EastEnders character
Whitney Dean
Portrayed by	Shona McGarty
Introduced by	Diederick Santer
Duration	2008—
First appearance	1 April 2008
Classification	Present; regular
Profile
Date of birth	8 December 1992
Home	31 Albert Square
Occupation	Market trader (T-shirts)
Family Father Nathan Dean Mother Debra Dean Adoptive mother Bianca Jackson Half brothers Ryan Malloy[1] Liam Butcher (adoptive) Morgan Jackson-King (adoptive) Half sisters Natasha Butcher (adoptive) Tiffany Dean (adoptive)

Whitney Dean is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders, played by Shona McGarty.^[2] The character is the adoptive daughter of long-running character Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer), and was introduced in April 2008 when Palmer returned to the series after a six year absence. Whitney is described by executive producer Diederick Santer as both an equal to, and younger version of Bianca, and is the oldest of Bianca's four children. Her storylines have revolved around her fractured family life, and her sexual abuse by Bianca's partner Tony King (Chris Coghill).

The paedophile storyline marks the first time the subject matter has been broached in a UK soap opera,^[3] and was researched and developed with advice and approval from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.^[4] The inappropriate nature of Tony and Whitney's relationship resulted in over 200 complaints being made to the BBC and television regulatory body Ofcom by members of the public,^[5] with the storyline deemed "horrifying" by the Daily Mail's Lizzie Smith,^[6] and "one of the darkest and most disturbing storylines EastEnders has ever attempted" by the Daily Mirror's Beth Neil.^[7] The NSPCC however have praised the storyline for "helping to raise awareness of the hidden nature of sexual abuse".^[8] The storyline also gained EastEnders a Royal Television Society Programme Award in March 2009 in the Soap and Continuing Drama category.^[9]

[edit] Creation

In October 2007, it was announced that character Bianca Jackson was returning to EastEnders, after an absence of six years. The character of Whitney was created as part of her new family; the daughter of Bianca's deceased partner Nathan Dean. She was described as "a teenage drama queen, unable to engage brain before mouth and constantly finding herself in and out of trouble".^[2] Bianca sees Whitney as one of her own, and also as "a friend and confidante".^[2] EastEnders' executive producer Diederick Santer has said that his vision for the character was someone "quite spiky, quite gobby, a bit of an equal to Bianca, and in a way a version of Bianca at that age".^[4] Shona McGarty was cast in the role.

Considering the character's role in the wider context of the show as a whole, it was decided that Whitney would be involved in a sexual relationship with Bianca's partner Tony King. BBC News described the plot as an ongoing "predatory paedophile storyline", noting that this was the first time this subject matter had been tackled by a UK soap opera.^[3] The storyline was first conceived when EastEnders series consultant Simon Ashdowne viewed a documentary about homelessness, featuring a mother and child at a bus stop with nowhere to go. Ashdowne questioned what might happen if a paedophile were to befriend the mother in order to grow closer to the child, and related the scenario to Bianca's return to the soap.^[4] BBC Head of Drama John Yorke explained that the idea when presented "drew a sharp intake of breath. Most EastEnders stories that have been good and successful have been the ones that caused the sharp intake of breath, so they're always the kind of stories you look for."^[4]

The idea that McGarty play a child groomed for sex was put to the actress on 9 January 2008.^[4] EastEnders executive producer Diederick Santer has stated that, had McGarty or her parents objected to the storyline, they would not have gone ahead with it.^[4] In the event, McGarty's parents merely requested that their daughter not be asked to publicise the role, and the actress began filming her first scenes on 14 January 2008.^[4]

[edit] Development

In order to develop Whitney's sexual abuse storyline, by March 2008 EastEnders researchers Libby Duplock and Cleo Bicat were in contact with the NSPCC's Tom Narducci, Jude Toasland, who deals with abused children, and Yvonne Traynor, CEO of the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre.^[4] Duplock has stated that: "One thing that was quite difficult for me to get right was the idea that she didn't want sex. It's Whitney's way of keeping Tony happy. If she lets him do it, then he's nicer to her and he makes her feel special."^[4] Research highlighted the fact that 12% of abused children go on to become abusers in turn, however Duplock explained: "We felt that to imply on TV that someone who has been abused is going to go on to abuse other people is not a message you want to give out. Those people have been through enough."^[4] Narducci for the NSPCC stated that importance was placed on making children viewing the show "feel comfortable about asking for help if they felt they needed it [and] for the wider community - to recognise the signs and let them know that they can do something about it. [...] We're not trying to cause a national panic. This is a responsible effort to try to get over an important story."^[4]

It had initially been decided that, alongside Tony's sexual abuse, Whitney would be seen to self-harm. This aspect of the storyline was discarded, after the NSPCC suggested that it may distract from the main issue of her abuse.^[4] Final approval for the storyline was sought from BBC Head of Fiction Jane Tranter on 2 June 2008.^[4] Tranter has explained that:

"I thought it was a fantastically good idea. The big moments in EastEnders, those iconic pieces of television history, tend to be the things that are incredibly near the knuckle, and are actually quite difficult subjects to raise in the context of a family sitting room. [...] Soaps are meant to hold up a mirror to our lives, and sometimes that mirror will show ugly bits, difficult bits, taboo bits. But if a soap doesn't hold up that mirror, then actually, what is it? It will have no depth."^[4]

Chris Coghill was cast as Whitney's abuser Tony on 20 June 2008.^[4] Upon accepting the role, he commented: "Shona doesn't act, or look, like a little child. Which helps."^[4] He has added of their off-screen relationship: "Shona's fantastic to work with. She's very natural, very instinctive and a natural actress. There isn't any uncomfortable feeling at all."^[10] Having undergone a thorough characterisation session, Coghill began shooting on 30 June 2008,^[4] and first appeared on-screen on 12 September 2008. Coghill has explained that Tony began grooming Whitney as soon as he met Bianca,^[11] ingratiating himself so as to become the family's "hero figure"^[12] and "saviour".^[10] Discussing his character's relationship with Whitney, Coghill explained that: "The lie that Tony has spun to Whitney is that as soon as she's 16 they'll run away together and start a new life. But Tony's the type of paedophile who preys on younger children. Whitney is beginning to pass her sell-by date with him. [...] He feels like he's losing his little girl but needs to keep Whitney under his control and not speak out."^[13] Coghill has stated that: "This is the most challenging role I have had to play. But I hope by EastEnders tackling the sensitive issue of child abuse it can raise awareness."^[14] When asked how she felt about the abuse storyline, Palmer commented: "It would be brilliant if it helped somebody. If one person out there who’s been abused saw that [the legal system] go out of their way to make it easier on the victim – Whitney’s evidence is given by video link – it will be worth it."^[15]

[edit] Storylines

Whitney first appears in EastEnders when she and her family — mother figure Bianca Jackson, half-sister Tiffany Dean, and Bianca's sons Liam Butcher and Morgan Jackson-King are evicted by their landlord for non-payment of rent. They sleep that night in a bus shelter, and are taken into care the next day after Bianca is arrested for assaulting a police officer. The children return to Bianca a week later, moving into Pat Evans' home, although Whitney is initially angry with Bianca for letting them down.

Over the next few months, Bianca becomes the beneficiary of a mystery "guardian angel", who is revealed to be Whitney. Whitney tells Bianca she found a winning lottery ticket lost by Dawn Swann's family and cashed it, but didn't tell Bianca as she knew that she would spend it. Bianca lives up to Whitney's fears by constantly shopping with their windfall, but after arguing with Whitney, reluctantly agrees to deposit it. However, knowing Bianca won't bank it after hearing about the holiday she has booked, Whitney hides some of the money in a box to be used in emergencies only.

It is revealed that Bianca met her imprisoned boyfriend Tony King in 2005, when she was expecting her youngest child, Morgan. Whitney warmed to him when he helped her remove a ribbon which was stuck in her hair. From then on, Tony groomed Whitney and they started a sexual relationship behind Bianca's back. Tony went to prison in 2007 after assaulting a boy who apparently harassed Whitney and was released on 12 September 2008. Upon returning home, he makes it clear to Whitney that they will resume their sexual relationship. Whitney in turn reveals that she has kept some of the lottery winnings so she and Tony can run away together. Tony, however, harangued by Bianca about the prospect of marriage, gives her Whitney's money to use as a down-payment on a flat.

When Whitney and class-mate Peter Beale are cast in the lead roles of the school play Romeo and Juliet, Tony is jealous of them rehearsing in private and punches Peter. Whitney convinces Peter and his sister Lucy Beale not to report the attack to the police, but Tony blames her for the incident and ends their affair. Whitney is devastated when Tony accepts Bianca's marriage proposal, locking herself in her bedroom. Not knowing what to do, Bianca accepts Dr. Poppy Merritt's help and she refers Whitney to a psychiatrist. Bianca takes her away on holiday, attempting to mend their relationship. When they return on Halloween, Tony and Whitney share a passionate kiss, and Tony informs Whitney that their relationship is back on.

Whitney confesses to Bianca about her relationship with Tony (December 2008).

Whitney becomes jealous when Tony begins showing an interest in Lauren Branning. She is relieved as her sixteenth birthday approaches and buys tickets for her and Tony's trip abroad. Tony, however, has lost interest in Whitney, and hides her passport but it is found and returned to her. On the day she turns sixteen, Whitney confesses everything to Bianca. Horrified, Bianca calls the police, and Tony is arrested. Whitney initially refuses to discuss her and Tony's relationship with the police, believing that they were in love but Bianca makes her realise that Tony abused her and raped her for years. Tony is released on bail and returns to Pat's house, hoping to convince Whitney to lie to the police for him, making Whitney realise Bianca is right, and agrees to make a statement against him.

Whitney decides to contact her biological mother Debra Dean, but discovers that she has the wrong address. Bianca claims not to have it but Janine Butcher steals it from Bianca's address book and gives it to Whitney. Whitney visits Debra and tries to discuss the past but Debra isn't interested and rejects her. She meets Todd Taylor and agrees to go on a date with him. It goes well until he asks about past relationships. She runs away and is found by Ricky Butcher, drunk. She tries to kiss him but he pushes her away. It is discovered that Whitney has been shoplifting. Prior to this, her problem had overshadowed Bianca and Ricky's news that he is Tiffany's biological father, meaning Tiffany is not in fact Whitney's half-sister. However, they catch her in the act after returning the goods she stole and she agrees to get professional counselling.

Todd returns and Whitney eventually relaxes in his company. One of Tiffany's caterpillars disappears and crawls up Todd's shirt. Todd takes it off in a panic, and Ricky throws him out, thinking they were undressing for sex. Whitney apologises on Ricky's behalf and they agree to be friends. Whitney also agrees to another date. They talk in his car until he goes to get some chips but forgets his wallet. Whitney finds it and, looking inside, sees a condom. Whitney runs off, thinking Todd wanted to have sex with her. Todd is later scared off by a man who is interested in Whitney, and after he saves her and several other locals from a hostage situation, Whitney calls him a hero (he turns out to be her older half-brother). She fails to attend her GCSE exams and argues with Bianca. Debra turns up unexpectedly, claiming she is homeless, but reveals she is planning to move to Greece when she has enough money and says Whitney can come with her. Whitney accepts, but later realises that Debra is using her, and she is only there to hide from someone. After being tracked down, Debra leaves. On Bianca's birthday, Stacey Slater accuses Whitney of having an affair with Bianca's uncle, Max Branning, when he was really helping her bake a cake. Whitney is then upset when Bianca confronts her about this and immediately packs her things. Her mother, Debra, suddenly returns - banging on the front door, panicking. When Whitney opens it, she sees Debra scared with cuts and bruises on her face, saying that someone is after her. This person is the same man Whitney had called a hero, who tells Whitney he is her half brother, Ryan Malloy. He has stabbed someone and Debra is keeping the knife for him. Whitney hides the knife and later disposes of it in a canal. Whitney and Ryan later steal Max's car for a joyride and return it, not realising that she has left her earring in it. When Lauren discovers it, she knows it belongs to someone else and suspects Max is having another affair. Lauren tells her mother, Tanya Branning, but Whitney confesses the truth. She and Lauren watch movies at Janine Butcher's flat, and get drunk.

Whitney learns of Sam Mitchell's return, now engaged to Ricky Butcher, much to Bianca and Whitney's displeasure. Someone calls the police and Sam is arrested for perverting the course of justice. Whitney tells Ricky she called the police, and Sam's mother Peggy Mitchell is furious to hear about this, and confronts Whitney, who runs off in tears. However, Ricky discovers that it was actually Bianca who called the police.

In November 2009, Whitney decided to design her own t-shirts as suggested by her family and after she obtained start-up finance from her adoptive great-uncle Jack Branning, an order for 500 units came in. It turned out that it was Ricky Butcher who had meant to order five but messed up. She was hurt when she discovered the news but eventually sold the t-shirts with the help of Bianca Jackson, Ricky Butcher, Ryan Malloy, Janine Butcher and Samantha Mitchell.

Whitney begins to feel vulnerable when Tony's trial is about to commence. She asks Bianca about the trial and asks her if she will see Tony. Thinking that Whitney is worried, Bianca states that they will see Tony, but he will be in a separate and different room location. Whitney is disappointed to hear this and she desperately tries to contact him so she decides to secretly write him a letter. She also tries to visit him in prison but is refused. She is upset and gets angry when Ryan does not understand how she feels. Ryan tells Ricky and Bianca that Whitney was upset and does not think she is coping. He tells them that Whitney is trying to visit Tony. Bianca confronts Whitney who says Tony needs her. She storms out and a man named Mark (Jamie Baughan) gives Whitney a mobile phone from Tony. She ignores a call from Tony and he leaves her a voicemail begging her to call him back, saying he loves her. Bianca says she will never let Tony near Whitney again. Whitney's birthday is approaching and Tiffany hides a birthday card in Whitney's drawer where the phone is hidden. She accidentally spills tea on it, breaking it. Whitney shouts at her and Ricky tells her not to, saying that she can use another phone. She tells Ricky to leave her and Tiffany alone as they are nothing to do with him, but Ricky reveals that Tiffany is his daughter. Whitney runs off and gets drunk. Ryan finds her and promises not to tell anyone where she is, telling Bianca they are not in Walford. Whitney says she wants her mum and Ryan goes to find her but goes to Tony's trial instead. She agrees to come home for Tiffany but is upset that Tiffany does not know her true paternity.

At the trial, Whitney's witness statement is played in court and when she says she was 12 years old when their relationship started, Ryan leaves in disgust. He storms back into the court calling Tony a monster. The judge stops the tape and Whitney, who is watching from another room, asks what is going on. After Ryan talks to Whitney, calling him sick and saying he will get out of prison when he is an old man, she runs into the court shouting that he is not an animal and they love each other. She says she will refuse to testify saying her witness statement was lies and she was forced to say it. Whitney's barrister, Vivien Easley QC (Geraldine Alexander) gives Bianca five minutes to talk Whitney round. Tony's barrister, Mrs Taylor (Jacqueline Defferary), cross examines Whitney, trying to imply that she pursued him for several years, saying she refused to take 'no' for an answer and lied about the accusations. Tony shouts out that he is innocent but Whitney says she trusted him and he abused her. After leaving the courtroom, Whitney hands over the mobile phone to her barrister with Tony's messages on it. Back at home Whitney says she is still Tiffany's sister and they hug.

Todd goes to see Whitney to give her a Christmas card. He says he hopes they are still friends and she lets him in. He cooks mince pies and says he wants to be a mechanic. She realises that Ricky has put him up to spending time with her to take her mind off the trial. Whitney and her family later go to the court to hear the verdict, though Whitney is not allowed inside. Bianca tells her Tony has been sentenced to 13 years' custody. Whitney starts to ignore Todd's calls and is upset when Ricky invites him to his and Bianca's engagement party. However, at the party, she apologises to Todd and they kiss.

[edit] Reception

The BBC and television regulatory body Ofcom received 70 complaints after Whitney's first scenes with Tony aired.^[16] A BBC spokesman responded: "This is a difficult and challenging storyline, but one which keeps with the tradition of the show for tackling difficult social issues such as domestic abuse and mental health in the past. All the content on screen adheres to the BBC's editorial guidelines."^[17] The Guardian's Aida Edemariam said of the beginning of the storyline: "what is most disturbing, watching [Tony and Whitney's] first scenes together, is not the sexuality of the situation per se, though that is uncomfortable - it's the subtle blackmail with which he keeps her in line. As it's combined with the emotional manipulation native to soaps, the viewer starts to feel a bit bullied, too."^[4] Numbers of viewer complaints rose within days to over 200.^[18][19][20] New Statesman journalist Jeremy Sare commented on the public outrage and defended EastEnders decision to air the storyline, writing:

"There may be some justification for the hundreds complaining about these distressing issues being presented in prime time: equally it is courageous for the Beeb to include a scenario which challenges the public’s perception of what is a ‘typical paedophile’. The repellent Tony’s grooming and seduction of his stepdaughter, Whitney, is a much more familiar pattern of abuse than the more commonly held image of predators lurking in parks. [...] The producers of Eastenders, labouring under a welter of tabloid protest and viewers’ complaints, are attempting to make people get past the initial revulsion of the act of abuse and accept the grim fact that ‘paedophiles’ are very often members of the same family."^[21]

Sare quoted a BBC spokeswoman as saying: "we appreciate that for some viewers this storyline will have particular resonance and significance. In running it, it's certainly not our intention to cause distress or upset, either to those who've suffered from sexual abuse or their families. Our aim is instead to raise awareness of this very sensitive issue",^[21] concluding his article with the summation: "The producers’ dilemma is instructive to children’s charities and Ministers alike on how to confront the issue in a digestible manner which can stimulate an objective debate."^[21]

The Daily Mirror's Beth Neil branded the plot strand "one of the darkest and most disturbing storylines EastEnders has ever attempted",^[7] with critic Jim Shelley deeming it to be a "new low" for EastEnders.^[22] Shelley wrote of Whitney's abuse: "You've really got to hand it to EastEnders. Just when you thought the show couldn't get any more miserable, the writers come up trumps and produce a new way of making us depressed - a paedophile storyline. Thanks for that! I realise now this is what the family meal has been missing three nights a week: gathering the telly to watch a grubby, greasyhaired thug drooling over a 15- year-old girl who (as luck would have it) spends her entire life in her school uniform even when she's not at school. And they say family entertainment's dead."^[23] Shelley refuted the BBC's claims that the storyline had educational value as "totally bogus",^[23] observing that "At 7.30 or 8pm, the "action" has to be so coded as to be pointless".^[23] Deborah Orr, writing for The Independent, similarly disagreed with the BBC's statement that the storyline was part of EastEnders' "rich heritage of tackling difficult social issues",^[24] writing that:

"Actually, it's part of its rich heritage of leaping in to some horrific subject without any background or build-up at all. The implication is that Tony, the villain, had been grooming the child for some time before he went to prison, when she was only 12. But such a thing really would be too real, and too controversial, so the viewer only gets to see the result of those hinted-at dark machinations.

"It might be a public service to dramatise the manner in which a paedophile might worm his way into a vulnerable family. But such a storyline would have to be explored carefully and over a long period. All that this little adventure in broadcasting can possibly deliver is the message that a paedophile in the heart of the home is not a good thing. Who needs to be educated about this?"^[24]

The Daily Mail's Lizzie Smith deemed the storyline "horrifying",^[6] while The Guardian's Julie Raeside has questioned: "Is this latest sexual abuse storyline a good thing to position in a pre-watershed soap opera, or should the EastEnders storyliners stick to a less controversial brand of misery?"^[25] However, in contrast to public and media dissent, the NSPCC's director of communications, John Grounds, has praised the storyline for "helping to raise awareness of the hidden nature of sexual abuse",^[8] deeming it to be "vital in persuading people to take action to stop it and encouraging children to speak out."^[8]

Episodes from Whitney's storyline were submitted to the Royal Television Society Programme Awards 2008 for a panel to judge in the category Soap and Continuing Drama. EastEnders was presented with the award in March 2009, beating Coronation Street and The Bill. Members of the judging panel described the submitted episodes as "the culmination of a particularly challenging and controversial storyline which the production team, writers and cast pulled off triumphantly."^[9][26]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Whitney Dean at BBC Online