WhatsOnTV has reported that Matt Di Angelo has signed a new contract and he is sticking around for another 12 months.

http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/eastender...lone-12-months

Looks like Dean won't get his comeuppance then.

Fgs! Can't EE see that this storyline is dragging down good characters?

So much for the idea of Ronnie finishing off Dean then?

Still realistic. Rapist walk free and carry on with everyday life.

This has got to be a joke. So the rapist roams free for another year while his victim lives in fear? I know DTC has trouble ending storylines but this is ridiculous. Dean needs to be written out.

I think it makes a refreshing change that he hasn't had the predictable comeuppance story line and been written out

I DON'T condone rape, but this is a tv show not the real thing!

Nooooooooo

It's frustrating but sadly many rapists get away with it.

I hope Shirley finds out about Dean soon.

So, like Emmerdale, Eastenders are letting sexual assault go unpunished

You have GOT to be kidding me!

What an absolute bloody joke

I demand Willmott-Brown is brought back as a regular character with a 3 year contract. He and Dean would get on great. If Dean was ugly or old there's no way the character would be kept around. Sad times when good looks excuse sex crimes. No fault of the actor of course but he should really bow out now. It's become distasteful to watch.

When did Emmerdale let it go unpunished.

Whilst it is not what people want to see it is actually more realistic (sadly) that dean would go unpunished if what was shown on screen happened in real life.

But having him on screen continuously raises the awareness of the need to report asap, not shower and not destroy the evidence. As long as EE keep doing that and the result is more convictions in the real world it's job done in my eyes

It worries me a little bit the way people act like this is reality and not fiction

There was a soap in Australia in the 1980s called Sons & Daughters which had a character who raped a woman and never paid for it, he went on to have a lengthy redemption arc and became a ''good guy'' and the victim even forgave him It wasn't very convincing at all but my point being EE aren't the first soap to do this.

Why exactly is Dean sticking around? So we can be treated to another 12 months of Dean moping around looking sad, Shirley refusing to believe Linda, and Mick banning Dean from the Vic?

Sounds riveting. This storyline needed to end at least six months ago, I can't believe they're dragging it out for another year.

Hopefully they will give him some other storylines

So because it's a TV show we are not allowed to have opinions?

Dean should be punished for what he did and this storyline needs to be concluded. We were promised an ending.

But why should Matt walk away from a secure job where I'm guessing he gets paid well and doesn't have to worry about money and the world of auditions? It's the producer's job to write out characters like this and think of things like that not the actors. The actor shouldn't be expected to walk away from a job and money that is being given to him on a platter just because viewers think it's "distasteful" for the character to stay on. We can't blame Matt for staying on if DTC is letting him.

Whenever Dean is on screen, I consciously detach him from the rape story; it's the only way I can be interested in the character. He was - and should be - a young, viable male character for the show, but the rape story has tainted him. It clearly was a mistake to run the story and, you get the feeling TPTB know it, but won't admit it.

It's realistic for a rapist to go unpunished. But, I think for a soap, they really should wrap that story up in some way. Have him admit his guilt, and begin a redemption arc. It worked for Kane in Home and Away, who went on to become a popular character (possibly helped by his love story with Kirsty), and it could work for Dean, too, with decent writing.

Dean isn't even a popular character. God knows why they've done this. I am very close to becoming a casual viewer rather than a dedicated one.

I didn't say that did i!

That much is obvious.

As I've said before on this subject, if Phil or Ian had been the rapist I doubt they'd have the same apologists queueing up to defend them like Dean has.

This is a soap. Not real life.


She has known about it for ages.


He will always be The Rapist and this will always define him.

In my opinion the story line was a mistake and has been one big disjointed mess

Excellent post. I can only see Dean as a rapist now. The writers clearly made a mistake in doing this to the character, but it's done now and they can't just expect viewers to forget it. Dean has to face the consequences at some point, otherwise it's just insulting the audience. It would be much better for the character, and the show, if he admitted what he's done and left asap.

You said that it's a TV show and not reality and that you were worried by the comments of those who said they were not happy his contract has been extended. The implication is that those who don't want him to,return cannot distinguish between fiction and reality. There was no need for comments like these. Stating you disagree is fair enough but do so without insulting those with differing opinions.