His Twitter account has since switched to protected.
An Emmerdale actor has shared a troubling comment about the soap’s recent grooming storyline.
Chris Chittell, who plays Eric Pollard in the ITV programme, called the plot “a young man’s dream” on his Twitter page last night.
The storyline involves teacher Maya Stepney and teenager Jacob Gallagher, who was recently kissed by Maya after she admitted that she was “flattered” that he wanted to make her jealous.
The scenes sparked much discomfort for audiences who found them difficult to watch due to the nature of the topic.
Chittell however, who has been attached to the soap for over 30 years, failed to see the issue.
On his account, which has since been switched to protected, he wrote:
“Come on it’s a young man’s dream, okay okay I know, behave et bloody cetra! Don’t they ‘play’ it well!! Convincing don’t you think!!!!.”
He also included a link to an article in Metro citing producers’ reasons for tackling the child abuse storyline.
Those who managed to spot the inappropriate remark were quick to comment.
Hideous storyline 😞
— motherknowsbest (@janeharding) December 6, 2018
Is @ChrisChittell joking? How can he make such thoughtless remarks in this day and age? People with opinions like that seriously need looking at! Need to stop protecting them with "oh it's the era they were born in" pervert!
— Gemma Larkin (@gemgeml) December 8, 2018
@ChrisChittell calls the @emmerdale teacher grooming storyline a “young lads dream…”
I doubt you’d be making comments like that if it was an adult male grooming a teenage girl.#idiot
— Jade Leanne (@Jaadedaisy) December 9, 2018
Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw said that the soap had approached Barnardos to ensure that they were tackling the grooming storyline as sensitively as possible.
“We met some incredible individuals and were moved by their courage and willingness to help us tell this story sensitively,” she said.
“Hopefully it will make young people and their parents more aware of these issues and their impact.”
