EastEnders are lining up a horrifying story that will see Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall) abuse his mum Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace).
The plot, which follows on from a worrying pattern of behaviour in Tommy over recent weeks, will begin later in the summer.
So far we’ve seen the youngster struggle with his mum’s divorce from husband Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), and make an attempt to reunite them.
The pair broke up when his sister Sam (Kim Medcalf) revealed he’d had an affair with Emma Harding (Patsy Kensit), and then fled with thousands of pounds of his cash. However, with Phil distancing himself from his family, and Kat adamant that they’re over, this has only fell on flat ears.
Following that, his behaviour has spiralled and he was caught shoplifting at the Minute Mart.
Tommy has also bunked off school and avoided his summer job at the Laundrette, causing arguments to erupt with his adoptive dad Alfie (Shane Richie).
In tonight’s (23rd July) episode, he spun a story that Kat wanted Phil back, giving him false hope. Kat ordered Tommy home, where he punched her in the stomach and she pushed him to the floor in retaliation.
As the story progresses, we’ll see him use his behaviour to dominate Kat’s life and the effects it has on their dynamic, as well as the wider Slater-Moon clan.
Speaking of the story, executive producer Chris Clenshaw said: ‘Kat is well-known in Albert Square for her no-nonsense attitude and fiery temper, but this storyline will explore how Tommy manipulates Kat’s unequivocal love for her son to exert his anger and elicit control.
‘Jessie [Wallace] and Sonny’s [Kendall] performances have thoughtfully portrayed the complex realities of child to parent abuse with compassion and understanding.’
He continued: ‘To ensure we accurately and sensitively portray the realities of child to parent abuse, we have worked alongside Family Based Solutions, PEGS and NSPCC as well as other experts in the field.’
Jason Phasouliotis, Secondary Age Lead Practitioner at Family Based Solutions praised EastEnders for covering a ‘critical and often overlooked issue’ and hoped that it would ‘resonate with families experiencing child-to-parent abuse to encourage them to reach out for support.’
Michelle John, Director at PEGS added: ‘It was clear from our first conversation that the script writers wanted to ensure the storyline came across in a way that was real but with respect and compassion for those who have or who are experiencing this form of abuse.’
