EastEnders fans threaten to boycott soap as they rage BBC has ‘gone too far’ with ‘sickening’ Linda Carter scenes

EASTENDERS fans say the soap has gone too far after Linda Carter was forced to say rapist Dean Wicks was innocent in a shock blackmail plot.

The Queen Vic landlady - who is played by actress Kellie Bright in the BBC soap - was raped by brother-in-law Dean in 2014 in a harrowing storyline.

Viewers watched this week as Dean went to attack Linda again at the Vic - but he was stopped when George Knight stepped in.

When Dean went too far, George hit him and knocked him down the stairs.

Dean was rushed to hospital but soon turned the tables, telling Linda that he would put George in prison unless Linda confesses to him that she lied about him raping her.

Linda’s family convinced her to take the offer - leaving her with no choice but to lie to Dean about the hell he put her through.

With no other option, Linda went to Dean, shaking.

She told him that she was doing it for her family, and agreed to tell him that he didn’t rape her.

But Dean tricked her - and recorded her as she said: “I wanted you. Is that what you wanted me to say?

“We had sex. And I lied. I came onto you. I wanted to sleep with you so I did. And afterwards I was scared about what Mick was going to say so I said you raped me. I lied.”

“Wow,” said Dean. “Thank you. You have no idea how good it is to hear you saying that. Linda, really, thank you.”

As Linda left, a broken shell of a woman, Dean replayed the recording to himself.

But fans are disgusted and have accused the soap of going too far with the storyline.

One wrote: "Linda in an impossible situation. Dean deserves everything that is coming to him. Forcing Linda to lie about her ordeal."

Another furiously added that Elaine's response to the situation was irresponsible as they said: " What is Elaine chatting? "it doesn't matter, it's just words" no... no it's not. I went through sexual abuse myself and I can tell you, watching that I felt heartbreak and disgust at the same time.... REMOVE ELAINE if that's how she's going to go down... I suspect she's not going to care much that Deans recorded the entire thing either."

A third said: "F***ing disgusting storyline...end this s**t.."

Someone else was left floored by the airing of the 'offensive' scenes: "Well done, EE, for spitting in the face of us victims, I hope it makes you proud. Am sorry but think Eastenders done this so wrong.

"That should never have happened. Made me so uncomfortable."

Before a fifth penned: "Absolutely disgusted in this show for that."

As a sixth raged: "I’ve watched this show my whole life but this storyline is too far and for the first time I actually think I’m gonna tune out.

"It’s so triggering for victims, don’t know what the writers were thinking."

Another posted: "I’m doing a formal complaint. Made me sick to the stomach."