From our house price, immigration, and popular soap correspondent, Fiona Pettifort.
EastEnders has been hit with thousands of complaints in a backlash over its unrealistic alien invasion storyline.
Yesterday the BBC revealed it had been contacted by almost 3,500 viewers angry and incredulous about the scenes, which showed a spaceship lowering into Albert Square and blowing up the newly refurbished Queen Victoria pub. While programme chiefs re-edited the sci-fi scenes after a preview screening of the episodes, the show has still been hit with a furious response from the audience. Scores of viewers complained that the storyline, which was introduced last week, was 'ridiculous', 'unrealistic' and 'unbelievable', while others felt programme-makers were hitting a new sensationalist low to drum up ratings.
In the soap, character Phil Mitchell, played by Steve McFadden, smokes a crack-pipe and stumbles into the Square to see the alien craft landing. He is then seen standing at the lower steps of the craft and shaking hands with an extra terrestrial being played by newcomer Sam Attwater. Others believe the extra terrestrial scenes were too unrealistic for a family audience and ill-timed during Valentines Day when many couples were gathered around the TV together. The show's editor removed shots of an alien from last week's controversial scenes and also toned down the lights and CGI from the spacecraft landing near the Bridge Street Market. One viewer said on the BBC's message-board: ' Eastenders has completely lost the plot - either that or its orbiting somewhere in space.'
A BBC spokesman said: 'We appreciate this is a rather far fetched storyline and have taken care to ensure viewers were aware of the content in advance of transmission'.
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