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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to find Bianca's storyline on Eastenders really distressing.

139 replies

headfairy · 27/04/2012 20:20

I'm being soft of course because it's not real, but it's scary how many people are in the same position.

OP posts:
LadySybilDeChocolate · 27/04/2012 20:55

The agency who 'take care' (I use this term loosely) came to check over my house in Jan, she was shocked that I only have a small TV. Hmm

NettoSuperstar · 27/04/2012 20:58

I was almost in tears at it.
I've been that skint, and it's shit.
Shit, and depressing, and all consuming.

Mrsjay · 27/04/2012 20:58

bringmesunshine Grin It was his sneery attitude as usual for Ian beale , actually It must really hit home with a lot of people her story , I can remember when dds were younger we were skint and Hid from debt collectors for a long while its a terrible way to live Sad

whitewhitewine · 27/04/2012 21:05

Just watched it on catchup now.

I cried as well- really didn't think I would but I did Sad

On a brighter note, Patsy Palmer looked gorgeous renewing her vows

NowThenWreck · 27/04/2012 21:06

What Bianca needs to do is get a shorthold tenancy from WH Smiths, fill in the amount of rent and sign it.
Why has nobody told her this? Gah!

BigBoobiedBertha · 27/04/2012 21:07

It was a fantastic piece of acting. I could feel Bianca's desperation oozing from every pore.

I admit to welling up to - those poor children.

ginmakesitallok · 27/04/2012 21:11

Yes - if only Bianca knew about Mumsnet we could have sorted her out long before now.....

IAmBooyhoo · 27/04/2012 21:12

bianca mentioned housing benefit during this week. she was caught looking at the website for it on janine's computer and asked janine if she would get her a proper tenancy agreement so she could be entitled to claim HB and janine said that would be fine but she would have to increase the rent to market value so bianca said just to leave it then.

also, she can't sign on as she has two jobs.

duckdodgers · 27/04/2012 21:12

Patsy Palmers acting was superb, I do like the soaps, especially EastEnders and dont understand all this "too depressing" stuff people quote - if nothing happened but happiness and everything was hunky dory it would be boring to watch!

corlan · 27/04/2012 21:33

I welled up too - that mustard coloured, aztec print 'coatigan' she was wearing really brought tears to my eyes.

IAmBooyhoo · 27/04/2012 21:58

oh god, i've just watched tonight's episode. that really brought back some awful memories and feelings for me. the bit where she emptied teh coin jar on teh table. that's been me so many times, and where dot gave her a fiver and she knew it wouldn't even make a tiny dent in teh amount of money she owed, that was me too. i'm in floods of tears. that felt so close to home for me. i never want to be there again. it's a really frightening place to live.

Puffykins · 27/04/2012 22:19

I know Uncle Derek isn't the most upright of citizens, but he could have bailed her out. David Wicks must make loads of money now that he is head of A&E at Holby General, whoever suggested she ring him (on phone, can't scroll back) - brilliant idea.

PintOfStellaAndBuckfastChaser · 27/04/2012 22:22

Bianca can't sign on as she has two jobs, though in 'real life' she would get working tax credit and child tax credit, which would be a hefty amount as she's working for NMW (I assume, can't imagine Ian Beale or Janine paying more!) and she has three DC (Whitney doesn't count as she's over 18 and working), but in soap land tax credits don't exist.

In real life Bianca's family would be what you would call 'working poor', I'm in that category, and it's shit.
I do get Tax credits, but by the time I've payed out Rent e.t.c (everything I used to get for 'free' when I wasn't working) I'm about £20 better off than I would be on benefits. Except I've to pay £18 bus pass to get to work plus 25% more council tax cause DP lives with me now, plus all of DP's needs as he can't work due to illness caused by his past, and he can't get contributions based anything, cause he hasn't worked for years, and he can't get income based anything because I earn too much Hmm

I have to keep DS off school if there's any trips or visiting science fairs e.t.c as I can't afford the fee's, which the free school meal brigade get for free, even though they're better off than me, and 'voluntary contributions' doesn't seem to exist up here in Scotland Hmm

I'm dreading when he goes up to secondary, as the only school he can go to has a 'private school' uniform price list, despite it being a state school, I can see me having some falling out with the teachers when they try to punish him for not wearing the £80 Blazer, I'm already planning my 'dropping hint's' speech to next door for their DS's blazer (he leaves just before DS starts)

It's fucking shit being poor Sad

BlueRinse · 27/04/2012 22:24

I can't read the thread because I haven't watched EE yet.

I've felt very sad for Bianca for the last few weeks, she is too proud to accept help from the right people.

Marking my place & off to watch it now.

bibbitybobbitybunny · 27/04/2012 22:25

No! you aren't seriously discussing how sad your are about a fictional character in a fictional tv programme? Not really?

Surely ...

you can't be ...

...

are you ???

IAmBooyhoo · 27/04/2012 22:32

bibbity it upset me so much because until very recently i was there. i was emptying the coin jar to buy electric, keeping it all from my mum so as not to worry her, snapping at the dcs because i was stressed, rejecting witheld numbers on my phone, pretending i was teh babysitter when debt collectors got hold of me on the phone, begging my ex to help me out with an advance on the maintenance and waiting while his new DP gave him permission to feed his own kids and then getting a message from her to say she would do it this once. Hmm the whole episode (apart from the theft and police bit) hit really close to home for me and i found it quite upsetting, i think because i know so many people are in that situation right now.

2shoes · 27/04/2012 22:33

yanbu
I found it sad, and welled up
not really cos of Bianca, but because in rl there are people who are in terrible dire straights.

AmberLeaf · 27/04/2012 22:38

Not watched it, but I get fed up of ridiculous unrealistic storylines like this.

In the real world its highly likely that 'Bianca' wouldnt work and would have been living on benefits and h0used in social housing.

TwllBach · 27/04/2012 22:53

Well I've just watched it and sobbed. It's terrifying being that poor, and I don't have dc, but I've certainly felt almost as desperate as bianca. I also love a good cry.

DP came through, rolled his eyes and left me to it Grin

cheesesarnie · 27/04/2012 22:55

it pissed me off. few weeks of being broke and it's resulted in stealing. try long term next time eastenders and it doesnt always end in theft.

BlueRinse · 27/04/2012 22:57

DH is out so I have now had a good cry along with B.

Thank god she has her mum, I have 3 DC with no family support, god knows what would happen if I were in her situation.

I'd be tempted to start a begging thread Grin

IAmBooyhoo · 27/04/2012 23:00

not sure why you say that amberleaf. what makes you think people in bianca's situation dont work? i think that's a really odd thing to say.

bianca has always really been broke though cheese, they're just focusing on it in the same way they focus in on other ongoing storly lines. also, i dont think it's unreasonable to assume things have got suddenly tighter due to tightening of govt purse strings and increase in the price of pretty much everything. i can't believe how much my electric is costing me recently. the stealing is part of bianca's back story though. it's not as if thsi is a completely out of character act.

DioneTheDiabolist · 27/04/2012 23:07

I think the point of the storyline is to educate about those nasty loan companies who charge 2000 - 5000% APR.

Recently there was a post on MN asking advice about how best to spend £10 to get a family through the next 2 weeks. Like Bianca, they were working, unlike Bianca, they had no legal loansharks hounding them.

This is a reality for some. And it appears that our politicians are taking the view that some here have taken, that it's the victim's fault for being so stupid.

maristella · 27/04/2012 23:08

Yes, I cried :(

Thank god I will never have to feel that utterly deperate again, and I think Patsy Palmer portrayed the situation well.

Poverty touches everything: the way you react when your DC do not like the dinner you have scraped together, the way you react when your DC loses something (usually school related) that they cannot not have and that you absolutely cannot replace right now, the way your mind just snaps from calculating and recalculating your money in your mind over and over again - the sums will never add up.

It might just be a soap, but it was a good enough portrayal to have evoked some empathy

IAmBooyhoo · 27/04/2012 23:11

totally agree maristella.