She has appeared in more episodes than anyone else this year, is this justified? Why do people like her character? Why do others hate her?

Has the addition of her backstory and family improved the popularity of this character or just made it worse?

Discuss.

I can already see exactly how this thread will go, who will post and what they will say, a thousand times over. But I like Shirley, she is a multilayered and interesting character played by a great actress.

I look forward to her finding out about Dean though, her support of Dean is holding her back - although I do understand why she does. Last year, Shirley was popular and she is well liked when away from Dean - I think the story has affected her a bit, but once resolved it will be fine.

Shirley is still popular but I'm just not a fan of her. I did love Yvonne Atkins in Bad Girls. Linda Henry is a very good actress though.

How is she multilayered? She comes on, snarls abuse at people and that's basically it. I see no depth from her.

Shirley's a character who has always had a split opinion on here, used to be roughly half and half in terms of those who like her and those who don't. I was just wondering whether that was still the case.

Expanding her family has just made her worse imo. Just more people for her to treat like shit other than her odious rat of a son. That episode where she had that pity party over her upbringing with Sylvie and Stan just summed her right up. The conflict at the time was regarding the small matter of her son being a rapist, and then she just went on and on about how it's not her fault that she's such a selfish, mean-spirited bitch.

Linda Henry is a good actress though. She makes me want to like her character. I just can't - and I love a good flawed anti-hero usually. There's just absolutely nothing heroic about her.

Linda's acting ability and her delivery at comic lines are the reasons for her popularity in my view. but the character of Shirley is so badly written and comes across with south malice towards others that I struggle to find anything likeable about her.

Indifferent. I can see why people like her and hate her. I preferred her with Ev and when she was avenging Ev. I don't care which son she picks or about her latest back story. Her dad was cool though and she eats soup better than the queen!

It didn't come across as though she was avenging Heather, it seemed like she was profiting from Heathers death. She didn't even treat Heather well when she was alive, she used her when it suited her.

My thoughts exactly...


I didn't need to be psychic to know I'd see this

I meant that episode where she found out and stuck his head in the bog! I have to confess I only saw bits of her with Ev as I wasn't watching much of 08-12. I think over exposure has done her few favours. But that would be the same for any character.

Yes I do like her but I wish she would find out about Dean ASAP. I do like her and Buster together so I want to see more of them together.

The nasty, horrid characters are often my absolute all time favourites by a wide margin. It's normally only them that I can abide. But Shirley, nasty and mean though she is, I utterly despise her. Take away that Linda Henry is an alright actress and you're left with an inconsistent, poorly written character. I've not yet come across anyone IRL or online that actually cares about her latest child trauma.

Can't click on the edit button but I do understand why people are tired of Shirley being overexposed. Linda Henry almost quit when she wasn't getting enough screentime. I think she made a deal with DTC to stay on the show for a while as long as Shirley is better used. You don't underuse a terrific actress. It's just not on. Linda Henry usually takes a break in the autumn right?

I cannot bear Shirley but oddly for that I don't think it's about her being over used but more about her being shoe horned in to whatever is going on. Her visit to the chippy at just the time Max was working there and her coming from nowhere derision at him is a point in hand

It goes without saying almost that the rewriting of her back story so she can take centre stage with the family of the moment is just sick making.

If they left her as a gin soaked tragic figure never to be loved just shouting obscenities from the gutter at passers by I might have been able to tolerate her but in trying to make her a bigger character they have ruined her by exposing how lacking the character of Shirley actually is.

We are stuck with Shirley until DTC leaves. She's his own creation

I hope one day we get a producer who treats her like crud so she gets fed up and leaves. It nearly happened under Lorraine Newman

Glorious will be the show with Shirley!

I like her. I think Linda Henry is a good actress and Shirley still has good moments. The problem is in recent times she has been dragged down with some crap, like the whole Dean stuff. I loved Shirley and Jean together for example and there have been other good moments. Such a shame the good is overshadowed by the bad.

I don't like Shirley. I love and adore her. Along with Kat Slater, she is one of the most fascinating characters I have ever come across on a television show. She really is. She also has had one of the most interesting character rebirths in a long time. She's gone from a character who was tied down heavily by Phil and Heather, to now being the show's leading lady at the forefront of her own well crafted storylines.

I'm not voting on the poll as it isn't clear enough - ie, do you like the character of Shirley in that you are on her side, do you like her as an antihero/villainess, do you like the actress' portrayal.

Within that, my answer is that I love linda henry's portrayal, i always find her acting top notch and she makes me feel sympathy (even when i'd rather not) and I find Shirley an 'interesting' character. But 'like' her - no. Never have.

For the record, my answer for Phil, David Wicks, max Branning or Ian would be very similar.

I agree

I really don't like her and hate the fact we're supposed to forgive everything she does because she had 'a bad upbringing' or 'Phil treated her badly' or whatever the excuse of the day is. She's a selfish, miserable, twisted cow of a character with few redeeming features despite the numerous attempts to give her them - the attempted martyring of her is ridiculous and makes her less bearable. If people would just accept her for what she is instead of trying to justify every piece of bad behaviour I think she would be much more successful and popular.

I dislike the character, but wouldn't want her written out either which is contradictory, but she's my love to hate character - I know that when she's on screen 9 times out of 10 we know she's being terrible.

BIB That's a fair assessment Kat. I love watching Shirley but I rarely approve of her. That doesn't stop her being one of the most fascinating characters in the show though

IMO there has never been anyone quite like her, and that's down to the excellence of Linda Henry.

Was she really that popular lasst year before the rape?

My recollection is that whilst many (including me) were really glad that they had finally introduced famiiy and given Henry more to do than sniff around after Phil, we were still pissed off wiith her general attitude and actions such as emotionally blackmailing mick into giving her a third of the Vic, getting at Linda, sniding at sharon every chance she got, still running to Phil for money, having double standards about attacking Ben n first sight in such a way as he could have hit his head (as Heather did) and finally cheating with Phil and loving rubbing Sharon's nose in it in the weeks running up to the wedding, ruining the wedding and starting waving aa gun around. All that was before Dean raped Linda.

I'm not saying there weren't people that loved her last year but it was far from universal.

Like everything good DTC creates he then goes on to try and destroy it!

You all know I love Shirley but do I think we've seen a positive year for Shirley then my answer would be no. I feel DTC has reverted Shirley backwards to be honest.

I much prefer Shirley with Mick rather than with Dean and I much preferred Shirley with Phil than with Buster.

I loved the Carters, they were so refreshing. DTC really messed up having Dean rape Linda, this move obliterated the family as a whole and the consequences are now that ALL the Carters as characters are now weak. I think they were a very strong positive family for EE BEFORE Dean raped Linda and now I think the only way to strengthen the family again is to kill off Dean Wicks.

I love her, she's my favourite character in EE. She is one of the few characters that makes me laugh with her sarcastic jibes. I like her even more when she is being an absolute bitch, drinking heavily and acting like a loon taking no notice of the normal rules of decent behaviour which she usually follows up with some misguided attempt at caring for those she loves.

I love Phil Mitchell too, all the people who behave like reasonable people on the square are dull. The more despicable they are the better.

Ben Mitchell is rapidly rising up the list as well

BIB Yes.

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1991130

She ended in 5th place.

The rape s/l has really dragged her down.