Horrific sex attack on Peak Practice

By Derek Robins

ITV drama Peak Practice is to feature an horrific sex assault just two days after Little Mo is raped by husband Trevor in EastEnders.

Viewers will see teenage nanny Leanne Shackleton (Christabel Fellowes) left for dead after a vicious attacker tries to rape her in the episode screened on December 6.

An ITV spokesman said: "There are no graphic scenes at all. It shouldn't be offensive or upsetting to people. It's been handled quite delicately."

The spokesman continued: "She goes out for a bag of chips and is grabbed by a man who drags her down an alley.

"His aim is to sexually assault her but she runs off and he throws a brick which knocks her to the floor, and she is found by passers-by. It is true to life but it is not gratuitous or over the top. It is depressing."

Actress Christabel Fellowes said she was "very upset" filming the scenes..

She said: "I was just acting the storylines out but some scenes left me very upset. I can't imagine how awful it must be to actually be the victim of a sex attack.

"It is very emotional. I had to be very careful not to sentimentalise everything or make it over-dramatic."

The Peak Practice sex attack comes hard on the heels of rape storylines in EastEnders and Corrie.

TV watchdog Mediawatch has already condemned the Walford plot, in which Little Mo is raped by husband Trevor, as "damaging" to young viewers. Toyah Battersby was raped in Corrie earlier this year.

A Peak Practice spokesman said: "The drama will look at the long-term effects of the attack on the victim."

27/11/01