The soaps should be on after 9pm, in real life the scene would read.

Carol "Max, what the f**k do you think you're doing? You f**king w**ker, what are you playin at?"

Max: "What the f**k you on about you ugly ****! That ungrateful f**king bitch only shopped me to get that f**king poof off the 'ook, I'm gonna f**king do her when I get aut, daughter or no f**king daughter"

I seem to remember Tanya calling Max a Bastard a few years ago as well? After the Stax reveal and around the divorce proceedings I think.

Oh it will get a load of complaints no doubt lol. It was surprising to hear it only because of the time. There is violence and crimes and whatever else in soaps, a bad word is hardly huge

Mumsnet have spoken then

I loved it.

I don't see the difference than when characters use the words like - slag, slapper or White.

I'm fairly sure Daran Little wrote Todd Grimshaw's exit on Corrie in 2004, Todd called Jason "you bastid" when he found him in bed with Sarah Louise Platt.

It was! You used to her a lot more "bastards" & "bitches" in EE 20 yrs ago.

Personally I think only the F word & the C work and possibly "shit" should be excluded from soaps.

Otherwise I think anything is permissable incl:arse, sodding, bastard, pissed ( off or drunk)

Let's take the term "pissed" in the UK it's one of the commonest euphemism for getting drunk. What do soaps use instead? drunk-too clinical Steaming-rarely used in real life,
why not use "pissed" the most common phrase used to mean drunk??

I remember when We saw Jean for the first time and Stacey went to her flat and saw the state she was living in. Stacey should You Ba$tards in the street.

Alfie shouted which one of you have been Sh*gging my Wife? in a scene in the vic when we found out whodunn Kat.

I have heard swearing a fair bit in EastEnders over the years.

Tonight I smiled at that episode. It just said everything. It felt right and was very well delivered by Lindsey Coulson too

I remember Michelle Fowler using the bastard word in Eastenders years ago and nobody battered an eyelid then!

The language in British soaps has become a lot more sanitised in recent years but I'm actually surprised that this is getting as much coverage as it is. How does it even warrant a DS article? I thought bastard was one of the last "swear" words left that was still used on the soaps.

We've obviously different rules over here as the new Irish soap Red Rock can be quite sweary and it airs at 8.30pm. It's used sparingly and it only helps to add to the realism of the show.

Yes! I was just gonna post about Stacey shouting it in the street, that was my favourite use of the word bastard in EE

I remember it was said on Dallas all the time 30 years ago and that was aired before the watershed

Try watching an episode of Game Of Thrones, said all the time on there

I don't remember it being said with Dean but it was used in a Nancy and Mick scene when she was going on about him and Linda not being married..

Big deal and it certainly was more common in the 80's. Recently watched an episode from early 1989 Eastenders where a woman screamed pig, bastard (more than once) and son of a bitch at her husband all in the same scene. As with Max this guy was innocent as well lol (at least of that particular accusation)

It isn't a swear word. The dictionary says it was a standard term in the past for an Illegitimate person but is now used as a derogatory term which is how they used it in EE.

The language in the BBC Scotland soap River City is not really 'sweary' but it's certainly less restricted than in the English soaps.

Just as expected - 29 complaints.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2...pk0QxDIfnI0vJP

*clutches pearls* Won't somebody please think of the children!!!!!

Out of millions of viewers, that number is negligible.

I was absolutely mortified. It shocked me to my core. Should never be allowed on British television.

I'm talking about Abi and Stacey's lack of bikini mud wrestling, of course. Not worried about the bloody swearing.

I'm sure Ofcom will clear it. Bastard is fine in the context of a soap. Soaps aren't suitable viewing for young children anyway.

I remember Roy Evans said it once and it was shown on the Sunday afternoon omnibus too.

FFS people complaining because somebody used a (very mild) swear word at 8pm. I despair. EastEnders is known for its graphic depiction of violence and murder, but God forbid anyone should say any naughty words.

Just don't let your kids watch EastEnders if you don't want them to see/hear things that aren't appropriate for their age. Simple as that.

Oh ffs! what's wrong with some people? how do they get on in real life if this offends them? EE should stick to their guns with this and keep using swear words.

Even though their little darliings use far stronger swearwords in everyday life, lol.
As far as I'm concerned, B****** being used in EE is long overdue.