Coming out: Joshua Pascoe, who plays Ben Mitchell, will be the third gay member of the soapAs Coronation Street comes under fire for broadcasting too many gay plotlines, EastEnders introduces its third gay character to Walford.
At just 15-years-old, teenager Ben Mitchell will reveal his true sexuality, devastating his masculine father Phil in the process.
Actor Joshua Pascoe, who is the fourth actor to play the part of Ben, joins couple Syed Masood and Christian Clarke as 'the only gays in the village'
An EastEnders source told The Mirror: 'Since the day Ben returned to Walford, he’s been a bit of a disappointment for Phil.
'With his love of dancing and musicals, Ben was not cast from the same tough guy mould as his father.
'It’s ironic that Phil’s efforts to turn his son into a mini version of himself backfire spectacularly when he encourages Ben to go boxing with Duncan.'
Homosexual characters: Syed and Christian will empathise with Ben
The insider added: 'But no one could anticipate the chain of events this will spark around Walford as Ben tries to keep his sexuality secret from his father.
'Poor Ben is terrified of Phil’s reaction but the truth will come out, sooner or later.'
The controversial storyline sees Ben and Duncan's relationship blossom when Ben takes a risk by planting a kiss on his friend.
He is stunned when Duncan returns his affections, rather than pushing him away in disgust.
But when Patrick Trueman spots them, Ben is terrified the shopkeeper will tell his father and heads to his mini-mart to intimidate him.
The situation goes from bad to worse when terrified Patrick calls the police, leaving Phil fuming and demanding an apology.
Loyal Patrick refuses to say sorry, but does keeps the truth about Ben.
Fellow EastEnders Syed Masood and Christian Clarke, played by Marc Elliott and John Partridge, caused controversy during a recent scene that saw them lying in bed together, apparently naked beneath the sheets.
Over 100 viewers complained, saying the intimacy was 'inappropriate'.
But the BBC hit back, saying the show has a duty to reflect 'real life'.
source: dailymail
