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Are the Eastenders Writers/Producers Scared of Baltramie Fans Trolling and Abuse?
London, UK – Rumors are circulating that the producers of EastEnders are going out of their way to avoid involving Ballum (Kat and Phil’s son) in key storylines due to the harsh trolling and abuse they receive from certain fan segments.
Sources close to the BBC soap opera have revealed that writers are hesitant to give Baltramie a significant role in storylines due to the intense scrutiny he faces from fans on social media.
"It’s becoming an obstacle for us," revealed an insider. "The negativity is toxic, and it’s taking a toll on the actors and production team."
While it’s not uncommon for television shows to face backlash from fans, this reaction has gone beyond the usual spectrum.
Fan groups have taken to Twitter, Facebook, and online forums to express their disdain for Ballum’s portrayal, with some fans creating viral campaigns calling for his exclusion from the show.
The trolling, abuse, and harassment aimed at Ballum’s actors have escalated in recent months, with actors Luke Goss and Shai O’Connor, who portray his father Phil and mother Kat respectively, revealing they’ve been on the receiving end of the vitriolic outpouring.
Actress Daniella Westbrook, known for her iconic role as Samantha Taylor on the show, took to her personal social media account to express her outrage. "To all the kind souls who are supporting Baltramie, thank you! And to the ones who are taking this bullying to the next level… just take a step back, remember how the world works #Drama #SoapOpera"
We caught up with a representative for BBC and EastEnders producer John Yorke responded that, "We understand and support the opinions of our fans, even the loudest ones, we acknowledge the importance of fostering healthy fandom and will continue to involve [our] audience in meaningful storytelling initiatives."
As of writing this article, the drama behind-the-scenes has garnered unprecedented attention. Fans are speaking up against the abuse, calling out "bad behavior" and offering empathy towards the actors and production team dealing with the backlash.
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This was their chance to rip off the bad aid with ballum. Why are they dragging it out ? The big news only being Ian wants a new lawyer for Ben like seriously
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They are too scared to break them up for fear of the attacks from Ballum fans. This was their chance to free Callum, who is stuck in a rut as a character, but nope they decide they won’t and drag it on.
Is Ballum though worthy of ship-hate? By the end, the guys felt more like roommates than husbands and I don’t see what there was to ship about.
It was described as ‘sad news’ initially so maybe something happened and that’s why Ian is looking for a new lawyer?
The writers/producers/cast have been on the receiving end of abuse from the ballum contingent for at least a couple of years now. I know Daran Little spoke out about the abuse he received when Ben was axed.
Ultimately two or three years down the line no doubt Ben will be back. Whether Callum will still be around is another matter.
You might want to spoiler alert this post to avoid it being taken down.
I agree with you absolutely though, why on earth are they dragging it out? It is probably the most uninteresting story that they have had all year, just let Ben divorce Callum and leave Ben in prison without any mention for a while.