Coronation Street has garnered over 100 Ofcom complaints for its extremist storyline.
Max Turner (Paddy Bever) is being groomed by Griff and his far-right friends, as the teenager becomes increasingly isolated from his family. He has been struggling with school bullies but found a 'friend' in Griff after the activist stood up for him.
In recent scenes, Max has got the attention of a young lady, who is part of the plan to groom Max and get him to use his technology skills to work on their far right propaganda. Max has been struggling since he learned a refugee was given a place at his school, Weatherfield High, whilst there wasn't any space for him to return to the establishment.
Now, Ofcom have confirmed they have received 112 complaints for the storyline, with references to racial violence.
Max is continuing to be groomed by the group after being invited to a party on Halloween, where Griff and his friends - including undercover cop Spider - continued to convince him their opinions were right.
Coronation Street Producer Iain MacLeod previously shared his hope that the storyline would raise awareness.
He said: "Overall, Max's story is one about the grooming of a vulnerable teenager at a point where he's feeling most alienated and disenfranchised. The story will encompass the "traditional" recruitment techniques of extremists groups, and we'll see Max befriended in person by older, mentor-like figures that will give him a sense of loyalty and brotherhood.
"Then, later in the story, we will explore a very 21st Century problem: teenagers self-radicalising through watching extreme content online. In the end, we wanted this to be a story about communication within families - what are the right and wrong ways to talk to younger family members who are gravitating towards extreme views? For the conclusion of the story, David's misjudged attempts to deal with Max will drive the narrative to a shocking and thought-provoking climax."
Counter Terrorism Policing’s Senior National Coordinator, Tim Jacques, added at the time: "Coronation Street has a long history of raising awareness of challenging issues that sit at the heart of communities across the UK.
"Sadly, the terrorist threat remains one of those very real concerns. Our casework shows that children and young people are vulnerable to radicalisation and are increasingly being drawn into toxic ideologies through online spaces and platforms.
"We hope Max’s story will help to highlight why it’s so important to get support or advice if you’re worried someone you love is taking a dangerous path. It really doesn’t have to be that way."
