Coronation Street: Ofcom receives 200 complaints over lesbian Rana’s death
Ofcom has received more than 200 complaints after Coronation Street killed off lesbian character Rana just before she married her girlfriend.
The broadcasting watchdog confirmed today (8 April) that they had received 236 complaints in relation to the lesbian character’s shocking death on 20 March.
Complaints to Ofcom suggested that the character’s death propagated the idea that gay relationships end in tragedy and said it was harmful to the LGBT+ community.
However, the communications regulator has said they will not be investigating the death. Ofcom said: “In our view, the untimely death of the character was typical of this soap’s dramatic plotlines and would not have exceeded most viewers’ expectations.”
Actress Bhavna Limbachia said it was her decision to leave Coronation Street
Rana—who was played by Bhavna Limbachia—was killed off on the soap when the roof collapsed in the Underworld factory. She had been set to marry Kate Connor (Faye Brooks).
She initially survived the roof’s collapse but then became trapped in the factory, and died following a second roof collapse.
The couple exchanged wedding vows as Kate cradled Rana in the rubble as she died. Limbachia said in an ITV exit interview that it was her decision to have the character killed off as she wanted to leave the show.
“In our view, the untimely death of the character was typical of this soap’s dramatic plotlines and would not have exceeded most viewers’ expectations.”
– Ofcom
“When I told Kate Oates and Iain McLeod that I wanted to leave the show to try other things, it was my decision and my choice for Rana to die because it was the only fitting end to the character.
“Kate and Rana had fought so hard to be together and they had been through thick and thin together,” she continued.
Kate Connor and Rana Habeeb attracted a passionate queer following. (ITV)
“I felt that if they were to be separated, they had to be torn apart and it couldn’t have been their decision.
“The only way to go was if Rana were to die. Rana would never leave Kate, ever.”
Fans accused the soap of buying into the ‘Bury Your Gays’ trope
The decision to kill off Rana on her wedding day angered Coronation Street fans, with some saying the soap was buying into the “Bury Your Gays” trope.
Limbachia had previously hinted that the wedding might not go ahead after all in an interview last month with Digital Spy.
Following Rana’s death—and the subsequent backlash—Coronation Street announced that it would be introducing a new gay character.
On 6 April the soap announced that a new family, the Baileys, would be coming to the street.
19-year-old teen footballer James Bailey, played by Nathan Graham, will be keeping his sexuality a secret from his family and his football teammates.
