "The lie that Tony has spun to Whitney is that as soon as she's 16 they'll run away together and start a new life. But Tony's the type of paedophile who preys on younger children. Whitney is beginning to pass her sell-by date with him. [...] He feels like he's losing his little girl but needs to keep Whitney under his control and not speak out." Coghill stated that: "This is the most challenging role I have had to play. But I hope by EastEnders tackling the sensitive issue of child abuse it can raise awareness." When asked how she felt about the abuse storyline, Palmer commented: "It would be brilliant if it helped somebody. If one person out there who's been abused saw [the legal system] go out of their way to make it easier on the victim – Whitney's evidence is given by video link – it will be worth it."
, who exploits her for financial gain. EastEnders worked alongside charity Comic Relief
on the storyline, which started planning in 2010. The storyline culminated during Red Nose Day 2011
on 19 March 2011, 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. We have been working with the EastEnders script writers and some of the young women from projects we support to ensure the story reflects the reality of young people caught up in sexual exploitation." Kevin Cahill, Chief Executive of Comic Relief, added "We have worked over many years with EastEnders in all kinds of ways. It's been a real pleasure this year to work together on a piece of serious drama, in the best traditions of public service, which will highlight an important issue and also, because it occurs on the night of Comic Relief, actually help raise crucial funds to help young women caught up in it." The storyline begins when Bianca is sent to prison and Whitney rejects her family, moving in with Janine and attempting to make money by stealing from The Queen Victoria, causing her to get sacked, working for Max, whom she tries to kiss as she has a crush on him, and pickpocketing. When she is caught, Rob rescues her from the situation and offers her what McGarty called a "dream life", which Whitney thinks is her chance to move up in the world as she feels lonely and has no friends.
McGarty told Inside Soap
that she hoped the storyline would have a positive impact, saying that she had done some research herself before filming, meeting teenage girls who had been exploited and hearing their experiences. She said she felt honoured and privileged to be given the storyline.
, in which she buys some trainers from Asher Levi
(Heshima Thompson
) but later returns them as they are of different sizes. Jane Beale (Laurie Brett
) joins the argument and snatches Asher's wallet when he says he does not give refunds, but he snatches it back. Jane tells two police officers he is a thief and they chase after him.
and television regulatory body Ofcom
received 70 complaints after Whitney's first scenes with Tony aired. A BBC spokesman responded: "This is a difficult and challenging storyline, but one which keeps with the tradition of the show for tackling difficult social issues such as domestic abuse and mental health in the past. All the content on screen adheres to the BBC's editorial guidelines." The Guardian
Aida Edemariam said of the beginning of the storyline: "what is most disturbing, watching [Tony and Whitney's] first scenes together, is not the sexuality of the situation per se, though that is uncomfortable - it's the subtle blackmail
with which he keeps her in line. As it's combined with the emotional manipulation
native to soaps, the viewer starts to feel a bit bullied, too." Numbers of viewer complaints rose within days to over 200. New Statesman
journalist Jeremy Sare commented on the public outrage and defended EastEnders decision to air the storyline, writing:
Sare quoted a BBC spokeswoman as saying: "we appreciate that for some viewers this storyline will have particular resonance and significance. In running it, it's certainly not our intention to cause distress or upset, either to those who've suffered from sexual abuse or their families. Our aim is instead to raise awareness of this very sensitive issue", concluding his article with the summation: "The producers' dilemma is instructive to children’s charities and Ministers alike on how to confront the issue in a digestible manner which can stimulate an objective debate."
The Daily Mirror Beth Neil branded the plot strand "one of the darkest and most disturbing storylines EastEnders has ever attempted", with critic Jim Shelley
deeming it a "new low" for EastEnders. Shelley wrote of Whitney's abuse: "You've really got to hand it to EastEnders. Just when you thought the show couldn't get any more miserable, the writers come up trumps and produce a new way of making us depressed - a paedophile storyline. Thanks for that! I realise now this is what the family meal has been missing three nights a week: gathering the telly to watch a grubby, greasyhaired thug drooling over a 15-year-old girl who (as luck would have it) spends her entire life in her school uniform even when she's not at school. And they say family entertainment's dead." Shelley refuted the BBC's claims that the storyline had educational value as "totally bogus", observing that "At 7.30 or 8pm, the "action" has to be so coded as to be pointless". Deborah Orr, writing for The Independent
, similarly disagreed with the BBC's statement that the storyline was part of EastEnders "rich heritage of tackling difficult social issues", writing that:
The Daily Mail
Lizzie Smith deemed the storyline "horrifying", while The Guardian
Julie Raeside questioned: "Is this latest sexual abuse storyline a good thing to position in a pre-watershed soap opera, or should the EastEnders storyliners stick to a less controversial brand of misery?" However, in contrast to public and media dissent, the NSPCC
's director of communications, John Grounds, praised the storyline for "helping to raise awareness of the hidden nature of sexual abuse", deeming it to be "vital in persuading people to take action to stop it and encouraging children to speak out."
Episodes from Whitney's storyline were submitted to the Royal Television Society
Programme Awards 2008 for a panel to judge in the category Soap and Continuing Drama. EastEnders was presented with the award in March 2009, beating Coronation Street
and The Bill
. Members of the judging panel described the submitted episodes as "the culmination of a particularly challenging and controversial storyline which the production team, writers and cast pulled off triumphantly."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Shona McGarty
Shona McGarty
Shona Bernadette McGarty is an English actress from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Whitney Dean.-Career:...
. The character is the adoptive daughter of long-running character Bianca Jackson
Bianca Jackson
Bianca Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Patsy Palmer. The character was introduced by executive producer Leonard Lewis and appeared initially from 1993 to 1999, when Palmer opted to leave. In 2002 executive producer John Yorke brought the character...
(Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer is an English actress. Palmer made an early television appearance on the children's drama show Grange Hill, but is best known for playing Bianca Jackson in the popular British television soap opera EastEnders. Originally in the cast from 1993–1999, Palmer returned to EastEnders in...
), and was introduced in April 2008 when Palmer returned to the series after a six year absence. Whitney is described by executive producer Diederick Santer
Diederick Santer
Diederick Santer is a British television producer and is best known for his work on the popular BBC television soap opera EastEnders, a post which he assumed on 23 October 2006 and left on 1 March 2010...
as both an equal to, and younger version of Bianca, and is the oldest of Bianca's four children. Her storylines have revolved around her fractured family life, and her sexual abuse by Bianca's partner Tony King
Tony King
Tony King is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Chris Coghill. He was the partner of established character Bianca Jackson , and a father-figure to her four children...
(Chris Coghill
Chris Coghill
Christopher "Chris" Coghill is an actor and writer from Prestwich, Greater Manchester, England. Coghill is best known for his deep voice and has a history of portraying criminals.-Career:...
).
The paedophile storyline marks the first time the subject matter has been broached in a UK soap opera, and was researched and developed with advice and approval from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The inappropriate nature of Tony and Whitney's relationship resulted in over 200 complaints being made to the BBC and television regulatory body Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
by members of the public, with the storyline deemed "horrifying" by the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
Lizzie Smith, and "one of the darkest and most disturbing storylines EastEnders has ever attempted" by the Daily Mirror Beth Neil. The NSPCC however have praised the storyline for "helping to raise awareness of the hidden nature of sexual abuse". The storyline also gained EastEnders a Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
Programme Award in March 2009 in the Soap and Continuing Drama category.
Storylines
Whitney first appears in EastEnders when she and her family—mother figure Bianca JacksonBianca Jackson
Bianca Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Patsy Palmer. The character was introduced by executive producer Leonard Lewis and appeared initially from 1993 to 1999, when Palmer opted to leave. In 2002 executive producer John Yorke brought the character...
(Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer
Patsy Palmer is an English actress. Palmer made an early television appearance on the children's drama show Grange Hill, but is best known for playing Bianca Jackson in the popular British television soap opera EastEnders. Originally in the cast from 1993–1999, Palmer returned to EastEnders in...
), half-sister Tiffany Dean
Tiffany Dean
Tiffany Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Maisie Smith. Tiffany is the daughter of established characters Bianca Jackson and Ricky Butcher , though originally she was believed to be Bianca's daughter with a man named Nathan Dean...
(Maisie Smith
Maisie Smith
Maisie Lily Smith is an English actress. She has appeared in the feature film The Other Boleyn Girl and has played the regular role of Tiffany Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 2008.- Career :...
), and Bianca's sons Liam Butcher
Liam Butcher
Liam Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by twins Jack and Tom Godolphin in 1998 and 1999, Gavin and Mitchell Vaughan in 2002, and by Nathaniel Gleed from 2002 to 2004...
(James Forde
James Forde
James Forde is a young British character actor.James Forde is currently starring as Liam Butcher the son of Ricky Butcher and Bianca Jackson in long running soap EastEnders and has been there since April 2008 at the age of ten, taking over the role from Nathaniel Gleed. He is the 6th actor to play...
) and Morgan Jackson-King (Devon Higgs) are evicted by their landlord. The children spend a week in care after Bianca is arrested for assaulting a police officer, returning to her custody a week later and moving into Pat Evans
Pat Evans
Patricia Louise "Pat" Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She has been played by Pam St. Clement since 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired...
' (Pam St. Clement
Pam St. Clement
Pamela Ann Clement , known by the stage name Pam St. Clement, is an English actress. She has played Pat Evans in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 1986, and is now one of the programme's longest-serving cast members. St. Clement announced her intention to leave EastEnders on 8 July 2011 and will...
) home. Over the next few months, Bianca becomes the beneficiary of a mystery "guardian angel", who is revealed to be Whitney. Whitney tells Bianca she found a winning lottery ticket, but kept it secret as she knew that Bianca would spend the money. Bianca reluctantly agrees to deposit the money; however Whitney hides some to be used in emergencies.
It is revealed that Bianca's imprisoned boyfriend Tony King
Tony King
Tony King is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Chris Coghill. He was the partner of established character Bianca Jackson , and a father-figure to her four children...
(Chris Coghill
Chris Coghill
Christopher "Chris" Coghill is an actor and writer from Prestwich, Greater Manchester, England. Coghill is best known for his deep voice and has a history of portraying criminals.-Career:...
) has been grooming Whitney since she was twelve, and that they have had a sexual relationship. Having served a year-long sentence for assaulting a boy who apparently harassed Whitney, Tony is released on 12 September 2008. He makes it clear to Whitney that they will resume their sexual relationship, and Whitney in turn reveals that she has kept some of the lottery winnings so they can run away together. Tony, however, harangued by Bianca about the prospect of marriage, gives her Whitney's money to use as a down-payment on a flat.
When Whitney and class-mate Peter Beale
Peter Beale
Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010. The character has previously been portrayed by James Martin, Joseph Shade, Alex Stevens and Francis Brittin-Snell. Law took over the role on 31 August 2006...
(Thomas Law
Thomas Law
Thomas John Law is a British actor. He is the fourth actor to play Peter Beale in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders...
) are cast in the lead roles of the school play Romeo and Julie
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
, Tony is jealous of them rehearsing in private and punches Peter. Whitney convinces Peter and his sister Lucy Beale
Lucy Beale
Lucy Katherine Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Eva Brittin-Snell from 1993 to 1996, Casey Anne Rothery from 1996 until 2004, Melissa Suffield from 2004 to 2010 and Hetti Bywater from 2012 onwards. Lucy was introduced in December 1993 as the newborn baby...
(Melissa Suffield
Melissa Suffield
Melissa Hollie Suffield is a British actress from London, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Lucy Beale. Her first appearance on the show was 28 October 2004 and her last on 27 August 2010.-Career:...
) not to report the attack to the police, but Tony blames her for the incident and ends their affair. Whitney is devastated when Tony accepts Bianca's marriage proposal, locking herself in her bedroom. Not knowing what to do, Bianca accepts Dr. Poppy Merritt's (Amy Darcy) help and she refers Whitney to a psychiatrist. Bianca takes her away on holiday, attempting to mend their relationship. When they return on Halloween, Tony and Whitney share a passionate kiss, and Tony informs Whitney that their relationship is back on.
Lauren Branning
Lauren Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She first appeared in the show on 3 July 2006 played by Madeline Duggan, was absent from 23 June to 27 September 2010, and returned as played by Jacqueline Jossa.-Storylines:...
(Madeline Duggan
Madeline Duggan
Madeline Elizabeth Duggan is an English actress best known for her portrayal of Lauren Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Personal life:...
). As her sixteenth birthday approaches, she buys tickets for them to travel abroad. Tony has lost interest in Whitney and hides her passport, but it is found and returned to her. On the day she turns sixteen, Whitney confesses everything to Bianca. Horrified, Bianca calls the police, and Tony is arrested. Whitney initially refuses to discuss her and Tony's relationship with the police, believing that they were in love but Bianca makes her realise that Tony abused her and raped her for years. Tony is released on bail and returns to Pat's house, hoping to convince Whitney to lie to the police for him, making Whitney realise Bianca is right, and agrees to make a statement against him.
Whitney contacts her biological mother Debra Dean (Ruth Gemmell
Ruth Gemmell
-Early life:Ruth Gemmell was born in Darlington, Durham, England. She has three brothers. She attended an all girls school in Darlington called Polam Hall.Her parents divorced when she was a child and she moved with her mother to Darlington from Barnard Castle....
) and tries to discuss the past, but Debra isn't interested and rejects her. She meets Todd Taylor (Ashley Kumar
Ashley Kumar
Ashley Kumar is an English actor perhaps best known for portraying the recurring character Todd Taylor in popular British soap opera EastEnders. His father is an Indian Hindu and his mother is English.-Filmography:...
) and agrees to go on a date with him, which goes well until he asks about past relationships. Whitney runs away and is found by Bianca's ex-husband Ricky Butcher
Ricky Butcher
Richard Francis "Ricky" Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sid Owen. Introduced as a school boy in 1988, Ricky is one of the longest-running, male protagonists to feature in EastEnders. Owen originally left the role in 2000 to pursue a music career...
(Sid Owen
Sid Owen
Sid Owen is an English actor, television presenter and former singer, most famous for playing the role of Ricky Butcher in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, which he appeared in from 1988 until 2000, 2002 until 2004 and then again from March 2008.-Career:Prior to his role in EastEnders he had a...
), drunk. She tries to kiss him but he pushes her away. When it is discovered that Whitney has been shoplifting, she agrees to get professional counselling. Todd returns and Whitney eventually relaxes in his company, agreeing to another date. When Whitney finds a condom in his wallet, she assumes he wants to have sex with her and runs away. Todd is later scared off by a man who is interested in Whitney, and who saves her and several other locals from a hostage situation.
Debra turns up unexpectedly, claiming she is homeless, but reveals she is planning to move to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
when she has enough money and says Whitney can come with her. Whitney accepts, but later realises that Debra is using her and she is only there to hide from someone. After being tracked down, Debra leaves. On Bianca's birthday, a misunderstanding leads her to suspect Whitney of having an affair with her uncle Max
Max Branning
Max Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jake Wood. He made his first appearance on 27 June 2006.-Backstory:Max is the fifth child and second son of Jim and Reenie Branning...
(Jake Wood
Jake Wood
Jake Dylan Wood is an English actor, best known in his homeland for playing Max Branning on "EastEnders" and in the United States as the current voice of the GEICO gecko.-Biography:...
). Whitney is upset and packs her things, but is halted by Debra's unexpected return. Whitney finds her panicked mother at the door with cuts and bruises on her face, saying that someone is after her. This person is the same man that saved Whitney from the hostage incident, who tells Whitney he is her half-brother, Ryan Malloy
Ryan Malloy
Ryan Malloy is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Neil McDermott. From his arrival on 28 April 2009, the character remained a mystery in the show for a number of months until he was revealed as the half brother of established character Whitney Dean...
(Neil McDermott
Neil McDermott
Neil McDermott is a British stage and television actor who is best known for portraying Ryan Malloy in the BBC television soap opera EastEnders from April 2009 until 2011.-Career:...
). He has stabbed someone and Debra is keeping the knife for him. Whitney hides the knife and later disposes of it in a canal.
Whitney receives a mobile phone from Tony prior to the commencement of his trial. He leaves her a message begging her to call him, saying he loves her. At the trial, a distressed Whitney runs into the court shouting that she and Tony love each other. She says she will refuse to testify, claiming her witness statement was lies and she was forced to say it. Tony's barrister, Mrs Taylor (Jacqueline Defferary
Jacqueline Defferary
-Film and television:Defferary's first screen role was in the 1992 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries seriel "Kissing the Gunner's Daughter". She has also appeared in several episodes of ITV police drama The Bill....
), cross examines Whitney, implying that she pursued him for several years and lied about her accusations. Tony shouts out that he is innocent but Whitney says she trusted him and he abused her. After leaving the courtroom, Whitney hands over the mobile phone with Tony's messages on it to her barrister. Tony is later sentenced to 13 years' custody.
During the trial, Whitney learns that Tiffany is Ricky's daughter. She is initially distressed, but accepts that Tiffany is still her sister although they are not related. She repairs her friendship with Todd, and they kiss at Ricky and Bianca's engagement party. Their reunion is short-lived, and Whitney breaks up with him in favour of Bianca's half-brother Billie Jackson (Devon Anderson
Devon Anderson
Devon Carlo Anderson is an English actor who has been acting since an early age and became a CBBC presenter on BBC One and the CBBC Channel...
). Whitney is attacked by Billie's jealous friend Kylie (Elarica Gallacher
Elarica Gallacher
Elarica Gallacher, born 21 August 1989 in London is a British model and actress, with a mother of African origin and an English father. She is best known for the role of the waitress in the bar of the London Underground in the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. She also participated in...
), and when his friends cause trouble at a grime
Grime (music)
Grime is a style of music that emerged from Bow, East London, England in the early 2000s, primarily as a development of UK garage, dancehall, and hip hop...
night at The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
public house, Whitney asks him to choose between her and his former gang. Billie chooses Whitney, and Kylie takes revenge by attempting to shoot him, hitting his uncle Jack
Jack Branning
Jack Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Scott Maslen. He made his first appearance on 29 October 2007. He is the youngest child of Jim and Reenie Branning and the brother of April Branning, Carol Jackson, Derek Branning, Suzy Branning and Max Branning...
(Scott Maslen
Scott Maslen
Scott Alexander Maslen is an English actor and model, best known for his portrayal as DS Phil Hunter in ITV's The Bill and now Jack Branning on the BBC's flagship soap EastEnders.-Early and personal life:...
) instead. Jack is hospitalised with major injuries, and Whitney struggles to help Billie deal with his guilt and subsequent anger and rejection from the Branning and Jackson families. She is further deeply upset when Billie decides to join the army in an attempt to make Jack proud. Billie is angry when he discovers that Leon Small
Leon Small
Leon Small is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders and its Internet spin-off EastEnders: E20, played by Sam Attwater. He made his first appearance in EastEnders on 5 January and appears in all twelve episodes of the first series of EastEnders: E20...
(Sam Attwater
Sam Attwater
Samuel "Sam" Attwater is an English actor and singer best known for playing Leon Small in the British soap opera EastEnders and its online spin-off EastEnders: E20...
) kissed Whitney, though she does not reciprocate. Though he later apologises and they reunite, he upsets Whitney by spending his army leave with friends, and later ends their relationship as he has changed. Whitney tries to help Carol arrange his birthday party, saying that they are still friends, but Carol refuses Whitney's help, stating that she will organise the party alone. At the party, Whitney ends up kissing Peter. She spends the night with him and the next day is upset to learn that Billie has died in his sleep. She blames herself for leaving the party after she sees a text message from Billie saying he still loved her. She sends a reply and lays flowers and candles for him. However, she later goes back to Peter for comfort, and he comforts her again on the day of the funeral. The pair then begins a relationship. However Billie's friend Connor Stanley (Arinze Kene
Arinze Kene
-Career:Kene has appeared in stage productions such as playing Simba in The Lion King, Daddy Cool, and in June 2009 played strutting lothario Raymond LeGrendre in the musical Been So Long, based on Ché Walker's 1998 play, which opened at the Young Vic...
), starts flirting with her, and questions her as to why she would date someone like Peter after dating Billie. He also asks her to sell some stolen jewellery for him, which she agrees to.
At Peter's birthday party, Whitney confides to Lauren (now Jacqueline Jossa
Jacqueline Jossa
Jacqueline Mary Jossa is an English actress from Bexley, London, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Lauren Branning.Jossa was born in the London Borough of Bexley...
) that she feels smothered by Peter's affection for her. Peter's father Ian
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
(Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
) then insults Whitney, which causes Peter to storm out of the party, and Whitney follows him. Later, Whitney's relationship with Peter starts to sink, and she falls for Connor. Connor and Whitney have an on-off relationship, and he continues to see her and Carol at the same time. After it is revealed that Connor has been sleeping with them both, Bianca attacks him and gives herself into the police. Whitney and Carol argue over Connor, and Whitney feels she is not wanted by her family so decides to move out, and stays with Ryan's estranged wife Janine (Charlie Brooks
Charlie Brooks
Charlene "Charlie" Brooks is a Welsh actress, best known for playing Janine Butcher on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Acting career:...
). They go on a night out where a drunken Whitney takes a man, David Priors (Daniel Coonan
Daniel Coonan
Daniel Coonan is a British actor. Daniel was born in North London. He was brought up in Harringay in London and finally, Plymouth, Devon, where he took up acting in his teens. He trained at LAMDA for three years....
) back home, though Janine tries to put her off as he thinks they are prostitutes. Janine takes £50 from him before he and Whitney have sex. The next morning, Whitney discovers this and is upset. Janine buys Whitney a gift with the money but Whitney rejects it, however, Janine manipulates her into changing her mind. Whitney then finds out Janine used to be a prostitute. Whitney and Janine meet David again with his friend Gary Dewsbury (Daniel Husbands) at the club, but Whitney is left alone with David. Not wanting to sleep with him again, she steals his wallet when he is at the toilet. He goes to their flat and threatens to call the police but Janine makes him change his mind. Whitney moves out when she and Janine have a falling out and sleeps rough, but Janine allows her to move back. Kat Moon
Kat Moon
Kathleen "Kat" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jessie Wallace. She was also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001. She appeared in the show from September 2000 to November 2004, then returned in May 2005...
(Jessie Wallace
Jessie Wallace
Jessie Wallace is an English actress best known for her portrayal as Kat Moon in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Early life:...
) offers Whitney a work trial at The Queen Victoria her a job, but catches her giving free drinks to Janine. Despite this, she lets Whitney off, telling her she is a natural, and works well at the till. When Kat catches her stealing again, she sacks Whitney, leaving Janine angry with Whitney. After Whitney sees Janine successfully pickpocket someone, she decides to try it herself, but ends up being hit in the face. A man called Rob Grayson (Jody Latham
Jody Latham
Jody Lee Latham is an English actor, best known for his roles as Phillip "Lip" Gallagher in the British Channel 4 series Shameless, Calum McKenzie in the ITV series The Fixer, and Rob Grayson in the BBC Soap opera EastEnders....
) helps her, buys her food and returns her to Albert Square, giving her his phone number.
Whitney tries to kiss Max, causing her to fall out with Lauren. She also argues with Carol, rejects Ricky and is rejected by Liam, Tiffany and Morgan for ruining Ricky's birthday cake days earlier. Upset, Whitney contacts Rob and asks to stay with him, which he accepts. She throws her phone away and tells nobody that she is going. Janine lies about Whitney's whereabouts but when she admits she does not know where Whitney is, Lauren and Janine attempt to find her, and Lauren sees her in Dartford going into a club. Lauren goes back with her to her bedsit, but Whitney does not want to go, saying she and Rob are in love. Lauren is then thrown out by Rob. Whitney has sex with a man called Chris (Richard Simons) and it is revealed that Whitney has been having sex with Rob's friends in order to pay off his debts to them. Janine tries to get Whitney to come home but she refuses, and Rob ejects Janine. Rob then drags Whitney out of the house and into his car, while Janine and Lauren see them driving off. They go to a house where Whitney meets another woman, Chloe (Georgia Henshaw
Georgia Henshaw
Georgia Henshaw is a Welsh actress from Swansea, South Wales. She is best known for her role as a member of "The Ace Gang", Rosie in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, and as JJ's love interest, Lara, in Skins. She has also appeared as Cassie Claypole in the BBC3 show Two Pints Of Lager And A...
), who is also being exploited. Whitney tells Rob she wants to leave, but he says to either be nice to his friends or he will hurt her. He locks her in a room so she breaks the window and escapes, stopping a car and asking for help, while Rob shouts after her.
The following month, she sends Lauren a message and meets her outside the police station, looking rough, as she has been arrested for shoplifting. She returns home with Lauren, who calls Ricky to collect her. However, she opts to live with Dot Branning
Dot Branning
Dorothy "Dot" Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, EastEnders, played by June Brown since 1985. In a special episode entitled EastEnders: Dot's Story a young Dot was played by Tallulah Pitt-Brown in flashbacks. Dot first appeared in EastEnders in July 1985 as the mother of...
(June Brown
June Brown
June Muriel Brown, MBE is a British actress, best known for her role as the busy-body, chain-smoking gossip Dot Cotton in the long-running British soap opera EastEnders and for making other high profile television appearances on shows such as Doctor Who, Coronation Street, Minder, The Bill and...
) instead of her close family, but Dot convinces her to move back to Ricky's. When Ryan returns from a holiday, he learns of Whitney's ordeal and urges her to go to the police and get tested for sexually transmitted infections. She says she is not ready to go to the police but agrees to the test, which shows she has a chlamydia infection.
When Whitney starts a relationship with a man named Lee (Mitchell Hunt), it is revealed that he is a friend of Rob's, and when Whitney agrees to meet Lee by text, Rob takes control of Lee's mobile phone. She goes to meet Lee and is shocked to see Rob instead. She is taken in by his charm until she texts Lee not to come, and then sees the message on Rob's phone. She allows Rob to take her home but then tells him to wait outside while she escapes through the back door and hitches a lift to Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
with friends. She leaves him a voicemail message not knowing that he has followed her. He finds her in her hotel room and tells her how much he loves her, but when Fatboy
Fatboy (EastEnders)
Arthur "Fatboy" Chubb is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders and its Internet spin-off EastEnders: E20, played by Ricky Norwood. He made his first appearance in EastEnders on 5 January 2010 before appearing in the spin-off...
(Ricky Norwood
Ricky Norwood
Richard Colin "Ricky" Norwood is a British actor who plays Fatboy in the soap opera EastEnders and its online spin-off EastEnders: E20. He was born in Tower Hamlets, London, and lives in Forest Gate. From the age of 12 he attended the Theatre Royal Stratford East's Youth Theatre, and he also...
) comes in, Rob attacks him, so Whitney tells him to leave. Fatboy calls Ryan, who comes to Southend to look for Rob. When he finds him, they fight and fall over the edge of the pier. The next day, a body is recovered from the sea, and is later revealed to be Rob who has died. Whitney thinks Ryan may also be dead until he appears. She tells him she has told the police everything about Rob, including Ryan's fight with him, and Ryan tells Whitney he has to leave. They say an emotional farewell.
Lee returns and is warned off by Whitney. Whitney takes an interest in Tyler Moon
Tyler Moon
Tyler Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Tony Discipline. Tyler is the son of Eddie Moon , half brother of Michael and Craig Moon , brother of Anthony Moon and cousin of Alfie Moon...
(Tony Discipline
Tony Discipline
Tony Discipline is an English actor. His best known role to date is the character of Tyler Moon, the youngest son of already established character Eddie Moon and on-screen brother of Anthony and Michael Moon .-Career:Discipline has had only one major role to date, Tyler Moon...
) but refuses to date him. Tyler takes part in an unliscenced fight at the boxing ring and Whitney turns up to support him. He tells her he won it for her before fitting in front of her eyes. Whitney pleads for Tyler to wake up in hospital. When he returns, he continues to flirt with Whitney and they share a kiss. Whitney applies for a new work experience at the local nursery which she later gets. When Michael Moon
Michael Moon (EastEnders)
Michael Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve John Shepherd. The character is a second cousin once removed of Alfie Moon , who first appears on 1 October 2010 after Alfie's return. He is also the father to Tommy Moon, whose mother is Alfie's wife Kat...
(Steve John Shepherd
Steve John Shepherd
-Career:Shepherd first became known in 1996, when he played the role of Jo, the law clerk, in the critically acclaimed BBC drama This Life. He remained in the role for two series...
) tells his brother Tyler about Whitney's recent ordeal, he rejects her but later gives her his special Moon pendant to make up for it. He later gets her some fish. The following week, Tyler upsets Whitney just as she begins to make an effort with him. He later gives her a little black and white bear she thought was cute. She agrees to go on a date with him. They agree to have sex but Whitney is unsure as she remembers her past and runs out, telling Tyler she never wants to see him again. Tyler is hurt. He later tells Fatboy she needs a shrink which Whitney overhears. She runs out and kisses Fatboy and starts a relationship with him. Tyler admits he wants to be with Whitney and tells her that she is using Fatboy to make him jealous. She argues back, insisting that Fatboy is what she needs right now. The following day, Whitney finds out that Lauren slept with Tyler and she is furious with him. Later on, she is comforted by Fatboy and they soon get intimate. Whitney passes an interview to start a child care course.
Creation
In October 2007, it was announced that the character Bianca Jackson was returning to EastEnders after an absence of six years. Whitney was created as part of her new family; the daughter of Bianca's deceased partner Nathan Dean. She was described as "a teenage drama queen, unable to engage brain before mouth and constantly finding herself in and out of trouble". Bianca sees Whitney as one of her own, and also as "a friend and confidante". EastEnders executive producer Diederick SanterDiederick Santer
Diederick Santer is a British television producer and is best known for his work on the popular BBC television soap opera EastEnders, a post which he assumed on 23 October 2006 and left on 1 March 2010...
said that his vision for the character was someone "quite spiky, quite gobby, a bit of an equal to Bianca, and in a way a version of Bianca at that age". Shona McGarty was cast in the role.
Considering the character's role in the wider context of the show as a whole, it was decided that Whitney would be involved in a sexual relationship with Bianca's partner Tony King. BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
described the plot as an ongoing "predatory paedophile storyline", noting that this was the first time this subject matter had been tackled by a UK soap opera. The storyline was conceived when EastEnders series consultant Simon Ashdown
Simon Ashdown
Simon Ashdown is a British television writer, best known as being a BAFTA award-nominated EastEnders writer.Ashdown is currently series consultant and lead writer on EastEnders. He was involved in the creation of the Slater family, and along with other writers, developed the characters around the...
viewed a documentary about homelessness, featuring a mother and child at a bus stop with nowhere to go. Ashdown questioned what might happen if a paedophile were to befriend the mother in order to grow closer to the child, and related the scenario to Bianca's return to the soap. BBC Head of Drama John Yorke explained that the idea when presented "drew a sharp intake of breath. Most EastEnders stories that have been good and successful have been the ones that caused the sharp intake of breath, so they're always the kind of stories you look for."
The idea that McGarty play a child groomed for sex was put to the actress on 9 January 2008. Santer has stated that, had McGarty or her parents objected to the storyline, they would not have gone ahead with it. In the event, McGarty's parents merely requested that their daughter not be asked to publicise the role, and the actress began filming her first scenes on 14 January 2008.
Sexual abuse
In order to develop Whitney's sexual abuse storyline, by March 2008 EastEnders researchers Libby Duplock and Cleo Bicat were in contact with the NSPCCNSPCC
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is a United Kingdom charity campaigning and working in child protection.-History:...
's Tom Narducci, Jude Toasland, who deals with abused children, and Yvonne Traynor, CEO of the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre. Duplock has stated that: "One thing that was quite difficult for me to get right was the idea that she didn't want sex. It's Whitney's way of keeping Tony happy. If she lets him do it, then he's nicer to her and he makes her feel special." Research highlighted the fact that 12% of abused children go on to become abusers in turn, however Duplock explained: "We felt that to imply on TV that someone who has been abused is going to go on to abuse other people is not a message you want to give out. Those people have been through enough." Narducci for the NSPCC stated that importance was placed on making children viewing the show "feel comfortable about asking for help if they felt they needed it [and] for the wider community - to recognise the signs and let them know that they can do something about it. [...] We're not trying to cause a national panic. This is a responsible effort to try to get over an important story."
It had initially been decided that, alongside Tony's sexual abuse, Whitney would be seen to self-harm
Self-harm
Self-harm or deliberate self-harm includes self-injury and self-poisoning and is defined as the intentional, direct injuring of body tissue most often done without suicidal intentions. These terms are used in the more recent literature in an attempt to reach a more neutral terminology...
. This aspect of the storyline was discarded, after the NSPCC suggested that it may distract from the main issue of her abuse. Final approval for the storyline was sought from BBC Head of Fiction Jane Tranter
Jane Tranter
Jane Tranter is an English television executive who has been the executive vice-president of programming and production at BBC Worldwide's Los Angeles base since January 2009...
on 2 June 2008. Tranter explained:
- "I thought it was a fantastically good idea. The big moments in EastEnders, those iconic pieces of television history, tend to be the things that are incredibly near the knuckle, and are actually quite difficult subjects to raise in the context of a family sitting room. [...] Soaps are meant to hold up a mirror to our lives, and sometimes that mirror will show ugly bits, difficult bits, taboo bits. But if a soap doesn't hold up that mirror, then actually, what is it? It will have no depth."
Chris Coghill was cast as Whitney's abuser Tony on 20 June 2008. Upon accepting the role, he commented: "Shona doesn't act, or look, like a little child. Which helps." He has added of their off-screen relationship: "Shona's fantastic to work with. She's very natural, very instinctive and a natural actress. There isn't any uncomfortable feeling at all." Having undergone a thorough characterisation session, Coghill began shooting on 30 June 2008, and first appeared on-screen on 12 September 2008. Coghill has explained that Tony began grooming
Child grooming
Child grooming refers to actions deliberately undertaken with the aim of befriending and establishing an emotional connection with a child, in order to lower the child's inhibitions in preparation for sexual activity with the child, or exploitation .Child grooming may be used to lure minors into...
Whitney as soon as he met Bianca, ingratiating himself so as to become the family's "hero figure" and "saviour". Discussing his character's relationship with Whitney, Coghill explained that: "The lie that Tony has spun to Whitney is that as soon as she's 16 they'll run away together and start a new life. But Tony's the type of paedophile who preys on younger children. Whitney is beginning to pass her sell-by date with him. [...] He feels like he's losing his little girl but needs to keep Whitney under his control and not speak out." Coghill stated that: "This is the most challenging role I have had to play. But I hope by EastEnders tackling the sensitive issue of child abuse it can raise awareness." When asked how she felt about the abuse storyline, Palmer commented: "It would be brilliant if it helped somebody. If one person out there who's been abused saw [the legal system] go out of their way to make it easier on the victim – Whitney's evidence is given by video link – it will be worth it."
Sexual exploitation
In January 2011, it was announced that Whitney would be part of a upcoming storyline on sexual exploitation. Whitney is left alone and vulnerable, and falls for a man, Rob Grayson, played by Jody LathamJody Latham
Jody Lee Latham is an English actor, best known for his roles as Phillip "Lip" Gallagher in the British Channel 4 series Shameless, Calum McKenzie in the ITV series The Fixer, and Rob Grayson in the BBC Soap opera EastEnders....
, who exploits her for financial gain. EastEnders worked alongside charity Comic Relief
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
on the storyline, which started planning in 2010. The storyline culminated during Red Nose Day 2011
Red Nose Day 2011
Red Nose Day 2011 was a fundraising event organised by Comic Relief. There was a live telethon broadcast on BBC One and BBC Two from the evening of 18 March 2011 to early the following morning as well as a number of run-up events...
on 19 March 2011, 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. We have been working with the EastEnders script writers and some of the young women from projects we support to ensure the story reflects the reality of young people caught up in sexual exploitation." Kevin Cahill, Chief Executive of Comic Relief, added "We have worked over many years with EastEnders in all kinds of ways. It's been a real pleasure this year to work together on a piece of serious drama, in the best traditions of public service, which will highlight an important issue and also, because it occurs on the night of Comic Relief, actually help raise crucial funds to help young women caught up in it." The storyline begins when Bianca is sent to prison and Whitney rejects her family, moving in with Janine and attempting to make money by stealing from The Queen Victoria, causing her to get sacked, working for Max, whom she tries to kiss as she has a crush on him, and pickpocketing. When she is caught, Rob rescues her from the situation and offers her what McGarty called a "dream life", which Whitney thinks is her chance to move up in the world as she feels lonely and has no friends.
McGarty told Inside Soap
Inside Soap
Inside Soap is a weekly UK magazine, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas shown in the United Kingdom....
that she hoped the storyline would have a positive impact, saying that she had done some research herself before filming, meeting teenage girls who had been exploited and hearing their experiences. She said she felt honoured and privileged to be given the storyline.
Other appearances
Whitney makes a cameo appearance in episode eight of the second series of the Internet spin-off series EastEnders: E20EastEnders: E20
EastEnders: E20 is a British Internet soap opera, which began airing on 8 January 2010. A spin-off from the established BBC soap EastEnders, it is set in EastEnders regular setting of Albert Square, a Victorian square in the fictional borough of Walford, in the East End of London...
, in which she buys some trainers from Asher Levi
Asher Levi
Asher Levi is a fictional character from EastEnders: E20, an Internet spin-off of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Played by Heshima Thompson, Asher is a main character in series two. He is a charismatic street dancer, who uses his talent to escape from his criminal past...
(Heshima Thompson
Heshima Thompson
Heshima Salim Thompson is a British actor and singer.Thompson was born in the London Borough of Brent. He has appeared on television in Spooks: Code 9 as Jez, Prime Suspect, Casualty, City Lights, Judge John Deed and Babyfather. In theatre he has appeared at The Young Vic in Generations and at The...
) but later returns them as they are of different sizes. Jane Beale (Laurie Brett
Laurie Brett
Laurie Brett is a Scottish actress, currently known for her role as Jane Beale in EastEnders, in which she has starred since 2004.-Personal life:...
) joins the argument and snatches Asher's wallet when he says he does not give refunds, but he snatches it back. Jane tells two police officers he is a thief and they chase after him.
Reception
The BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and television regulatory body Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
received 70 complaints after Whitney's first scenes with Tony aired. A BBC spokesman responded: "This is a difficult and challenging storyline, but one which keeps with the tradition of the show for tackling difficult social issues such as domestic abuse and mental health in the past. All the content on screen adheres to the BBC's editorial guidelines." The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Aida Edemariam said of the beginning of the storyline: "what is most disturbing, watching [Tony and Whitney's] first scenes together, is not the sexuality of the situation per se, though that is uncomfortable - it's the subtle blackmail
Emotional blackmail
Emotional blackmail is a term used to cover a central form of psychological manipulation - 'the use of a system of threats and punishment on a person by someone close to them in an attempt to control their behavior'. "Emotional blackmail.....
with which he keeps her in line. As it's combined with the emotional manipulation
Psychological manipulation
Psychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behavior of others through underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. By advancing the interests of the manipulator, often at the other's expense, such methods could be considered exploitative,...
native to soaps, the viewer starts to feel a bit bullied, too." Numbers of viewer complaints rose within days to over 200. New Statesman
New Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
journalist Jeremy Sare commented on the public outrage and defended EastEnders decision to air the storyline, writing:
- "There may be some justification for the hundreds complaining about these distressing issues being presented in prime time: equally it is courageous for the Beeb to include a scenario which challenges the public’s perception of what is a ‘typical paedophile’. The repellent Tony’s grooming and seduction of his stepdaughter, Whitney, is a much more familiar pattern of abuse than the more commonly held image of predators lurking in parks. [...] The producers of Eastenders, labouring under a welter of tabloid protest and viewers’ complaints, are attempting to make people get past the initial revulsion of the act of abuse and accept the grim fact that ‘paedophiles’ are very often members of the same family."
Sare quoted a BBC spokeswoman as saying: "we appreciate that for some viewers this storyline will have particular resonance and significance. In running it, it's certainly not our intention to cause distress or upset, either to those who've suffered from sexual abuse or their families. Our aim is instead to raise awareness of this very sensitive issue", concluding his article with the summation: "The producers' dilemma is instructive to children’s charities and Ministers alike on how to confront the issue in a digestible manner which can stimulate an objective debate."
The Daily Mirror Beth Neil branded the plot strand "one of the darkest and most disturbing storylines EastEnders has ever attempted", with critic Jim Shelley
Jim Shelley (TV critic)
Jim Shelley is a British television critic who writes a column for the Daily Mirror each Monday titled Shelleyvision. Prior to writing for the Daily Mirror he wrote for The Guardian and his collection of reviews "Interference: Tapehead vs. Television" was published by Atlantic Books...
deeming it a "new low" for EastEnders. Shelley wrote of Whitney's abuse: "You've really got to hand it to EastEnders. Just when you thought the show couldn't get any more miserable, the writers come up trumps and produce a new way of making us depressed - a paedophile storyline. Thanks for that! I realise now this is what the family meal has been missing three nights a week: gathering the telly to watch a grubby, greasyhaired thug drooling over a 15-year-old girl who (as luck would have it) spends her entire life in her school uniform even when she's not at school. And they say family entertainment's dead." Shelley refuted the BBC's claims that the storyline had educational value as "totally bogus", observing that "At 7.30 or 8pm, the "action" has to be so coded as to be pointless". Deborah Orr, writing for The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, similarly disagreed with the BBC's statement that the storyline was part of EastEnders "rich heritage of tackling difficult social issues", writing that:
- "Actually, it's part of its rich heritage of leaping in to some horrific subject without any background or build-up at all. The implication is that Tony, the villain, had been grooming the child for some time before he went to prison, when she was only 12. But such a thing really would be too real, and too controversial, so the viewer only gets to see the result of those hinted-at dark machinations.
- "It might be a public service to dramatise the manner in which a paedophile might worm his way into a vulnerable family. But such a storyline would have to be explored carefully and over a long period. All that this little adventure in broadcasting can possibly deliver is the message that a paedophile in the heart of the home is not a good thing. Who needs to be educated about this?"
The Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
Lizzie Smith deemed the storyline "horrifying", while The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Julie Raeside questioned: "Is this latest sexual abuse storyline a good thing to position in a pre-watershed soap opera, or should the EastEnders storyliners stick to a less controversial brand of misery?" However, in contrast to public and media dissent, the NSPCC
NSPCC
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is a United Kingdom charity campaigning and working in child protection.-History:...
's director of communications, John Grounds, praised the storyline for "helping to raise awareness of the hidden nature of sexual abuse", deeming it to be "vital in persuading people to take action to stop it and encouraging children to speak out."
Episodes from Whitney's storyline were submitted to the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
Programme Awards 2008 for a panel to judge in the category Soap and Continuing Drama. EastEnders was presented with the award in March 2009, beating Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
and The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
. Members of the judging panel described the submitted episodes as "the culmination of a particularly challenging and controversial storyline which the production team, writers and cast pulled off triumphantly."