I've noticed a lot on these forums that people are very bitter towards her!:O

I think she's great! She's gone from being like an extra character to a new icon, she reminds me of a young Pat Butcher! I like the way how she has a lot of interaction with the rest of the square, and she's played by a very good actress, Linda Henry, I thought she was brilliant in that episode where we found out she was micks mom! I love what the producers have done with her

What's everyone else think?

She will never be Pat.

Fed up of her. Wish she would fall down a drain and disappear.

She seems to be getting a lot of screentime while other characters are being neglected (Jay for one.) She's also very retconned. I personally liked her a lot more before they started changing the age at which she walked out on her kids, and tried to justify it with the whole Mick thing. Not to mention trying to drown her own son. She hasn't just made one mistake, you'd lose count with her.

No, I know that, but she seems to have taken over the peggy/pat type of role:P

Really? I don't think so. Nothing like them.

I would probably like the character if they stopped putting her with Phil that's where she falls down for me personally.

I preferred Shirley when she was a cow and knew it, I was never hugely interested in her back story. The bits we knew were fine but bringing in her family and the whole new story of Mick and the kids is a snooze feat, coupled with showing her sensitive side is a load of contrived nonsense.

My favourite episode of Shirley was when she found out about Ben killing Heather and then started Phil for months.

Its the angry tomato that doesn't help her character. Mooning after him all the time. Yes maybe there have been signs from tomato face so she's responding. But I hate them together. Can't stand her strutting around the square like she owns it. We know who you are Shirley a drunk gutter dwelling old hag.

Now if they paired her with someone interesting and made her a bit more likeable without it feeling forced I would like her a lot more. If she's going to be the same old Shirley then I'm not interested. The only good thing is her family.

I don't think it does Shirley any favours comparing her to Pat. They had similar histories but there it ends. Pat was a jollier character and did have happiness in her life, particularly when she was married to Frank. She was also loved by Roy and inherited from Andy. Her life wasn't one long misery, she was able to turn it round when she was still quite a young woman. People like to remember her as a one off.

I love Shirley but she is a bitter and negative person and her own worst enemy. Maybe once she can confront her mother and her secret is out she can get some peace, but right now she is always one drink away from the gutter. There's no reason why she shouldn't be a future matriarch but it's going to take some work.

Yes I see where you're coming from tbf I wouldn't say she is LIKE pat and peggy asin the same person, I mean in a matriarch type of way, like a main character, I think they're building her up quite nicely, but yeah it will take some work:P

I love Shirley. She is a fascinating multilayered flawed but very real character played by a fantastic actress. I love her quips, one liners, sarcasm and how she says it as it is and I love that. Shirley has softened slightly in the last few months and I love her relationship with Mick and Tina. I think once Sylvie has joined and Mick has been revealed as her son, it will bring a new direction for Shirley. In order for her to progress as a character, her past must first be explored. The only thing I don't like is when they keep reverting Shirley to the gutter, she is good without haven't to drink a record number of vodka bottles when things go wrong. I've loved her with her family the last few months but they need to sort out the Phil situation though. They keep sacrificing Shirley for Phil and its not on. I wish TPTB would decide what they want to do with Phil/Shirley, they have these lovely scenes and then the next week they are threatening each other..
The exploration of Shirley's history is the linchpin of why she is the way she is and I think this will allow her to finally put demons to bed. I can definitely see her becoming a matriarchal figure much like Pat but that doesn't mean to say that im saying she is like Pat. On a side note, Linda Henry portrays her brilliantly..
Sorry for the rambling and lack of paragraphs, its quite hard to do on my phone..

Exactly what I'm thinking! She isn't like pat no, I mean if in a matriarch type of way:P I agree she has many layers, which is exactly what pat had, that's why I think their development is similar! If you have a character with lots of layers, you've got a successful character! And lol I know! One minute phil and shirley love eachover, the next they are threatening eachover haha! I was thinking the exact same:P

Has Mormon girl got a new username or something? No one else loves Linda Henry this much, surely?

Mormon Girl loves the Brannings. I've never seen her raging about Shirley before.

To her credit she does keep trying.

I don't like her cause she's vile

There seems to be a few posters on here that really dislike Shirley and are very vocal about it and so it seems like there is a lot of hate for her, there really isn't overall. Shirley is a popular character on social media and that is where they get most of their feedback from, plus there is a wider range of viewers on social media. No character is liked unanimously but the Shirley bashers mainly congregate on here, I see a lot of praise for her in other places and in polls.

Many teens use social media so that is not good feedback overall.

All ages use social media. I understand that the Queen even has a twitter account.

I dislike her greatly - due to the fact she has about a million kids all over the place and she abandoned them all and yet she acts as if she's done nothing wrong by justifying her behaviour.

I also find her constant fawning over that fat head Phil nauseating.

Ha yeah I'm aware all age groups use it. But most of the comments are from teens themselves. They keep saying EE needs happier storylines and are nasty about actors' looks etc. If EE used twitter and Facebook as feedback, they would have axed Sharon, Tosh, etc . They would have introduced love and warmth stories

I have seen many older people comment on both Twitter and Facebook as well as people who are middle aged and my age. Folk of all ages use those sites and comment. If social media doesn't offer good feedback then what does that say about the sheltered feedback on here? Ahhh.

I can't say I read facebook but the comments on twitter are pretty diverse. I think they would ignore those that make remarks about looks but take note of serious feedback. There were plenty of tweets asking for him to redeem Sharon which he not only retweeted but responded to on there. And as we've seen he's acted on that feedback.

We get a fair proportion of teens on here as well and the vast majority are constructive posters who add a lot to the forum.

nothing, I think she is fab

I really like her and find her one of the most interesting characters on the show.