EastEnders viewers left in TEARS by Shakil Kazemi's funeral as it features real-life testimonies from knife crime victims' families

By Laura Fox For Mailonline

Published: 19:56 EDT, 6 July 2018 | Updated: 20:52 EDT, 6 July 2018

EastEnders viewers struggled to hold back their tears on Friday as they took to Twitter to praise a special episode that featured real-life testimonies of families whose lives had been destroyed by knife crime.

The one-off special - based around the funeral of Shakil Kazemi who killed in a stabbing last month - included interviews with the families of the victims of knife crime, along with a haunting final scene showing them holding photographs of the people they had lost.

Viewers had been left heartbroken by the storyline which saw Shakil killed by a rival gang, with his mum Carmel struggling to cope as she did a disappearing act before the funeral. 

Honest: EastEnders viewers struggled to hold back tears on Friday as they took to Twitter to praise a special episode that featured testimonies of families of victims of knife crime

Honest: EastEnders viewers struggled to hold back tears on Friday as they took to Twitter to praise a special episode that featured testimonies of families of victims of knife crime

In the episode, fans saw a selection of interview cut between scenes showing families describing the heartbreak their felt after losing a child or relative.

Each detailed the importance of doing more to reduce knife crime after it has already destroyed so many lives, in an episode which showed the all-true reality of the loss after a stabbing.

But it was a dark final scene in the episode that left many viewers struggling to hold back their tears, as Shakil's coffin was carried out of the church with his family and friends following behind.

Lining the procession - to the song Abide With Me - were the family members who lost a relative from a similar crime, each holding a framed photo of the person they had lost.

The episode then closed with a list of the victims names above the end credits. 

Emotional: In the episode, scenes were included where the families described the heartbreak and grief they suffered after losing a loved one to knife crime

Emotional: In the episode, scenes were included where the families described the heartbreak and grief they suffered after losing a loved one to knife crime

Heartbreaking: The episode centred around the funeral of character Shakil Kazemi, who was killed in an attack by a rival gang last month
Heartbreaking: The episode centred around the funeral of character Shakil Kazemi, who was killed in an attack by a rival gang last month

Heartbreaking: The episode centred around the funeral of character Shakil Kazemi, who was killed in an attack by a rival gang last month

Emotional: The episode also closed with a list of victims of knife crime above the end credits

Emotional: The episode also closed with a list of victims of knife crime above the end credits

It was an episode that received much praise from fans for highlighting the all-to-real issue of knife crime, with one viewer suggesting it be shown to teenagers in school as an educational tool.

One wrote: 'Every single child in every single school should be made to watch this episode... to see the end result and heartache of carrying a knife... heartbreaking.'

Another tweeted: 'The way EastEnders portrayed that episode, with it being such a sensitive topic was just amazing, truly am proud of everyone who's part of the crew and cast, the BEST soap.'

A third tweeted: 'If tonight's Eastenders doesn't get some kind of award or special recognition there's something wrong.' 

Haunting: In a final scene to the song Abide With Me, the funeral procession was lined by the families of victims of knife crime, each holding a photo of the person they had lost

Haunting: In a final scene to the song Abide With Me, the funeral procession was lined by the families of victims of knife crime, each holding a photo of the person they had lost

Big issue: The episode left many fans in tears with its closing scene, as Shakil's family and friends said goodbye to him for the final time

Big issue: The episode left many fans in tears with its closing scene, as Shakil's family and friends said goodbye to him for the final time

Important: Many viewers took to Twitter to praise the episode, with one suggesting it should shown in schools as an educational tool

Important: Many viewers took to Twitter to praise the episode, with one suggesting it should shown in schools as an educational tool

Speaking about the storyline, actress Bonnie Langford (who plays Shakil's mum Carmel) admitted it is one of the toughest she has ever taken on, telling The Mirror that hearing the real-life accounts from the victims families helped to make sure she got it right. 

She said: 'The interesting thing is that for a lot of these people it happened a long time ago, not just yesterday, this is an issue that's always just bubbling under the surface of their lives, it's something so massive that if it's happened to someone they don't want it to fade away, it's always there.

'We were very privileged to meet this group of people who have brought their stories to the show. It's very brave, it's just the most wonderful thing to do.'

Heart-wrenching: In the episode, Shakil's family were showen as being unable to withhold their tears during the funeral service 

Heart-wrenching: In the episode, Shakil's family were showen as being unable to withhold their tears during the funeral service 

In tears: Shakil's mum Carmel (played by Bonnie Langford) also received much praise from viewers for her acting 

In tears: Shakil's mum Carmel (played by Bonnie Langford) also received much praise from viewers for her acting 

RIP: Shakil's hard-hitting death from a stabbing proved to be a difficult watch for many soap fans, though others praised actor Shaheen Jafargholi's performance at the time

RIP: Shakil's hard-hitting death from a stabbing proved to be a difficult watch for many soap fans, though others praised actor Shaheen Jafargholi's performance at the time

The scenes in which Shakil (Shaheen Jafargholi) was stabbed by a rival gang along with his friend Keegan (Zack Morris) proved difficult to watch as for many hours they were left undiscovered as the rest of Albert Square were transfixed by the Royal Wedding. 

Eventually Shakil was found after staggering into the open, but couldn't be saved leaving his family distraught.

The hard-hitting storyline has seen former EastEnders star Brooke Kinsella work closely with soap bosses to raise awareness of knife crime, following the death of her brother Ben in a similar attack in 2008.

Struggling: The episode will saw Carmel (Bonnie Langford) do a disappearing actor hours before the funeral, before she was consoled by Denise Fox (Diane Parish)

Struggling: The episode will saw Carmel (Bonnie Langford) do a disappearing actor hours before the funeral, before she was consoled by Denise Fox (Diane Parish)

Speaking about her work on the storyline Brooke said: 'The pain of Ben's loss will never go away, there isn't a day that goes by that we don't think about him and miss him.

'I commend the EastEnders team for choosing this storyline to portray the realities of knife crime.

'I believe that this storyline will bring home the realities of knife crime to a wider audience and show how it damages the lives of victims, offenders, their families and friends forever.'

Brutal: The storyline was closely worked on by former star Brooke Kinsella, ten years after the death of her brother Ben in a similar attack (above)

Brutal: The storyline was closely worked on by former star Brooke Kinsella, ten years after the death of her brother Ben in a similar attack (above)

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EastEnders viewers left in TEARS by Shakil Kazemi's funeral

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