Channel 4 viewers have threatened to boycott the broadcaster’s latest TV drama, The Gathering, dubbing the ‘harrowing’ show ‘absolutely vile’.
The six-part series centres around a teenager being violently attacked at an illegal beach rave.
The attack sends shockwaves through a Merseyside community as friends and family try to seek out the truth by unveiling people’s deepest secrets and lies.
While viewers were left sickened by the abusive scenes, the rest of the show failed to grip them, with many admitting they struggled to stick with it.
They rushed to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts, with many commenting on the toxic mother-daughter relationship of the leads.
Channel 4 viewers threatened to boycott the broadcaster’s latest TV drama, The Gathering, dubbing the ‘harrowing’ show ‘absolutely vile’ (pictured: Sadie Soverall and Vinette Robinson)
Sherlock star Vinette, 43, (pictured) plays Natalie, a woman who is dubbed the ‘mother from hell’, with her daughter, Jessica, played by Sadie, a talented teen gymnast.
Sherlock star Vinette Robinson, 43, plays Natalie, a woman who is dubbed the ‘mother from hell’, with her daughter, Jessica, played by Sadie Soverall, a talented teen gymnast.
Viewers watched on as Jessica tried to please her mother’s strict and overbearing standards and the fallout of not being picked for a gymnastics team.
Indignant on her daughter’s behalf, Natalie even threatened to to move her from Liverpool to the city’s rival area Manchester, leaving all her friends and family behind.
Viewers penned: ‘Vile woman. I think that it’s definitely abuse. Pushy parents are a nightmare – somehow mothers are always worse than fathers though. Dance Moms is crazy – it’s literally nothing to do with the kids – it’s the obsessed mothers! #TheGathering #DanceMoms’
‘Just watched Ruby Franke What a vile mother, Very harrowing,hope the kids recover from it, will be a long process,May be able to re-unite with Dad’; ‘That mum sent that Video she’s absolutely vile! #TheGathering’
‘Ok I won’t get the last 45 minutes back but I don’t need to waste any more of my life. I’m out. #TheGathering’; ‘Trying to stick with it #TheGathering’; ‘I’m sure I might be being a bit unfair, but #TheGathering’s all a bit… so far, isn’t it? I’m out.
‘No im completely lost now #thegathering’; ‘It’s pretty dire so far. I doubt that I’ll bother watching the next episode #TheGathering’.
The Gathering is produced by World Production and was commissioned by Channel 4 in 2022.
The six-part series sees a violent attack on a teenager at an illegal beach rave. The attack sends shockwaves through a Merseyside community as friends and family try to seek out the truth
While viewers were left sickened by the abusive scenes, the rest of the show failed to grip them, with many admitting they struggled to stick with it
The series is directed by Gareth Bryn and Amanda Blue, and produced by Graham Drover, with executive producers Simon Heath, Laura Cotton, alongside Walsh and Bryn.
The series synopsis reads: ‘Filmed and set in Liverpool and around Merseyside, The Gathering is ultimately a whodunnit – or, in this case, a-why-done-it.
‘Focusing on a group of disparate teenagers and their parents, each character has a motive for attacking Kelly.
‘An accomplished gymnast, on the national team pathway, Kelly is committed to her strict training schedule but finds freedom and liberation in the joyous, unregulated world of free running.
‘Each episode details the events leading up to the attack from a fresh perspective, unpacking the rivalries and relationships of a disparate group of teens and their parents.
‘As their secrets and lies are laid bare, the truth behind the attack emerges.’
The Gathering continues Tuesday night on Channel 4 at 9pm.
The Gathering continues Tuesday night on Channel 4 at 9pm (L-R) Vinette Robinson, Sadie Soverall, Eva Morgan, Sonny Walker and Warren Brown