Scenes showing Ben Mitchell and Paul Coker half naked next to an open coffin were ‘implied and not explicit’, says corporation

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

The BBC is standing by a controversial scene in EastEnders that showed two men half naked in a funeral parlour after the media watchdog received nearly 50 complaints.

The scene, which aired last Friday, showed characters Ben Mitchell and Paul Coker stripped off above the waist and embracing in front of a dead body in an open coffin.

The couple’s intimacy was interrupted by a knock at the door and one of the characters was then shown hiding under the casket.

Some viewers were upset by the scenes, with one claiming the broadcaster had “lost the plot” and another branding it a “disgrace”.

The BBC claimed the scenes were ‘implied and not explicit’ and said EastEnders fans “know and expect dramatic storylines”.

But despite defending the material, which featured actors Harry Reid and Jonny Labey, the corporation would not say how many complaints it had got over the scene.

It is understood that the Ofcom complaints were more about the location of the action, rather than the sexuality of the characters.

An Ofcom spokesman said: “Ofcom has received 48 complaints about EastEnders on Friday 17 July. We will assess these complaints before deciding whether to investigate or not.”

The first kiss between the young men last month provoked homophobic remarks on social media.