The villain Dean Wicks from EastEnders has returned to Walford and is already causing problems for the people living in Albert Square.
Following the recent “sick” plotline, viewers of the BBC soap opera EastEnders have threatened to “boycott” the show.
It occurs as Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), the victim of Dean Wicks’ (played by Matt Di Angelo) blackmail, is coerced into lying about the allegations.
After Dean’s manipulation nearly cost her mother’s partner George Knight (Colin Salmon) his job, Linda felt helpless.
In earlier episodes, Linda was raped by Dean in 2014 when he barged into her kitchen and wouldn’t leave.
Dean was insulted by former boxer George, who then slapped him at the top of the stairs, sending him to the bottom where he lay unconscious.
Following his hospital stay for injuries, Dean informed Linda, George, and Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) that he would be reporting George to the police. This news alarmed the family because Dean had a violent past.
Later, Dean said to Linda that if she came clean and admitted that she had made the whole thing up and he had never raped her, he would be willing to forget about the whole thing.
Because Linda was first reluctant to report Dean to the police, the case never went to court and Dean was never sentenced for his attack on her.
Now that Linda is firmly in the support of the Walford residents, Dean is attempting to clear his reputation.
Linda was devastated by the idea of her family being even more divided if George was imprisoned, even though she initially refused.
Unaware that Dean was filming her the entire time, she made the decision to meet with him and confess.
Fans reacted negatively to the heartbreaking scenes by complaining on X, which was once known as Twitter.
@amyyyy_amy lost it: “This is f***ing SICK, not heartbreaking.
“Clenshaw has truly lost the plot, this isn’t even an entertaining storyline and Dean’s presence is literally offensive #EastEnders.”
@BR_4_NN tweeted: “Chris Clenshaw you’re EVIL for writing Dean to record that, that is f***ing awful I feel sick #Eastenders.” (sic)
“Had to turn over… The Dean storyline makes me feel physically sick,” acknowledged @Purdee.
“Very poor writers of storylines… This is the first time I’ve turned off this show, which I’ve watched since the first episode! #EastEnders.
“The #EastEnders episode tonight is awful. Dean and Linda SL are ill. It’s not worth this, even if it’s setting up Dean’s demise or something,” tweeted @tweeetertots.
@lovelylaurajd said in a comment, “That was really twisted and sick. The Six story had me very excited, but with Dean, it’s just come to a complete standstill. Things worsen. Crude, inane, disrespectful, and lacking in taste. It is repulsive. #EastEnders.
“That final scene with Dean and Linda in today’s #EastEnders was unbelievably horrible,” tweeted @ChloeMcLeftie. A truly bizarre and perverse tale.”
Some were willing to give it a shot, such as @JoeJulian, who commented, “This #EastEnders Dean plot does feel off, but hopefully it will be worth it if they give it a good ending.”
“Having said that, everything will seem even worse in retrospect if Dean is the victim of the Christmas murder. Justice must be carried out correctly, not by using a shock-death tactic.