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Egoli catfight upsets church
24/11/2005 12:33 - (SA)
Eagan Williamson, Beeld
Johannesburg - A catfight between two female Egoli characters, broadcast during breast cancer week, deeply upset a church group and several viewers of this soap series.
Pastor Gerrit van der Walt of the Christian Fellowship of Ministries representing about 80 congregations countrywide wrote a letter to the producers, expressing his grievances about the fight between Des (Chanelle de Jager) and Doreen (Marguerite Wheatly).
The pair tackled each other in the episode on October 27 during a gala dinner in aid of breast cancer, held in the Edwards's residence. Relations between these two Walco secretaries had become strained in previous episodes and reached breaking point at the dinner.
Van der Walt said the idea of the episode was a praiseworthy gesture because the soapie helped to create awareness of breast cancer. "But then they killed it by allowing two actresses to attack each other physically and in this way affected the dignity of every woman."
Can't turn a blind eye
Van der Walt's letter said they gave too much counselling and support to women with breast cancer to allow the "inferior broadcast" to pass without comment.
Egoli producers said market research indicated that one of the requirements of a good plot included a so-called catfight, because it was one of the most exciting action scenes.
They said the episode had been compiled in co-operation with cancer specialists Drs Carol Benn and Gareth Edwards of the Johannesburg Milpark Hospital's breast cancer centre. They received the scripts beforehand and were present when the episode was filmed.
They said this episode was planned so that the breast cancer activities would be over before the fighting began, and they had not intended to insult anyone.
- Beeld
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South Africa
