Ellie Dadd, the EastEnders star who plays Amy Mitchell, has used Instagram to thank viewers who reached out to her after the soap’s grooming storyline reached its conclusion, Digital Spy reported. Posting a photo of herself wearing Amy’s injury makeup to her Instagram Story, Dadd wrote that the week had been “particularly big and emotional” for the character on screen.
The storyline saw Amy targeted by police officer Craig Ingram, played by Matthew James Bailey, who exploited his knowledge of her attack on Joel Marshall to manipulate her into seeing him as her saviour. Ingram had already been fired from the police after female colleagues accused him of inappropriate conduct, and after learning of Amy’s impending inheritance he convinced her to flee Walford with him. In the bedsit where they hid, his behaviour grew increasingly disturbing until he attempted to force himself on her; Amy struck him with a candle holder, killing him, before escaping and returning to her family.
Metro reported that, unsure whether she could trust the police, Amy initially kept quiet about how events at the bedsit ended, claiming she had run away from the abusive Ingram. Ingram’s actor, Matthew James Bailey, confirmed his exit from the show and shared Dadd’s post to his own Instagram Story, calling her “one of the most talented humans” he has worked with.
Dadd praises the story’s purpose as viewers respond
“I just wanted to take a moment to say a huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to send such kind, thoughtful and supportive messages this week,” Dadd wrote. “Stories like these are so important in raising awareness, starting conversations and most importantly helping people feel seen, heard and less alone.”
She added: “I feel incredibly grateful to have been trusted to be part of telling this story, and I can only hope that in some small way it has helped survivors feel understood, encouraged others to speak out, or reminded anyone going through something similar that they are not alone. I know the past couple of months have been a hard watch and very uncomfortable at times but that’s exactly why we do stories like this.”
Bailey on manipulation and the charities behind the plot
Speaking to Metro about the storyline, Bailey said: “I’m so proud to be a part of this storyline and raise awareness, and working with Barnardo’s and End Violence Against Women to stop it. We’re working with incredible charities to make sure this story is told sensitively and accurately.”
He added: “The whole message is to tell people that manipulation comes in all forms and all shapes and sizes. Whether you think it’s love or not, there are people out there who are willing to listen, and hopefully what we can do is get people to speak up and talk about it, and if they’re scared or if they’re worried about what might happen, that there are people out there who are willing to listen and will help you.”
EastEnders has worked on Amy’s grooming storyline with support from Barnardo’s and End Violence Against Women, with support and information available via their websites.
When and where to watch EastEnders
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. Episodes also stream on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop at 6am ahead of their television broadcast.