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"Sharongate" is the term used for a storyline in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', which reached its climax on 24 October 1994, attracting 25.3 million viewers. The plot was written by ''EastEnders'' scriptwriter, Tony Jordan.〔"(EastEnders-style drama set for US )", ''The Guardian''. URL. Retrieved 18 August 2007.〕 In the storyline, Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean) confessed on tape that she had sex with her husband's brother, Phil (Steve McFadden). The truth comes out in the middle of The Queen Victoria pub. Sharon's husband Grant (Ross Kemp) attacked his brother and Phil was lucky to survive. ==Storyline development== One of the most notable and popular ''EastEnders'' storylines is a love triangle between the characters Grant Mitchell, his wife Sharon and his brother Phil. The plot has been described by former Executive Producer of ''EastEnders'' and BBC's Head of Drama Serials, John Yorke, as a "Tristan and Isolde story".〔"(EastEnders: Faith, Morality and Hope in the Community )", BBC. URL. Retrieved 18 August 2007.〕 Despite the fact that Sharon marries Grant initially, ''EastEnders'' writer Tony Jordan has revealed in ''The Mitchells – The Full Story'' that the love-triangle storyline had been planned since Phil and Grant's introduction in 1990, after the writers came to the realisation that Sharon was perfect for them both.〔"(Mitchells Special )", BBC. URL. Retrieved 18 September 2006.〕 This storyline was slow burning and was spread over several years, providing a plethora of dramatic tension along the way. The episode in which Phil betrays his brother with Sharon occurred in September 1992 in one of the soap's notorious three-handers. Sue Dunderdale directed the episodes and the performances of McFadden, Kemp and Dean have been described as memorable and filled with high-tension drama. Things finally came to a head in October 1994 with some of ''EastEnders most popular and renowned episodes, which have been dubbed "Sharongate".〔"(Sharongate )", BBC. URL. Retrieved 18 September 2006.〕 The episodes—which were watched by 25.3 million viewers〔"(Profiles: EastEnders Kemp and McFadden )", BBC. URL. Retrieved 18 September 2006.〕—turn on Grant's discovery of the affair and his startling reaction. On-screen Grant accidentally hears Sharon unwittingly confessing to the affair on tape. He reacts by playing it to a pub full of people at Phil's engagement party and then beats his brother unconscious.〔"(Homecoming queen )", ''The Guardian''. URL. Retrieved 18 August 2007.〕 The aftermath of the storyline eventually sees the Sharon depart Walford after ten years in the show and the repercussions of Phil's betrayal contribute to many subsequent storylines involving the Mitchell brothers throughout the 1990s. Writer of Sharongate, Tony Jordan, has stated that of all the storylines he has penned for the soap, Sharongate is the one he is most proud of. He comments "Three of the strongest characters that have ever been in ''EastEnders'' are the Mitchell brothers and Sharon... when we actually blew that story it was incredible... being able to reach that many people with your work is what makes ''EastEnders'' exciting."〔"(Tony Jordan interview )", YouTube. URL. Retrieved 24 February 2007.〕 Sharongate's success with viewers was not equalled until six years later, in 2001, when ''EastEnders'' screened the highly publicised Who Shot Phil? storyline.〔"(Second skin )", ''The Guardian''. URL. Retrieved 19 August 2007.〕 Reporter for The Guardian, Sally Vincent, has commented on Sharongate's success: "It wasn't so much the guilt-stacked, long-drawn-out business of Sharon 'n' Phil's helpless lust for each other – all that unseemly face-sucking while her hubby/his brother, the ape-like Grant, languished in gaol for trying to set fire to everyone – that broke the ratings record, nor was it the ingenious ruse of using the baby's alarm system to broadcast Sharon's poignant little confession to the entire clientele of Walford's Queen Vic. It was the fact that we'd all watched Sharon grow up. We knew that she was a nice little person, vulnerable, brave, sweet-natured and kind to the dog. We were sorry for her...Neither of those Mitchells deserved her, so when one punched the other into the garage pit and half-killed him for tampering with his lady-wife, we didn't much care. We were sorry to see () go."〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sharongate」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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