Doctor Foster in booze row as alcohol awareness campaigners claim the series shows too many drinking scenes
Medical professionals and campaigners criticise 'sad' BBC show for portraying booze as a 'crutch for stress' after viewers moan they're 'tired' of seeing the characters with glasses in their hands.
BBC drama Doctor Foster has been attacked by campaigners and viewers for encouraging "irresponsible" boozing - as its characters drink excessive amounts.
The hit show, written by Mike Bartlett and starring Suranne Jones, regularly shows people knocking back large glasses of wine, beer and spirits - despite the lead character being a healthcare professional.
In a scene from the new series - attracting an average of six million viewers per episode - the lead character is seen drinking from a wine bottle, as well as boozing with one of her son's 15-year-old pals.
And many of the promotional pictures from the show feature Gemma, the doctor of the title, with a glass of posh plonk in her hand.
This boozefest has not passed viewers by, nor are alcohol awareness campaigners willing to ignore the "normalisation" of "everyday drinking" .
Medical adviser to Drinkaware, Dr Sarah Jarvis, slammed the "hugely influential" show, and said: "I am very sad to see a prime-time drama effectively sending out the message that it's not possible to enjoy a social situation without alcohol being involved…
"This sort of portrayal normalises daily drinking, with all the risks this entails."
Meanwhile Helena Conibear, director of The Alcohol Education Trust, said the show should not be applauded for showing booze as a "crutch for stress" amid the dramatic twists and turns.
She told : "Portraying alcohol as a way to cope with stress and pressure is worrying as is the image of drinking on your own.
"Both these behaviours can lead to problematic patterns of drinking and that one glass turning into two or three.
"The glasses shown are often huge too and could be holding 250 ml of wine, that's a third of a bottle in one glass," she added.
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"As both men and women we're advised not to drink more than 14 units a week – one of those glasses would hold three units!"
She added: "A lot of younger teenagers watch Dr Foster and we really need to think about the kind of image we're portraying of professional adults in positions of responsibility and how they unwind and destress."
The Sun Online contacted the BBC for comment.
Twitter is also awash with comments about the characters' drinking - which they often do alone, straight after work or as a social lubricant.
Fans of the show are currently on edge after the penultimate episode saw Gemma about to run over her ex-husband Simon as their feud came to a dramatic climax.
Doctor Foster series two concludes on Tuesday night at 9pm on BBC One.
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