Nick Hewer criticises violence in EastEnders

Nick Hewer has criticised the amount of violence in BBC One soap EastEnders.

Nick Hewer, who became host of Channel Four’s Countdown in January of this year, made critical remarks about EastEnders while appearing on BBC One’s revival of Room 101; the episode will air next Friday. Hewer, who has also appeared on The Apprentice as an advisor to Lord Alan Sugar.

Hewer praised the actors and storylines on the soap but was critical of the violence saying, according to The Sun, ‘There is one thing I loathe and abhor about EastEnders and it’s the violence and aggression which seems to be threaded through every episode. And that violence over the years has leached into the British consciousness so that today this country is worse for it. I think EastEnders – God bless them, great actors, great storylines, just less violence please. You are doing us harm’

EastEnders has been criticised many times in the past for being too violent for pre-watershed audiences. At times violence within the episodes has prompted complaints from concerned viewers. The BBC One soap isn’t the only to have fallen foul of such accusations though with Channel Four soap Brookside often criticised during its 21 year run of being too violent. It’s last episode, which was broadcast after the watershed, memorably featured a lynching.

Room 101 continues tonight on BBC One at 8.30. The episode featuring Nick Hewer airs on Friday 24th February at 8.30pm.