Controversial and sensitive storylines

The issue with soap operas is that there are some stories that are just too sensitive for a soap opera to cover. They recognise the idea that the viewers can take some strands too seriously which is why they have to be sensitive around the matter. Most soap operas get away with putting a helpline telephone number at the end of the episode and if anyone has issues with it they can call up and get help and advice.

In the early 1990s soap operas came under criticism in the British media for being too depressing due to scenes containing domestic violence, drugs, rape and racism.

The main sensitive storyline which occurred recently in 2012 caused a major uproar was the cot death and baby swapping strand which raised 6,000 complaints from audience members or of the 11 million that watched it. Due to all of these complaints EastEnders have to shorten the cot death plot once complaints passed 6,000. 

A controversial strand in Hollyoaks in 2009 was terminated after Denise Fergus; mother of Jame's Bulger, who was a young boy that had been murdered, had made her anger about the strand public. The scenes had included two teenage girls admitting to being child killers when they were 12 years old, Hollyoaks pulled the plug on the strand days before transmission to respect the wishes of Denise Fergus.





Back in 1993 Emmerdale aired their Christmas special  which even though was a plane crash and coincided with the 5 year anniversary of the 'Lockerbie bombing' it gave them their highest ever viewing figure of 18
million viewers. The producers were received accusations of making profit from the nation's grief, on the other hand this episode revamped the soap and the strand itself has kept them as one of the most popular British soap operas.

1994 marked the first ever pre-watershed lesbian kiss, aired in Brookside between Beth and Margaret. During that time it was a huge step forward compared to today's standards and caused such an uproar that it was removed from the omnibus for that week and marked a big moment in soap opera history. However this scene helped the show to peak 9 million views and when it was cut from the omnibus there were multiple complaints.