EastEnders fans have fumed over Ian Beale’s treatment of Linda Carter, voicing hope that he is the character who dies at Christmas.
During Wednesday’s instalment (November 1) of the BBC soap, Linda (Kellie Bright) headed to confront Ian (Adam Woodyatt) and Cindy (Michelle Collins) after finding out they were going into business with Dean (Matt Di Angelo). Fans will remember Linda was raped by Dean in 2014 and he was driven out of Walford two years later after he attempted to do the same to Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons).
Arriving at the café, Linda laid into Ian about going into business with a rapist. While Cindy insisted she was unaware of Dean’s history, Ian explained he only discovered that their mystery business partner was him the night before.
Ian claimed the pair couldn’t back out of the deal because there is a contract involved and Dean was found not guilty of the attempted rape of Roxy. “If Mick could see you now,” a disgusted Linda responded.
Ian then said: “Your accusation didn’t even make it to court,” leaving Linda, Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) and Whitney (Shona McGarty) utterly stunned. “Have you any idea how few rape cases make it to court?” asked Kathy.To which Ian responded: “But Roxy’s did make it to court.” Whitney added: “Ian do you know why women don’t come forward? It’s because men like you don’t believe a word that they say.”
Fans rushed to social media to share their wishes of Ian being the dead body at Christmas. One person wrote: “Ian is pure evil. if he is the body, i hope all of the six take turns in murdering him.”
“Can we all just agree that we would like Ian to be the one on the floor at the Vic this Christmas?” added a second. A third agreed: “They are honestly making every man terrible so there’s lots of suspects…. Keanu is trash, Ian is trash, Dean is trash – can we have a few christmas murders please?!?!”
While others picked up on a huge blunder as fans questioned why Ian would respond like this given that his own mother was raped. One person wrote: “It’s not that we don’t believe you but your accusation didn’t make it to court” imagine saying that in front of 3 r*pe survivors, one being your mother, Ian Beale never has shame.”
Another viewer weighed in: “After how Ian was with Linda infront of his mum a fellow SA survivor. Wouldn’t be surprised if Kathy ends him herself at xmas.” A third fumed: “Ian is despicable you would think he had more empathy considering his mum was a victim of this crime as well.”
Echoing this, someone else wrote: “I’ve been waiting all day to say this, but the fact that Ian didn’t just say those horrendous comments, but he said them to Linda’s face, as well as in-front of Whitney & Kathy, who he fully knows what happened to them. Honestly he can go back to France.”
