EastEnders announces grooming storyline involving Amy Mitchell

The BBC soap opera EastEnders has announced a new issue-based storyline centered on the grooming of character Amy Mitchell by Craig Ingram, a suspended police officer. The plot follows Amy as she is manipulated by Ingram, who uses his knowledge of her involvement in an attack on Joel Marshall to gain her trust and exert control. Over several months, the storyline will depict how Ingram creates an environment where Amy believes he is the only person she can trust to keep her out of prison.

To ensure the sensitive subject is portrayed accurately, the production is working with charities including Barnardo's and End Violence Against Women. Executive producer Ben Wadey stated that the show has a responsibility to highlight the warning signs of grooming. Lynn Perry, Chief Executive of Barnardo's, noted that the storyline serves as a reminder that there is no stereotypical victim or perpetrator of grooming and that young people from all backgrounds can be targeted by controlling behavior.