Eastenders to highlight problem of teen involvement in gangs

12th May 2017

Following on from the success of their last pairing, EastEnders and Comic Relief are teaming up once again this Red Nose Day, this time to raise awareness and tackle the issues surrounding teenagers and gangs.

Eastender’s Bianca Butcher finds herself confronting a dangerous gang in the soap’s special Comic Relief episode. Bianca and her son Liam will take centre stage in a six-minute mini-edition airing as part of the Red Nose Day big night of TV.

EastEnders and Comic Relief have carefully researched this storyline to ensure it reflects the problems faced by young people today, looking at why teenagers become involved in gangs and the devastating effects the culture can have on so many lives.  Over the past decade, the UK has seen an increase in teenagers becoming involved in gangs. Gangs are most commonly found in urban areas of high deprivation, crime, high unemployment and family breakdown which is why Comic Relief fund projects and initiatives listed as helping to reverse gang cultures in the UK.

The storyline begins tonight on Eastenders tonight, continuing all week, reaching a climax in the special episode on Friday’s Comic Relief: Funny for Money, BBC One from 7pm.