Emmerdale has been hit with a wave of complaints, following the brutal depiction of Mackenzie Boyd’s murder.

According to a new report released by UK regulator Ofcom, the soap received 158 complaints in total last week, with a spokesperson telling The Mirror that they were ‘related to violent scenes involving a character’s death’.

 

 

As fans will remember, last Thursday (21 August), Mack was chased through the woods by John Sugden, before being brutally shot with a crossbow and hit with a rock. While fans have theorised that Mack could still be alive, the scenes were widely regarded as a tough watch.

In episodes since, the residents of Emmerdale have been speculating over Mack’s strange disappearance, while John struggles with his guilt.

 

 

Confiding in an oblivious Aaron, on Monday (25 August), John admitted that he couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d done, but pretended that it was the cover-up of Anthony Fox’s death that had been bothering him instead.

“I just had this really vivid, horrible dream last night – about Anthony,” he began. “Do you ever think much about what we did to him? I do. Disposing of him like that – not even giving him a proper grave.”

“I don’t think I’ve quite processed what I’ve done. We’re not God. We don’t get to call the shots,” he added.

While Mack’s apparent murder is yet to come to light, John is becoming more and more suspicious by the day, with his strange behaviour being picked up on by his husband, Aaron. Looks like we’ll have to wait and see if John is ever brought to justice.

This month, Emmerdale has aired several dramatic storylines, with Mike’s brutal attack on Vinny Dingle singled out as another difficult watch. After receiving nearly 300 Ofcom complaints, fans called the episode in question “really disturbing” and the “nastiest ever”.