EastEnders DENY bus crash scenes were based on Berlin terrorist attack as fans slam soap for ‘insensitive’ storyline
The team behind the plot line have released a statement defending their choice of accident for disaster week
EASTENDERS bosses have been forced to deny that the epic bus crash that rocked Albert Square on Monday night was inspired by the Berlin and Nice terrorist attacks.
The shocking scenes, which occurred when a bus driver had a heart attack behind the wheel, left eleven characters hanging in the balance as it ploughed through the market before smashing into the railway bridge.
But some fans were left less than happy at its eerie similarity to the Berlin attack – that left twelve people dead after a truck deliberately drove through a busy marketplace in December.
As well as this, there was also the Bastille Day attack in Nice, where 86 were killed when a heavy goods vehicle drove straight into a crowd of revellers.
However, Eastenders bosses were quick to dispel thoughts that these attacks were in any way the source of inspiration behind the gruesome scenes on the BBC1 soap.
A spokesperson told The Sun Online: "EastEnders is a fictional drama and the crash in tonight's episode was not based on any real-life event. We are always mindful of the content within our episodes."
Fans of the soap were on the edge of their seats as the show’s disaster week kicked off with a devastating accident.
Residents of Albert Square were heard screaming as they attempted to dive out of the way as the bus crashed into stalls before hitting a bridge.
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Louise Mitchell, Shakil Kazemi, Bex Fowler, Keegan, Denise Fox, and the bus driver all looked to be in danger on the bus, while countless more characters were in the path of it.
Market inspector Carmel Kazemi, fruit and veg seller Martin Fowler and clothes flogger Donna Yates were all caught in the path of the wayward bus as it turned into the square.
The scenes also saw Kush Kazemi, Honey Mitchell and Johnny Carter put directly into the path of the out of control vehicle before it smashed it came to a stop.
Some EastEnders viewers called writers “insensitive” for including such a similar plot in the soap just weeks after the most recent attack.
One wrote: "@bbc great episode of #eastenders tonight where did you get the idea of driving vehicles into markets? #thoughtless."
Another added: "@bbceastenders Tonight's episode was seriously bad taste given recent events. Not good #eastenders."
A fan tweeted: "Very disappointed in #eastenders tonight considering what has happened around the world in the last few months or so #inconsiderate."
But some fans backed EastEnders and insisted the scene must have been filmed before the attack in Germany in December.
One wrote: "People moaning about bus crashing into the market... It was filmed way before the Berlin crash, plus driver had heart attack #eastenders”
Catch Eastenders Monday, Thursday and Friday evenings on BBC1.
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