BBC soap EastEnders has announced they will air an eating disorder storyline which will see Ben Mitchell battle with bulimia.
Over in Walford, Ben’s been struggling to process Lola’s inevitable fate. Adding to this, he’s processing the fact that the police have charged his rapist, Lewis Butler, with attacking someone else.
Ben’s under a lot of pressure at the moment. He’s trying to be a good dad to Lexi whilst also battling with his own issues.
EastEnders: Ben’s under a lot of pressure
Recently, Ben has been struggling with his mental health. This is a result of a number of events that have caused him to spiral.
Viewers will have seen that Ben has been putting a lot of his attention towards boxing. This has been a bid to get his anger out in the ring.
After finding out that the police had charged his rapist, Lewis, Ben fought Martin in the ring. However, he ended up throwing a punch at him after the bell had sounded.
Struggling with recent news, Ben then lashed out at Zack in The Vic, finding it hard to keep his emotions in.
Adding to his, Ben has had to face the fact that Lola doesn’t have many months left to live. He’s facing pressure to step up and be a good dad to Lexi. He knows that she’ll need his support when her mum passes away.
EastEnders: Ben will struggle with bulimia
EastEnders have announced that Ben’s mental health struggle will intensify as upcoming scenes see him battle with bulimia.
Trying to stay strong for Lexi as Lola’s health gets worse, Ben starts restricting his exercise levels and food.
This will sadly see him binge and purge in secret. He’ll suffer in silence, failing to open up to his loved ones.
EastEnders is working with the charity Beat throughout this storyline. This will ensure that the soap represents Ben’s scenes accurately and sensitively.
EastEnders’ Executive Producer Chris Clenshaw announced: “It was vital for us to work alongside Beat to accurately present, and sensitively portray Ben’s bulimia storyline.
“Max’s [Bowden] performance has thoughtfully portrayed the isolating reality of an eating disorder with compassion and understanding as we explore how the traumatic events of Ben’s past have affected his mental health.”
Tom Quinn, the Director of External Affairs at Beat revealed: “One in four people with an eating disorder are men, but it’s rare to see storylines that show how men are affected by these serious mental illnesses. At Beat we welcome that EastEnders has chosen to highlight this important issue and we’ve been pleased to review scripts, to help ensure bulimia is represented in a sensitive and accurate way.
“We hope that Ben’s story will help to raise awareness of the warning signs and encourage people to reach out for the support they need.”
If you or someone you know may be struggling with an eating disorder information and support can be found at Beat.
Read more: Complete EastEnders cast list for 2023 right here!
EastEnders usually airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One
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