EastEnders fans compare violent scenes to Game of Thrones as demon child Bobby Beale strikes again
Viewers were shocked by soap violence as Bobby bludgeons Jane with a hockey stick
EASTENDERS fans have compared the soap to bloody fantasy drama Game of Thrones after demon child Bobby Beale battered mum Jane with a hockey stick.
Viewers were sent into a frenzy after the troubled youngster attempted to bludgeon his mother to death in Friday night's episode.
Many fans drew comparisons to the violence of Game of Thrones and questioned whether the shocking scene was too graphic for a pre-Watershed screening.
The episode featured a particularly harrowing storyline as young Bobby Beale, played by Eliot Carrington, turned on his mum (Laurie Brett) in a ferocious fit of rage.
She had attempted to stop him running away from home, and was about to call his father Ian Beale when Bobby struck.
The demon child, who previously beat his sister Lucy to death, then appeared to batter Jane over the head with a hockey stick.
Jane fell to floor with blood splattering over a wedding cake which she had been working on as Bobby continued to strike her.
The credits rolled as viewers were left wondering whether Jane had survived the violent attack.
The blood-soaked scene left many viewers questioning whether EastEnders bosses were right to show it before the 9pm Watershed.
One took to Twitter to write: "#EastEnders was a bit violent for pre watershed" and another added: "#EastEnders bit violent for 8.30pm or am I getting #old?"
Another tweeted: "#EastEnders wow that was a bit violent for pre watershed hahah 3 times he hit her! Was good though!"
Other fans compared the drama to violent fantasy show Game of Thrones, which features scenes of bloody sword fights, beheadings and stabbings.
One viewer wrote in a post on Twitter: "Since when did Eastenders become Game of Thrones?" and another wrote: "RAHHHH Bobby made it feel like I was watching Game of Thrones WTH?!?! #EastEnders LOOL."
Another Twitter user added: "Did Eastenders just go full on Game of Thrones?! #EELastOrders #bobby" and one joked: "Game of thrones is violent tonight! Oh no... wait. That was @Eastenders."
Several even compared bad boy Bobby to psychotic Game of Thrones villain Ramsay Bolton, with one writing: "Bobby Beale is Eastenders' answer to Ramsay Bolton" and another adding: "Bobby Beale trying to take the biggest b*****d crown from Ramsay Bolton #EastEnders."
A BBC spokesperson has since defended the decision to air such a violent scene before the 9pm cut-off point.
The representative told The Mirror: "EastEnders is a fictional drama and our millions of regular fans who tune in each week know and expect dramatic storylines.
"However we are always mindful of our time slot in which we are shown and we ensure all scenes are editorially justified.
"The scenes in question were the crescendo of a long running storyline that has shown Bobby to have previous violent tendencies.
"Viewers will soon see Bobby arrested by Police and he and his family will be facing up to his behaviour in the most serious of ways."
EastEnders continues on Monday night on BBC1.