EastEnders: Viewers complain about Ramadan story

03/10/2008 - 10:47

EastEnders has once again prompted a flurry of complaints, after Muslim character Masood Ahmed was shown eating during Ramadan.

The BBC1 soap received 107 complaints after Masood, played by Nitin Ganatra, was seen eating a chapatti when he was supposed to be fasting for the month-long religious festival, with many feeling it insulted Muslim values.

Muslims are required to fast between sunrise and sunset during Ramadan.

When he was approached in the scene by Jane Beale (Laurie Brett), Masood said he was a "bad person", who found it difficult to fast when his job requires him to sell food all day.

Many viewers accused EastEnders of trivialising a serious religious experience while others thought the plot was simply unrealistic.

EastEnders bosses defended the storyline, saying it was meant to show the character's "fallibility" but the BBC issued a statement saying it did not mean to cause offence.

A spokesman for the soap said: "We try to treat characters as individuals with their own sets of behaviours and opinions, regardless of their religion, race or sexuality.

“As in real life, they don’t always strictly follow the laws, traditions and customs of their religions. The Masoods are a group of just four characters and should not be seen to represent the entire British-Asian or British Muslim experience."

The soap has received a number of complaints over its storylines in recent months.

It has been criticised for its storyline involving paedophile Tony King (Chris Coghill) and for the brutal murder of Jase Dyer (Stephen Lord) being shown before the 9pm watershed.

And, back in January, more than 200 viewers complained about the stabbing of young Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick).