I'm not annoyed she is in it. I just can't stand the merry go round rubbish with Mick

huh? I don't have a go at anyone for posting negative comments about Shirley. I might disagree with them and put forward my own views but that isn't 'having a go' at them. I'll admit I am not perfect and once offended Harlowe but I apologised for that and generally just want to be able to give my honest opinions on things without being accused of all sorts.

I have absolutely no issue with anyone defending Sharon either but the post I replied to wasn't doing that. It was attacking posters, dismissing them as 'haters'. That's what I took umbrage with.

Buster would be good. I had wondered if the previous time was foreshadowing.

Couldn't agree more. I don't see why Sharon is singled out. It appears that it is unacceptable to dislike or voice an unfavorable opinion on Sharon, whereas with every other character it is fine? It's silly.

I think it's a case of Sharon vs Shirley on here. Let's be honest, Shirley fans always criticise Sharon and Sharon fans like myself don't like Shirley and we tend to criticise her.

The reason people defend Sharon is because it's the same few people taking any opportunity to stick the knife in. It's pathetic and about as predictable as grass growing. Yes other characters get criticised but it's not a concerted effort from the same group of people who seem to be on a mission to rubbish Sharon every chance they get. Sometimes a spade needs to be called a spade. Nice one, Sarah.

I've never been keen on Sharon, since '85, and that is nothing to do with Shirley who's only been on the show for a few years. I never used to like Shirley either. She grew on me the same as Pat and Dot.

Open your eyes, Ell.

Vald, Pink Smurf and LHolmes are like sniffer dogs for Sharon comments.

No one is saying anyone has to like her or not criticise her but you can't open a thread without one of them rubbishing Sharon even when the thread has nothing to do with her. The only other characters who get treated that way are the Carters and that's because loads of people (not just 3 with a vendetta) were sick of them dominating. That's subsided now that they've been toned down.

I'm not a huge fan of Sharon but that has absolutely nothing to do with whether I like Shirley or not. To be honest, some do go out of their way to voice theirr dislike of Shirley whereas I don't do that with Sharon. I call her out like I would any character but I don't see the need to go out of my way in every thread possible to announce that I'm not a big Sharon fan. *

*I am only mentioning it now because it's relevent.

What is the point of this ridiculous Sharon vs Shirley? They are completley different characters anyway.

Loving being the odd one out, personally I love Shirley AND Sharon.

Many do. It's not an either/or option.

Everyone is entitled to voice their own opinion on different characters and criticise them if they want or defend them if they wish to as well. If some characters get criticised more than others it is likely just a sign that they are more disliked by a certain community (DS). Why shouldnt people be able to voice dislike of Sharon if thats what they believe?

Personal comments about actors and actresses (eg. appearance) I would say are a different matter.

I like both Sharon and Shirley but dislike some of the direction their characters have been taken in over the past couple of years.

Oh, and by the way, I think LHolmes is an intelligent poster who makes good points about many things. It's just he or she can't see the forest for the trees when it comes to Sharon because they have it in for her.

Pink Smurf is witty and intelligent. I really like her. Even her Sharon hatred is funny so I don't have an issue with her beyond stating that she's one of the people who always brings up Sharon. Rock on, Smurfy.

BA you're wasting your breath on this one, sadly. It's gone on for far too long and it's not going to change. I've given up even trying to defend Sharon now. The nitpicking is ridiculous.

I hate both Sharon and Shirley.

I rather they focused more on Stacey and Shabnam instead. Two pretty women played by two very good actresses.

You've misunderstood my point.

It's not people having a negative opinion of Sharon. It's the same 3 people voicing that opinion in every single thread whether it's to do with Sharon or not. How can that not be an agenda?

DS doesn't hate Sharon from what I've seen. It's the same few people who hate her in every thread that gives the impression she's hated. Others hate and dislike her but they don't bring her name up every chance they get because they're interested in discussing EastEnders as a whole and not just their hatred of one character.

Appearance does not matter IMO. Linda Henry is a fantastic actress and I think she looks lovely.

To be fair Broken_Arrow I wasn't the one who brought Sharon up in this thread and I generally wouldn't mention her if the thread isn't about her. If other people have chosen to bring Sharon into an off-topic thread then I might join in that conversation but I wouldn't bring her up myself. I only made an observation that the ratings have been poor recently. My issue with doormouse's post was that they were dismissing anyone who posts a negative comment about Sharon as 'haters', not that they were defending Sharon. There are better ways to defend her than that.

I think a lot of this goes back to those Shirley/Sharon threads around the wedding last year but I can assure you my judgement of Sharon is not clouded by that storyline or me liking Shirley. For what it's worth I have liked Sharon in the past. In fact in a recent thread on here (and Ell_Ren will back me up on this as I PM'd her saying so at the time) I was about to post how much I enjoyed watching a Lofty/Sharon clip that had been posted but as the thread in question after that post had become another anti-Carter one I couldn't be bothered.

True. I shouldn't bother.

I understand your points but last year, there were lots of Sharon vs Shirley debates which is why I probably said that. But you made some good points

I should really calm down with my rants about Shirley lol . I really do like Linda Henry by the way

As I said earlier, LHolmes I enjoy your posts and think you're an intelligent poster. I think the reason you get pulled into Sharon debates is because Vald and Pink Smurf always bring her up even when she's irrelevant to the thread. I'm sure Pink Smurf will admit she does that herself

Sorry if I misunderstood your first post

I agree that voicing negative opinions of a character in a thread that has nothing to do with that character is wrong.

I think Sharon is a great character but I dont like her current relationship with Phil or her involvement in covering up the Bobby secret.

There's no need to be sorry, Foxy

I don't like what Sharon's done to Max either and have criticised her myself. She's a doormat for Phil into the bargain so it's not like I'm against criticising her

When will Shirley meet Kathy.?

Brilliant.