'Shameless' to have 'paedophile plot'

The next series of Shameless will see one of the main characters sleep with a teenager, reports say.

According to the Daily Star, Tina Malone's character Mimi Maguire will begin a relationship with a 14-year-old boy she meets at The Jockey.

She will reportedly sleep with him before realising that he is underage when she sees him in his school uniform.

"The new series of Shameless is going to be dynamite," a source said. "It will be the most explosive series yet and the plotline featuring Mimi and the under-age lad is set to be one of the most shocking to date. Fans are going to love it but the critics are going to have a field day."

The insider added that Mimi is "absolutely horrified" when she realises the boy is 14 and continued: "It is going to open a whole can of worms. There have been some shocking storylines in Shameless over the years but this is going to be right up there with the most controversial of all time.

"But the writers have handled it superbly and and it will be very realistic and believable. It's not the kind of plotline you'll find in any other television programme. But series creator Paul Abbott knows exactly how to tackle controversial topics. It will be must-see viewing."

Meanwhile, Malone has reportedly admitted that she found filming the storyline "incredibly challenging".

The seventh series of Shameless will air later this month.