Dirty Den and Leslie Grantham - Soaps

rjt036458 · 11-05-2004, 14:07

I am shocked that Leslie Granthams departure should be considered by either him or the BBC. What he did was no different to what anyone else may do in their private life. Admittedly, he was very stupid to have done it at the Elstree Studios, however, everyone has a private life and everyone has someone at work they dislike. Surely you cant expect one man to get on with everyone he works with? Do you think he said what he said with the intention it would be put all over the front page the next day? Den Watts is as legendary as EastEnders is itself, he is part of its legacy. now the Watts are back on screen as a family and ready to take on the Mitchells, let Grantham stay, and give him a proper send off when his contract expires. Serving Angie her divorce papers and returning from the dead pulled in some of EastEnders highest ratings. People are far too quick to judge. And as for other cast members ignoring him, get over yourselves. Have they never bad mouthed another member of the huge cast?

WalfordWill · 11-05-2004, 14:15

Yeh but they probably didn't write it on the net whilst exposing themselves naked over a webcam. Truth is if anyone did that from an office and was caught you could bet your ass they'd be sacked on the spot. Leslie Grantham thinks he's bigger than EastEnders and I think the BBC are making a big mistake in not punishing him for it. I mean Kat Slater got suspended for having a row in a pub, she didn't slag off any of the cast members and she didnt' get her tits out. No character or actor should become bigger than the show and the BBC have let this happen by allowing him to remain in the soap without so much as a telling off or a weeks suspension. Maybe not sack him but make an example of him like they've done with other cast members who have done less in their private lives.

Now had he done this from the privacy of his own home, then that would be different. But any normal person doing that in a workplace whether you're Dirty Den on EastEnders or Joe Bloggs in the office of a bank, would and should be sacked for carrying on like that at work.

rjt036458 · 11-05-2004, 14:19

I certainly think he should have some kind of suspension or fine, but fireing him will do more harm than good. Tthey should make an issue of suspension or threaten him withit, but fireing him is not appropriate when he is bigger or equal than / to the show whether we like it or not.

James2001 · 11-05-2004, 14:23

Is it jsut me, or does someone think it wasn't just Leslie? I'm pretty sure the woman on the other end was also talking dirty and doing similar things on her webcam.

WalfordWill · 11-05-2004, 14:23

I don't think he's bigger or equally big at all, EastEnders survived without him for 14 years and will do for another 14 years after he's left. I think though he's going to leave himself, as this wont' die down for a while and his castmembers hate him. Naturally you would too if you found a person at work or overheard them calling you a vile dog or a self infatuated prat. At the moment EastEnders isn't on top of its game but it's been down in the past when Den wasn't there and got back up again. It can do that again without him.

WalfordWill · 11-05-2004, 14:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by James2001

Is it jsut me, or does someone think it wasn't just Leslie? I'm pretty sure the woman on the other end was also talking dirty and doing similar things on her webcam.

Yeh she probably was but thats neither here nor there. If she was at work, I hope she was fired too! lol

Agent Krycek · 11-05-2004, 14:33

He is not bigger then the show, it survived without him when he was a far more important character and left 14 years ago, the show survived without other equally major character, e.g. Grant Mitchell who was equally big, and will survive again.. EE is going through a very bad downswing at the moment in terms of quality, and the return of Den has, IMO, done nothing to eleviate that.

I think at the moment his position is pretty untenable, the rest of the cast, if the reports are to be believed, obviously don't want him there, and I think, he may as well cut his losses and bow out gracefully.

James2001 · 11-05-2004, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by willhung

Yeh she probably was but thats neither here nor there. If she was at work, I hope she was fired too! lol

Tecncially she was at work seeing as she was a reporter for the Sunday People.......

Luca · 11-05-2004, 19:11

I think he'd have a better chance of keeping his part (the acting one) if he'd just done the cybex sex and not the alleged bad-mouthing of his fellow cast members.

11-05-2004, 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luca

I think he'd have a better chance of keeping his part (the acting one) if he'd just done the cybex sex and not the alleged bad-mouthing of his fellow cast members.

Agreed. And a really good point made above about the fact that if anyone else behaved like this in their workplace, they would get the boot.

Perhaps one of Grantham's problems is his ego? He is certainly NOT bigger than EastEnders, and his return has been a let-down.

I don't think he necessarily deserves to lose his job, but I don't think he needs to be told he is the big guy in EastEnders and indispensable to the show, either (because, he is not). A little more humility and he might not have badmouthed his colleagues.

WalfordWill · 11-05-2004, 23:17

I just read tonight his on screen wife Chrissie is repulsed by him now lol I wouldn't wish what Grantham's going through right now on anyone but he was rather stupid and his ego definitely needed to be deflated a bit. I can honestly see him leaving himself. Although I'd admire anyone sticking around in that environment and wethering the storm.

Tigerzondaprowl · 12-05-2004, 01:24

He's quitting i think-and his on-screen wife hates the love scenes, it said in the papers-he wanted to go before they pushed him out...

Luca · 12-05-2004, 05:15

In the recent article on him by his sister, it came over that he appears to be of the mindset he can do whatever he likes and always come up smelling of roses. Reading about his long-term history, it is very hard to feel sorry for him in this context..

Using his workplace to 'perform' on the Net was an arrogant thing to do. Surely he must have considered the implications of being caught? Maybe he just didn't care anymore, as he'd had enough of the Dirty Den job and working with a cast he seemed to disrespect in general? I mean...it's not like he really needed the money like some of them do.

It's a pity in a way if he has officially left. Den Watts's albeit far-fetched return was actually very good TV and a rare breath of fresh air for a soap which has been plagued by depressing, humourless and poorly-crafted storylines in recent years. Now he's gone (if he's gone) I won't bother with the show again.

11-05-2004, 14:07	#1
rjt036458 Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Surrey, England Services: Tiscali / Sky+ Posts: 141	Dirty Den and Leslie Grantham I am shocked that Leslie Granthams departure should be considered by either him or the BBC. What he did was no different to what anyone else may do in their private life. Admittedly, he was very stupid to have done it at the Elstree Studios, however, everyone has a private life and everyone has someone at work they dislike. Surely you cant expect one man to get on with everyone he works with? Do you think he said what he said with the intention it would be put all over the front page the next day? Den Watts is as legendary as EastEnders is itself, he is part of its legacy. now the Watts are back on screen as a family and ready to take on the Mitchells, let Grantham stay, and give him a proper send off when his contract expires. Serving Angie her divorce papers and returning from the dead pulled in some of EastEnders highest ratings. People are far too quick to judge. And as for other cast members ignoring him, get over yourselves. Have they never bad mouthed another member of the huge cast?

11-05-2004, 14:19	#3
rjt036458 Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Surrey, England Services: Tiscali / Sky+ Posts: 141	In response I certainly think he should have some kind of suspension or fine, but fireing him will do more harm than good. Tthey should make an issue of suspension or threaten him withit, but fireing him is not appropriate when he is bigger or equal than / to the show whether we like it or not.

11-05-2004, 14:15	#2
WalfordWill Banned User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Walford, E20 Posts: 6,561	Yeh but they probably didn't write it on the net whilst exposing themselves naked over a webcam. Truth is if anyone did that from an office and was caught you could bet your ass they'd be sacked on the spot. Leslie Grantham thinks he's bigger than EastEnders and I think the BBC are making a big mistake in not punishing him for it. I mean Kat Slater got suspended for having a row in a pub, she didn't slag off any of the cast members and she didnt' get her tits out. No character or actor should become bigger than the show and the BBC have let this happen by allowing him to remain in the soap without so much as a telling off or a weeks suspension. Maybe not sack him but make an example of him like they've done with other cast members who have done less in their private lives. Now had he done this from the privacy of his own home, then that would be different. But any normal person doing that in a workplace whether you're Dirty Den on EastEnders or Joe Bloggs in the office of a bank, would and should be sacked for carrying on like that at work.

11-05-2004, 14:23	#4
James2001 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Mansfield Services: Non-CWC NTL Home Digital v5.32, 128kbps broadband and Nokia Mediamaster FTA Posts: 18,835	Is it jsut me, or does someone think it wasn't just Leslie? I'm pretty sure the woman on the other end was also talking dirty and doing similar things on her webcam.

11-05-2004, 14:33	#7
Agent Krycek Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Stalking David and Jake Services: Whatever David or Jake require Posts: 21,297	He is not bigger then the show, it survived without him when he was a far more important character and left 14 years ago, the show survived without other equally major character, e.g. Grant Mitchell who was equally big, and will survive again.. EE is going through a very bad downswing at the moment in terms of quality, and the return of Den has, IMO, done nothing to eleviate that. I think at the moment his position is pretty untenable, the rest of the cast, if the reports are to be believed, obviously don't want him there, and I think, he may as well cut his losses and bow out gracefully.

11-05-2004, 19:11	#9
Luca Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tied Up in Notts Services: Every 9000 Miles Posts: 1,239	I think he'd have a better chance of keeping his part (the acting one) if he'd just done the cybex sex and not the alleged bad-mouthing of his fellow cast members.

11-05-2004, 23:17	#11
WalfordWill Banned User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Walford, E20 Posts: 6,561	I just read tonight his on screen wife Chrissie is repulsed by him now lol I wouldn't wish what Grantham's going through right now on anyone but he was rather stupid and his ego definitely needed to be deflated a bit. I can honestly see him leaving himself. Although I'd admire anyone sticking around in that environment and wethering the storm.

12-05-2004, 01:24	#12
Tigerzondaprowl Banned User Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 588	He's quitting i think-and his on-screen wife hates the love scenes, it said in the papers-he wanted to go before they pushed him out...

12-05-2004, 05:15	#13
Luca Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tied Up in Notts Services: Every 9000 Miles Posts: 1,239	In the recent article on him by his sister, it came over that he appears to be of the mindset he can do whatever he likes and always come up smelling of roses. Reading about his long-term history, it is very hard to feel sorry for him in this context.. Using his workplace to 'perform' on the Net was an arrogant thing to do. Surely he must have considered the implications of being caught? Maybe he just didn't care anymore, as he'd had enough of the Dirty Den job and working with a cast he seemed to disrespect in general? I mean...it's not like he really needed the money like some of them do. It's a pity in a way if he has officially left. Den Watts's albeit far-fetched return was actually very good TV and a rare breath of fresh air for a soap which has been plagued by depressing, humourless and poorly-crafted storylines in recent years. Now he's gone (if he's gone) I won't bother with the show again.