Ofcom: 'Enders gang attack too violent

An EastEnders episode that saw a gang attack the Queen Vic was too violent, broadcasting regulator Ofcom has decided.

During the show Jase's old gang invaded the pub, attacking drinkers, then took him down to the cellar.

Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton) - who was pregnant - stepped in to defend Jase (Stephen Lord) but was knocked over and went into premature labour. The episode left it unclear whether her baby had survived.

Seventy-eight people complained about the instalment, aired on November 13, mostly concerned about the level of violence. Some were also worried about the state of Honey and her baby.

Ofcom concluded the programme was too violent and, being at 7.30pm, did not protect children.

It found the initial gang attack on the Vic was "a sustained, intense and high level of violence, destroying parts of the pub with hammers and bottles and glasses smashing into the furniture, to intimidate the locals, some of whom were injured".

There was a "sustained tone of intimidation and menace", said the regulator's report on the programme. Ofcom added: "When viewed in conjunction with the assault and scenes in the cellar, this contributed to the overall effect of an extended sequence dominated by violence...

"In Ofcom’s view the violence was not appropriately limited for this time of the evening when many children are available to view television."

The BBC defended the episode. It said the storyline before the attack made it clear violence was coming and that an announcement before the show warned: "And first a powerful EastEnders as a peaceful night is shattered. Things are about to turn very ugly at the Vic."