'This episode is impossible to watch!': Call The Midwife's brutal pre-watershed portrayal of domestic violence shocks viewers
A hard-hitting Domestic Violence scene in Call the Midwife, which aired before the 9pm watershed, left fans feeling angry and sad.
The BBC drama, which was broadcast at 8pm on Sunday, showed abusive husband Lester (James Farrar) screaming at his pregnant wife Trudy (Pearl Appleby) before grabbing her by the neck and stubbing a cigarette out on her chest.
Leaving a shaken Trudy in floods of tears, he storms out of the room and past their young son Mickey, who he calls a b***ard'.
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Shocking: A hard-hitting domestic violence scene in Call The Midwife which aired before the 9pm watershed evoked feelings of anger and sadness in fans
Moved by what they had witnessed, viewers flocked to Twitter in their droves to comment on the troubling scene.
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One wrote: 'Honestly even for a show that goes for the brutal as much as possible this episode is impossible to watch. #callthemidwife'
While another posted: 'Look, we know domestic violence ain't pretty but isn't there still something called a watershed at 9pm #callthemidwife'
Voicing their opinions: Moved by what they had witnessed, viewers flocked to Twitter in their droves to comment on the troubling scene
Hard to watch: The BBC drama showed abusive husband Lester (James Farrar) screaming at his pregnant wife Trudy (Pearl Appleby) before grabbing her by the neck and stubbing a cigarette out on her chest
A third commented: 'The BBC have deffo relaxed the language before the watershed rules. B***ard on #callthemidwife now after all the swearing on #eastenders'
As a fourth said: 'I'm actually so angry at call the midwife!!!'
A spokesman for Neal Street Productions told MailOnline: 'We are always mindful of the timeslot in which the show transmits. Call the Midwife is known for dealing with serious and emotive issues and has done so throughout the programme’s history.
'The domestic violence experienced by Trudy Watts in last night’s episode, demonstrated the terrible suffering endured by many women and the outbursts reflected the verbal and physical violence of Trudy’s husband Lester.'
Many viewers also praised the show for highlighting an important issue, with one saying: 'Nicely done @CallTheMidwife1 highlighting domestic violence and the emotional impact on children witnessing it, very moving episode @BBCOne'
Distressing: Leaving a shaken Trudy in floods of tears, he storms out of the room and past their young son Mickey, who he calls a b***ard'
Emotional: The episode left many viewers in tears
As another added: '@CallTheMidwife1 tonight made me so angry. And then so, SO hopeful and inspired. ❤️'
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail's Christopher Stevens complimented the show's writer Heidi Thomas for moving the programme in a fresh direction following the South Africa-based Christmas special.
Helen George's character Trixie remained abroad and Patsy (Emerald Fennell) looked set to depart after her father in Hong Kong, while Dame Harriet Walter, last seen as Churchill’s imperious wife Clementine in The Crown, joined the cast as Sister Ursula.
He wrote: 'All this change was a bold step and just what the show needed. That trip to the Cape was a messy digression. If writer Heidi Thomas had tried to take the characters back to London and carried on as if nothing had happened, Call The Midwife would have felt stale.'
New blood: Dame Harriet Walter, last seen as Churchill’s imperious wife Clementine in The Crown, joined the cast as Sister Ursula
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