Honey Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Susan "Honey" Mitchell is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Emma Barton
. She made her first appearance in the show on 22 November 2005. It was reported on 19 April 2008 that she had been axed from EastEnders, and her last appearance was on 2 September 2008. The character is known for her use of malapropisms.
d her after Honey Ryder from the film Dr. No
when she was four. As a child, Honey was diagnosed with a heart condition, which made her father overprotective of her.
(Angela Wynter
) as a "honey trap" to see if her husband Patrick
(Rudolph Walker
) is willing to commit adultery. Honey causes confusion by mistaking Billy Mitchell
(Perry Fenwick
) for Patrick, but truth prevails, and Honey and Billy become friends. Honey has aspirations to become a model. Billy helps her find employment, acting as her manager. Billy and Honey are attracted to each other, and after a period of trepidation, they finally confess their feelings and became a couple in December 2005. The following month, Honey falls pregnant. Overjoyed, Billy proposes and despite initial objections from her father, Jack (Nicky Henson
), Honey says yes.
When Jack discovers that Honey is pregnant, he tries to persuade her to abort
her unborn child, convinced she would share the same fate as her mother. Not wanting to lose Honey, Billy insists that she enquire about an abortion but a check-up reveals that Honey does not have the same heart defect as her mother, so there is no danger of her dying of the same cause. Honey is furious with Jack for making her so unnecessarily fearful about her health all her life, and chastises him for not getting her heart checked when she was a child. She eventually forgives her father, and begins enjoying the prospect of becoming a mother.
Honey and Billy's first attempt at getting married in June 2006 ends in disaster when Honey is admitted to hospital, due to food poisoning. They try again in July, but due to a series of unfortunate events — starting with a prank performed on Billy's stag night
— the groom doesn't get to the ceremony on time. Their third attempt in September is arranged as a surprise by Peggy
(Barbara Windsor
). Honey is heavily pregnant and goes into labour, during the ceremony. As Billy leans in for a kiss after they are pronounced husband and wife, Honey reveals that her waters have broken.
Honey gives birth to a girl, Janet (named after Honey's mother), but her happiness is short-lived when she discovers that Janet has Down's syndrome. Devastated, Honey rejects her baby, changing her name to Petal, as she does not have the "perfect" Janet she had wanted. Honey and Billy go to a support group for parents of Down's children, but this depresses Honey further. She breaks down and destroys Petal's nursery, admitting to Billy that she wants to put Petal up for adoption. Billy is against this and their relationship suffers as a result. Honey tries, but cannot accept her baby and at her lowest ebb, considers smothering Petal with a pillow
, but cannot do it. Petal is fostered by Tony (Enzo Squillino, Jr.
) and Kim Smith (Lorraine Arnold
) in December 2006, but the next day, Dr. May Wright (Amanda Drew
) tells Billy that Petal needs a heart operation. Billy arranges for Petal to be baptised
in case she does not survive, and after reading a heartfelt letter from Billy to Petal, Honey decides to keep her daughter after all. She attends the baptism and informs the vicar that the baby's name is Janet. Janet's operation is a success, and Honey begins to bond with her.
In March 2007, Honey discovers she is pregnant again. Billy is apprehensive, fearing that they might love the new baby more than Janet, but Honey soon reassures him and they look forward to the arrival of the second baby. However, in November 2007, Honey is knocked down whilst trying to stop Jase Dyer
(Stephen Lord
) being attacked, sending her into labour. She is rushed to hospital where she gives birth to a boy, who initially appears stillborn
, but is resuscitated, and is named William after his father.
The Mitchells are happy until December 2007, when their landlady, Manju Patel (Leena Dhingra
), threatens to evict them. Billy is unable to raise their rent money and despite attempts to barricade themselves in the flat, Mrs Patel evicts them, leaving the entire family homeless before Christmas. They are forced to rely on relatives and friends for accommodation, before being rehoused at Walford Towers. Money becomes an issue for the Mitchells again in August 2008. Desperate, Billy takes a job as a getaway driver for Jase, who is in league with Terry Bates (Nicholas Ball), the man responsible for the pub riot that caused Honey an injury the year before. The job is a ruse, set up by Terry as revenge on Jase; Jase is stabbed and killed. Honey is devastated to learn that Billy was indirectly involved in the incident that led to Jase's death, particularly when she discovers that instead of trying to rescue Jase, Billy hid in the bathroom in fear. She is further incensed to discover that Billy has kept Jase's "blood money". She throws Billy out, only agreeing to take him back when Billy donates the money to charity. Honey tells Billy she will take him back if he promises never to lie again. Billy does so, but when Honey discovers that Billy still has some of Jase's money, she decides that she can no longer trust him. She ends her marriage and leaves Walford with their children on 2 September 2008.
Honey tells Billy that she will never stop him seeing the kids because she does not want to see them suffer because of their father's mistakes. In September 2008, it is revealed that Honey and the children are now living with Honey's father, Jack. In May 2010, Honey and Jack are both involved in a car crash. Jack dies and Honey is left in a critical condition. It is then revelaed that Honey has recovered, and has resumed custody of Janet and William.
(Perry Fenwick
). Actress Emma Barton was chosen to play the role in September 2005, after a successful screen test with Perry Fenwick. Barton commented, "I can’t wait to join EastEnders and play Honey. She’s a really sweet girl, who always wants to do the best for everyone but she’s not exactly the brightest star in the sky."
The Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) worked with EastEnders on the storyline. Their medical advisers were consulted about possible health problems that Billy and Honey’s baby might encounter. According to the DSA in 2006, DS people are under-represented on mainstream television and EastEnders helped to redress that imbalance. The DSA used their influence to change certain elements of the scripts that they were unhappy with, such as persuading them to change the way Billy and Honey were told of their baby’s diagnosis; however, they had no influence over the characters' reactions or the plot in general. For the first two weeks after Janet's diagnosis, the DSA provided a helpline for worried parents or anyone wanting advice about DS. EastEnders also provided a link to the DSA website from theirs, to ensure that people looking for information could find the association.
The storyline was developed with characterisation in mind. Some characters, such as Peggy Mitchell
, were shown to respond negatively towards the DS baby, views that were included so that the positive aspects could be voiced by the "more enlightened characters". The programme makers' main priority was to show the reality of having a child with the condition, "with all of its positives and negatives" and to "create awareness among thousands of people who know very little about Down’s syndrome, who might have out-dated or prejudiced views." EastEnders took advice from DS organisations and families of DS people throughout. Care was taken to ensure that viewers empathised with Billy and Honey, to portray their journey in a "realistic way".
The DSA have expressed their desire to see a Down’s syndrome character becoming a permanent member of the EastEnders cast, as in their opinion "it would be a fantastic opportunity to bring Down’s syndrome into mainstream awareness, and to present a 21st century picture of family life for those who have children with the condition." In 2006, EastEnders pledged that they intended for Billy and Honey’s baby to grow up as any other baby would in the soap; however, it has been noted that the plot is dependent on the actors involved, and other practical problems that could arise. EastEnders pledged to make every effort to portray "a positive image of a family who have a baby with the condition."
(RCM), said EastEnders presented a "poor picture of midwifery practice". During Janet's birth, Honey was refused an epidural
while in pain, and later she was told that her baby had Down's syndrome alone, without her partner or family there to support her. Jacob commented, "Women are vulnerable after giving birth and they need support systems in place [...] The person caring for her is repeatedly referred to as a nurse in the episode but there is no way that a nurse would be in charge after birth. The midwife would also have been open and honest and said 'We need to get the baby checked out and we will get your partner' [...] What the soaps do is set scenes which prompt people to talk about things which are affecting their lives. We are concerned people will wrongly think this Down’s syndrome story shows what really happens, and that if you have a problem there is no one there to support you. Showing something like this is not helpful." Furthermore, Jacob noted that Honey was left alone for a long time to worry about the baby, which appeared rigid, and not floppy, as Down's babies do. In Jacob's opinion, a midwife would have been repeatedly in and out of the room to check on the mother. Additionally, one episode showed a health visitor
reprimanding Honey for refusing Down’s syndrome screening and Karen Reay, director of the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association called the episode "insensitive and patronising". She added that the episode contained "glaring anomalies", giving new mothers a "fictitious and misleading" view of health visitors, which could "damage relationships with health professionals".
The BBC responded by saying, "EastEnders has undertaken a great deal of research to script the storyline of Billy and Honey giving birth to their baby daughter. EastEnders takes enormous care with its research and takes advice from experts in the given field. In addition, for this particular storyline EastEnders talked to numerous families with children who have Down's Syndrome. Some of their experiences were depicted in these early episodes. Also closely involved was a senior midwife from a large UK general hospital who saw all scripts. In relation to some particular points raised, Honey was not denied an epidural - she made the choice to put herself out of reach of communicating effectively with the midwife by locking herself in the bathroom. When the news was broken to Honey and Billy that their baby had Down's Syndrome, EastEnders has in fact drawn directly from one particular true-life story - and while this may indeed not be best practice it is worth saying that good drama does not necessarily come from best practice." Despite the BBC's "extensive search" to cast a real Down's baby for the birth episodes, they were unable to do so, resulting in the shots of the newborn baby being less authentic and limited. The BBC added, "In the coming weeks Honey and Billy's child will be played by a baby with Down's Syndrome. It is worth noting that EastEnders has received incredibly positive feedback from the Down's Syndrome Association following the first few episodes, whom we are continuing to work with very closely." Carol Boys, chief executive of the Down's Syndrome Association, has confrimed that 40% of parents whose babies were diagnosed after birth were given no written or practical information about the condition, and 11% were told, as Honey was, by a midwife rather than a paediatrician: "The way in which Billy and Honey have learnt of their baby's disability, and their subsequent support from their health professionals, is not a best-practice model. However, neither is it an unrealistic situation. BBC researchers and scriptwriters have based the scenes on conversations with families who have children with Down's Syndrome, and the scenes have struck a chord with thousands of our parent members across the country. Some health professionals hold outdated or prejudiced views about people with Down's Syndrome that prevent them from giving parents a balanced picture of what the future will hold for them."
receiving 78 complaints from viewers about the level of violence displayed, and concerns for the safety of her baby. The media regulatory body stated that: "In Ofcom's view the violence was not appropriately limited for this time of the evening when many children are available to view television." EastEnders was found to have breached the broadcasting code on this occasion, though the BBC
defended itself by stating that there had been a gradual build up to the event over several episodes, and that a content warning was aired prior to the episode's broadcast.
Barton was axed from the show in April 2008. A spokesperson for EastEnders said "Emma's a lovely actress, but we've just come to the end of her storyline. Honey will go this summer."
, head producer of EastEnders' rival soap Coronation Street
, publicly branded Honey and the Down's syndrome storyline as "Painful to watch [...] wooden and emotionless - crap." EastEnders executive producer, Kate Harwood, defended the storyline, saying "We had incredible feedback on our Down's storyline. Fans were moved."
Grace Dent
, television critic for The Guardian
, described the trio of "doomed weddings" between Billy and Honey in 2006 as an excuse to watch other television programmes "without ever feeling adrift from the Walford gossip [...] It was like Groundhog Day in a Pronuptia showroom. After a series of unfortunate events, the wedding would be scuppered. Honey would sob, Billy would do one of his "I try so hard to do the right thing" soliloquys and everyone in the Vic would be forcing down marzipan-coated fruit cake for weeks." Referencing the surprise third wedding when Honey was heavily pregnant, Dent said, "No one said that springing acute stress on Honey, a heavily pregnant woman, was plainly daft [...] each 30-minute episode spent with Honey and Billy now felt like an endurance test." She has also described the coupling of Billy and Honey as akin to Billy and his former wife in the serial Little Mo Mitchell
, saying "It's Billy and Little Mo all over again. Two dim-witted people, week-in, week-out, making lots of mistakes and getting the wrong end of the stick with farcical consequences. Everyone else is doing Brecht-lite, they're doing Terry & June [...] They're what the fast-forward 30x option on the Sky+
was made for."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Emma Barton
Emma Barton
Emma Louise Barton is an English actress. She played Honey Mitchell in EastEnders from November 2005 to September 2008....
. She made her first appearance in the show on 22 November 2005. It was reported on 19 April 2008 that she had been axed from EastEnders, and her last appearance was on 2 September 2008. The character is known for her use of malapropisms.
Backstory
Honey's mother, Janet, died of a heart defect while giving birth to her. She was raised by her father Jack, who nicknameNickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d her after Honey Ryder from the film Dr. No
Dr. No (film)
Dr. No is a 1962 spy film, starring Sean Connery; it is the first James Bond film. Based on the 1958 Ian Fleming novel of the same name, it was adapted by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkely Mather and was directed by Terence Young. The film was produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R...
when she was four. As a child, Honey was diagnosed with a heart condition, which made her father overprotective of her.
2005–10
Honey is introduced in November 2005, employed by Yolande TruemanYolande Trueman
Yolande Trueman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Angela Wynter. The character made her final appearance on 3 October 2008.-Storylines:...
(Angela Wynter
Angela Wynter
Angela Wynter is a British actress. She is probably most famous for playing the character of Yolande Trueman in the soap opera EastEnders first appearing on 16 October 2003 to her last appearance on 3 October 2008. She based the character on her late sister Merlene and played a similar character...
) as a "honey trap" to see if her husband Patrick
Patrick Trueman
Patrick Neville Loftus Alfonso Trueman is a fictional character from the popular British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Rudolph Walker. He made his first appearance on 13 September 2001.-Backstory:...
(Rudolph Walker
Rudolph Walker
Rudolph Walker, OBE is a British character actor. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Walker came to the United Kingdom in 1960....
) is willing to commit adultery. Honey causes confusion by mistaking Billy Mitchell
Billy Mitchell (EastEnders)
William "Billy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Perry Fenwick, who made his first appearance on 2 November 1998. Billy was seen when Phil went to visit his godson Jamie. However, he didn't arrive in the Square until 2 August 1999, almost a year after...
(Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick is an English film and television actor. He has one sister, Tracey, and two brothers, Faron and Lee. He is, also, the second cousin of Georgina Hagen, who played Lauren Waters in the series of Britannia High....
) for Patrick, but truth prevails, and Honey and Billy become friends. Honey has aspirations to become a model. Billy helps her find employment, acting as her manager. Billy and Honey are attracted to each other, and after a period of trepidation, they finally confess their feelings and became a couple in December 2005. The following month, Honey falls pregnant. Overjoyed, Billy proposes and despite initial objections from her father, Jack (Nicky Henson
Nicky Henson
Nicholas Victor Leslie "Nicky" Henson is an English actor who has portrayed many roles since 1963. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1977. He was born in London.-Early life:...
), Honey says yes.
When Jack discovers that Honey is pregnant, he tries to persuade her to abort
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
her unborn child, convinced she would share the same fate as her mother. Not wanting to lose Honey, Billy insists that she enquire about an abortion but a check-up reveals that Honey does not have the same heart defect as her mother, so there is no danger of her dying of the same cause. Honey is furious with Jack for making her so unnecessarily fearful about her health all her life, and chastises him for not getting her heart checked when she was a child. She eventually forgives her father, and begins enjoying the prospect of becoming a mother.
Honey and Billy's first attempt at getting married in June 2006 ends in disaster when Honey is admitted to hospital, due to food poisoning. They try again in July, but due to a series of unfortunate events — starting with a prank performed on Billy's stag night
Stag night
*Stag Night a 2008 horror film*'Stag night' UK, Canadian, Irish, Australian and New Zealand term for a bachelor party...
— the groom doesn't get to the ceremony on time. Their third attempt in September is arranged as a surprise by Peggy
Peggy Mitchell
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
(Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor
Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
). Honey is heavily pregnant and goes into labour, during the ceremony. As Billy leans in for a kiss after they are pronounced husband and wife, Honey reveals that her waters have broken.
Infanticide
Infanticide or infant homicide is the killing of a human infant. Neonaticide, a killing within 24 hours of a baby's birth, is most commonly done by the mother.In many past societies, certain forms of infanticide were considered permissible...
, but cannot do it. Petal is fostered by Tony (Enzo Squillino, Jr.
Enzo Squillino, Jr.
Enzo Squillino, Jr. is a British actor of English and Italian heritage. He was trained at Mountview Theatre Academy.He has been called the "British De Niro" on many occasions....
) and Kim Smith (Lorraine Arnold
Lorraine Arnold
Lorraine Arnold is a British actress.She appeared in EastEnders as Kim Smith on 19 December 2006. She also appeared in Modern Toss series two, in March 2008. Stage work includes the countess in Flare Path, directed by David Harris at the Jermyn Street Theatre.-External links:...
) in December 2006, but the next day, Dr. May Wright (Amanda Drew
Amanda Drew
Amanda Drew is a British actress. Drew is best known for her role as the psychotic Dr. May Wright in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Biography:...
) tells Billy that Petal needs a heart operation. Billy arranges for Petal to be baptised
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
in case she does not survive, and after reading a heartfelt letter from Billy to Petal, Honey decides to keep her daughter after all. She attends the baptism and informs the vicar that the baby's name is Janet. Janet's operation is a success, and Honey begins to bond with her.
In March 2007, Honey discovers she is pregnant again. Billy is apprehensive, fearing that they might love the new baby more than Janet, but Honey soon reassures him and they look forward to the arrival of the second baby. However, in November 2007, Honey is knocked down whilst trying to stop Jase Dyer
Jase Dyer
Jason "Jase" Dyer is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Stephen Lord between 2007 and 2008. The character was killed off in the serial, making his final credited appearance on 29 August 2008.-Storylines:...
(Stephen Lord
Stephen Lord
Stephen Lord is a British actor probably best known for playing Jase Dyer, in BBC soap opera EastEnders between 2007-2008.- Personal life :...
) being attacked, sending her into labour. She is rushed to hospital where she gives birth to a boy, who initially appears stillborn
Stillbirth
A stillbirth occurs when a fetus has died in the uterus. The Australian definition specifies that fetal death is termed a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation or the fetus weighs more than . Once the fetus has died the mother still has contractions and remains undelivered. The term is often used in...
, but is resuscitated, and is named William after his father.
The Mitchells are happy until December 2007, when their landlady, Manju Patel (Leena Dhingra
Leena Dhingra
Leena Dhingra is a British/Asian actress.She has appeared in soap operas Doctors as Nina Parmar, Coronation Street as Mina Parekh and EastEnders as Manju Patel...
), threatens to evict them. Billy is unable to raise their rent money and despite attempts to barricade themselves in the flat, Mrs Patel evicts them, leaving the entire family homeless before Christmas. They are forced to rely on relatives and friends for accommodation, before being rehoused at Walford Towers. Money becomes an issue for the Mitchells again in August 2008. Desperate, Billy takes a job as a getaway driver for Jase, who is in league with Terry Bates (Nicholas Ball), the man responsible for the pub riot that caused Honey an injury the year before. The job is a ruse, set up by Terry as revenge on Jase; Jase is stabbed and killed. Honey is devastated to learn that Billy was indirectly involved in the incident that led to Jase's death, particularly when she discovers that instead of trying to rescue Jase, Billy hid in the bathroom in fear. She is further incensed to discover that Billy has kept Jase's "blood money". She throws Billy out, only agreeing to take him back when Billy donates the money to charity. Honey tells Billy she will take him back if he promises never to lie again. Billy does so, but when Honey discovers that Billy still has some of Jase's money, she decides that she can no longer trust him. She ends her marriage and leaves Walford with their children on 2 September 2008.
Honey tells Billy that she will never stop him seeing the kids because she does not want to see them suffer because of their father's mistakes. In September 2008, it is revealed that Honey and the children are now living with Honey's father, Jack. In May 2010, Honey and Jack are both involved in a car crash. Jack dies and Honey is left in a critical condition. It is then revelaed that Honey has recovered, and has resumed custody of Janet and William.
Character creation and development
The character Honey Edwards was introduced in November 2005 by the executive producer Kate Harwood, as a love interest for Billy MitchellBilly Mitchell (EastEnders)
William "Billy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Perry Fenwick, who made his first appearance on 2 November 1998. Billy was seen when Phil went to visit his godson Jamie. However, he didn't arrive in the Square until 2 August 1999, almost a year after...
(Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick is an English film and television actor. He has one sister, Tracey, and two brothers, Faron and Lee. He is, also, the second cousin of Georgina Hagen, who played Lauren Waters in the series of Britannia High....
). Actress Emma Barton was chosen to play the role in September 2005, after a successful screen test with Perry Fenwick. Barton commented, "I can’t wait to join EastEnders and play Honey. She’s a really sweet girl, who always wants to do the best for everyone but she’s not exactly the brightest star in the sky."
Down's syndrome
A relationship between Honey and Billy quickly developed and, within two months, an upcoming baby had been written into the characters' narratives, with Honey announcing she was pregnant in January 2006. The pregnancy was the start of an on-going storyline about Down's Syndrome (DS) as, in September 2006, Honey and Billy's baby Janet was diagnosed with the disorder shortly after her birth. EastEnders producers began to work on the DS plot in February 2006. Real parents with Down's children were approached to act as consultants in the making of the storyline, meeting with writers and the actors who play Billy and Honey. On-screen, Honey was shown to be devastated, rejecting her baby and wanting to have her adopted, while Billy wanted to keep his daughter, placing strain on the couple, who married in the serial the day of Janet's birth.The Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) worked with EastEnders on the storyline. Their medical advisers were consulted about possible health problems that Billy and Honey’s baby might encounter. According to the DSA in 2006, DS people are under-represented on mainstream television and EastEnders helped to redress that imbalance. The DSA used their influence to change certain elements of the scripts that they were unhappy with, such as persuading them to change the way Billy and Honey were told of their baby’s diagnosis; however, they had no influence over the characters' reactions or the plot in general. For the first two weeks after Janet's diagnosis, the DSA provided a helpline for worried parents or anyone wanting advice about DS. EastEnders also provided a link to the DSA website from theirs, to ensure that people looking for information could find the association.
The storyline was developed with characterisation in mind. Some characters, such as Peggy Mitchell
Peggy Mitchell
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
, were shown to respond negatively towards the DS baby, views that were included so that the positive aspects could be voiced by the "more enlightened characters". The programme makers' main priority was to show the reality of having a child with the condition, "with all of its positives and negatives" and to "create awareness among thousands of people who know very little about Down’s syndrome, who might have out-dated or prejudiced views." EastEnders took advice from DS organisations and families of DS people throughout. Care was taken to ensure that viewers empathised with Billy and Honey, to portray their journey in a "realistic way".
The DSA have expressed their desire to see a Down’s syndrome character becoming a permanent member of the EastEnders cast, as in their opinion "it would be a fantastic opportunity to bring Down’s syndrome into mainstream awareness, and to present a 21st century picture of family life for those who have children with the condition." In 2006, EastEnders pledged that they intended for Billy and Honey’s baby to grow up as any other baby would in the soap; however, it has been noted that the plot is dependent on the actors involved, and other practical problems that could arise. EastEnders pledged to make every effort to portray "a positive image of a family who have a baby with the condition."
Reception of Down's syndrome storyline
The episodes received criticism for inaccuracy. Sue Jacob, a teacher at the Royal College of MidwivesRoyal College of Midwives
The Royal College of Midwives is a British midwives organisation which has existed under its present name since 1947.-History:The Matrons' Aid Society, renamed the Midwives' Institute in 1881, was founded by Louisa Hubbard and Zepharina Veitch to raise the training and status of midwives...
(RCM), said EastEnders presented a "poor picture of midwifery practice". During Janet's birth, Honey was refused an epidural
Epidural
The term epidural is often short for epidural analgesia, a form of regional analgesia involving injection of drugs through a catheter placed into the epidural space...
while in pain, and later she was told that her baby had Down's syndrome alone, without her partner or family there to support her. Jacob commented, "Women are vulnerable after giving birth and they need support systems in place [...] The person caring for her is repeatedly referred to as a nurse in the episode but there is no way that a nurse would be in charge after birth. The midwife would also have been open and honest and said 'We need to get the baby checked out and we will get your partner' [...] What the soaps do is set scenes which prompt people to talk about things which are affecting their lives. We are concerned people will wrongly think this Down’s syndrome story shows what really happens, and that if you have a problem there is no one there to support you. Showing something like this is not helpful." Furthermore, Jacob noted that Honey was left alone for a long time to worry about the baby, which appeared rigid, and not floppy, as Down's babies do. In Jacob's opinion, a midwife would have been repeatedly in and out of the room to check on the mother. Additionally, one episode showed a health visitor
Health visitor
Health visitors are UK community health nurses who have undertaken further training to work as part of a primary health care team. As their name suggests, their role is to promote mental, physical and social well-being in the community by giving advice and support to families in all age groups...
reprimanding Honey for refusing Down’s syndrome screening and Karen Reay, director of the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association called the episode "insensitive and patronising". She added that the episode contained "glaring anomalies", giving new mothers a "fictitious and misleading" view of health visitors, which could "damage relationships with health professionals".
The BBC responded by saying, "EastEnders has undertaken a great deal of research to script the storyline of Billy and Honey giving birth to their baby daughter. EastEnders takes enormous care with its research and takes advice from experts in the given field. In addition, for this particular storyline EastEnders talked to numerous families with children who have Down's Syndrome. Some of their experiences were depicted in these early episodes. Also closely involved was a senior midwife from a large UK general hospital who saw all scripts. In relation to some particular points raised, Honey was not denied an epidural - she made the choice to put herself out of reach of communicating effectively with the midwife by locking herself in the bathroom. When the news was broken to Honey and Billy that their baby had Down's Syndrome, EastEnders has in fact drawn directly from one particular true-life story - and while this may indeed not be best practice it is worth saying that good drama does not necessarily come from best practice." Despite the BBC's "extensive search" to cast a real Down's baby for the birth episodes, they were unable to do so, resulting in the shots of the newborn baby being less authentic and limited. The BBC added, "In the coming weeks Honey and Billy's child will be played by a baby with Down's Syndrome. It is worth noting that EastEnders has received incredibly positive feedback from the Down's Syndrome Association following the first few episodes, whom we are continuing to work with very closely." Carol Boys, chief executive of the Down's Syndrome Association, has confrimed that 40% of parents whose babies were diagnosed after birth were given no written or practical information about the condition, and 11% were told, as Honey was, by a midwife rather than a paediatrician: "The way in which Billy and Honey have learnt of their baby's disability, and their subsequent support from their health professionals, is not a best-practice model. However, neither is it an unrealistic situation. BBC researchers and scriptwriters have based the scenes on conversations with families who have children with Down's Syndrome, and the scenes have struck a chord with thousands of our parent members across the country. Some health professionals hold outdated or prejudiced views about people with Down's Syndrome that prevent them from giving parents a balanced picture of what the future will hold for them."
Raid on the Vic; Honey's second pregnancy; departure
The scenes in which Honey was attacked were subject to heavy criticism in 2007, with OfcomOfcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
receiving 78 complaints from viewers about the level of violence displayed, and concerns for the safety of her baby. The media regulatory body stated that: "In Ofcom's view the violence was not appropriately limited for this time of the evening when many children are available to view television." EastEnders was found to have breached the broadcasting code on this occasion, though the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
defended itself by stating that there had been a gradual build up to the event over several episodes, and that a content warning was aired prior to the episode's broadcast.
Barton was axed from the show in April 2008. A spokesperson for EastEnders said "Emma's a lovely actress, but we've just come to the end of her storyline. Honey will go this summer."
Reception
In September 2006, Steve FrostSteve Frost
Steven "Steve" November is a British television producer, he is currently employed by ITV as the continuing drama producer.-Career:...
, head producer of EastEnders
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, publicly branded Honey and the Down's syndrome storyline as "Painful to watch [...] wooden and emotionless - crap." EastEnders executive producer, Kate Harwood, defended the storyline, saying "We had incredible feedback on our Down's storyline. Fans were moved."
Grace Dent
Grace Dent
Grace Dent is an English journalist, author, and broadcaster. Dent writes mainly for The Guardian, where she has a weekly column on television, 'Grace Dent's TV-OD'. She also writes for magazines such as Tatler and Marie Claire. She writes a restaurant review column for the London Evening...
, television critic for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, described the trio of "doomed weddings" between Billy and Honey in 2006 as an excuse to watch other television programmes "without ever feeling adrift from the Walford gossip [...] It was like Groundhog Day in a Pronuptia showroom. After a series of unfortunate events, the wedding would be scuppered. Honey would sob, Billy would do one of his "I try so hard to do the right thing" soliloquys and everyone in the Vic would be forcing down marzipan-coated fruit cake for weeks." Referencing the surprise third wedding when Honey was heavily pregnant, Dent said, "No one said that springing acute stress on Honey, a heavily pregnant woman, was plainly daft [...] each 30-minute episode spent with Honey and Billy now felt like an endurance test." She has also described the coupling of Billy and Honey as akin to Billy and his former wife in the serial Little Mo Mitchell
Little Mo Mitchell
Maureen "Little Mo" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Kacey Ainsworth.-Storylines:...
, saying "It's Billy and Little Mo all over again. Two dim-witted people, week-in, week-out, making lots of mistakes and getting the wrong end of the stick with farcical consequences. Everyone else is doing Brecht-lite, they're doing Terry & June [...] They're what the fast-forward 30x option on the Sky+
Sky+
Sky+, or Sky Plus, is a personal video recorder service for Sky in the UK. Launched in September 2001, it allows the user to record, pause and instantly rewind live TV. The system performs these functions using an internal hard drive inside the Sky+ set top box...
was made for."