EastEnders actress Sophie Thompson has banned her two children from watching the BBC One soap. The star, who plays Phil Mitchell's twisted lawyer girlfriend Stella Crawford, told The Sun she feared her alter ego would frighten her sons Ernie, 10, and Walter, seven. She said: "Stella's turned so dark I think it would scare them." It's no surprise. Since Stella first came into Albert Square last year, we've seen her transformed from a wet hen into a bunny boiler. At first, it was clear Phil's (Steve McFadden) son Ben (Charlie Jones) didn't want anything to do with her - even playing a series of pranks on his dad's new flame to try and get rid of her. Unfortunately, since Phil decided he and Stella were going to be together no matter what, she's begun a steady campaign of abuse against the youngster. The sick lawyer has now got Ben in a position where she can manipulate him and has already been violent towards him, scalding him with a hot spoon in one episode. Under Phil's nose, she applies more emotional and psychological pressure on the frightened boy. The storyline has been created to highlight the issue of child abuse.
