The episode featured Phil Mitchell battering his nephew Jamie for refusing to reveal where Mitchell's ex-girlfriend and baby had gone.

Complaints from 31 viewers were upheld by the TV watchdog, who said the scene was too vicious for a programme shown before the 9pm watershed.

EastEnders' writers will keep the reaction in mind when planning future episodes, a BBC spokesman confirmed.

Lesbian sex scenes in BBC One drama Tipping the Velvet drew even more complaints - but were not upheld because the BSC said publicity surrounding the programme had made it clear what viewers could expect.

Was the BSC right to reprimand EastEnders over the fight scene? Did you find it too violent? Are soaps in general featuring too much aggression and conflict?

This Talking Point has now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

Many people see violent, obnoxious parents hitting and yelling at children in supermarkets and in the street well before the watershed. Why should a bit of fighting on TV bother anyone?
James, UK

I don't think that scene was too violent. What I think was violent was the Trevor and Little Mo scenes where she was constantly getting beaten up.
A Sloan, Scotland

What they should do is introduce a rule when writing EastEnders scripts, which would say that on no account should there be a party in the Vic. When Tiff got shoved down the stairs, when Mo had her bust-up with Trevor, when Phil got shot and when Jamie got run over, there was a party in the Vic. Without these scenes, EastEnders would be a lot less objectionable.
Graeme Phillips, UK

Soaps are supposed to represent real life Chris, UK

I don't get what all the fuss is about. The worst violence is on the news. It may not be as graphic but it is real. If people complain about the soaps they should face facts that life is like that and soaps are supposed to represent real life.
Chris, UK

Simple answer - if you don't like it turn it off. You do have a choice!
Anon, UK

BBC America airs an omnibus edition of EastEnders each week. I occasionally watch just to remind me why we moved to the US. Let's be honest, the programme has never been a barrel of laughs, even back in its heyday. Now it's a caricature of Londoners and a very poor advertisement for the UK.
Phil, USA

Why pick on EastEnders? Beryl Rittman, England

There is more violence shown on the news every day than that shown on the soaps. However, why pick on EastEnders? The level of violence in Coronation Street when Richard attacked Emily and killed Maxine was also explicit with its "suggested" violence and this too was also before the 9 pm watershed.
Beryl Rittman, England

I can't stand EastEnders - unfortunately my wife watches it. You know that the kids should be in bed by 9pm or at least more productively engaged than watching the TV, but some of the scenes shown in EastEnders at 7.30 are aired too early.

I routinely have to distract my three-year-old from the TV during this programme. You hear screams and shouts from the TV and you see the look of concern on his face. Personally, I'm happy to watch anything, but this sort of thing is aired a bit early in my opinion. If things have to come to a violent head, why not air a special episode after 9pm? Hardcore EastEnders fans could still see their soap and concerned parents would not have to see their children exposed to worrying
Aiden Truss, UK

The whole Phil and Jamie story was ridiculous; yes the fight scene was too violent. Then you get a pathetic twist when Jamie is dying and Phil Mitchell is crying his heart out! Come on writers please! EastEnders needs some sunshine. Soaps are for light relief, not a constant reminder of the pessimistic and violent aspects of life. We can switch on the news if we want that!
Josie, UK

They live in a horrible violent society Jonathan Lighthill, UK

To have well-publicised occasional violent acts on soaps is OK but they must be well-publicised as younger people could be watching. However I find EastEnders offensive because the people are so unpleasant to each other. The bit where Phil hit Jamie was just plain nasty and brutal. They live in a horrible violent society.
Jonathan Lighthill, UK

I really can't understand what all the fuss is about??!! If you don't like it don't watch it!! EastEnders is a great soap which I love to watch.
Sharron Mulrooney, Holland

To those who say "Switch off" or "Monitor what your children watch" I say "Don't be so naive. Live in the real world." If you switch your TV on, you don't always look to see what has been written about a programme and you can't always monitor what kids are watching.
Bob C, London, UK

I stopped watching EastEnders when I found myself feeling uncomfortable with all scenes involving Phil and baby Louise. It's certainly not family entertainment. There's no way I would want my young children listening to the language and abuse that flows from every episode. Enough is enough.
Toby, UK

I was shocked at the violence but I was also impressed that the programme makers had the courage to show it like it really is. I don't think it glamorised the violence at all. Quite the reverse.
Kerry, UK

Phil Mitchell is almost revered by younger viewers Lauren Elliott, UK

The writers of EastEnders must recognise that the bolshie character of Phil Mitchell is almost revered by younger viewers of the show. These children should not be in a position where they are influenced by storylines in which violence is used an acceptable way to deal with problems. Show it after 9pm if they really have to show it at all.
Lauren Elliott, UK

The major soaps (EastEnders, Coronation Street etc) depict a totally unrealistic portrayal of society today. The underlying theme is one of constant misery. I was recently in Australia, and I commented to a friend there about this, and she said that Australia used to air British soaps, but no longer do (apart from an obscure satellite channel) due the "misery factor" of the storylines.
Malcolm, UK

I suggest that the 31 complainants take a reality check - this is TV and nothing more. If they don't like a TV programme switch it off and leave the choice of watching it to the individual.
Adrian, UK

Soap operas are the edited highlights (or lowlights depending on your point of view) of fictional characters' lives. To keep us entertained it probably needs the violence, the shouting, the scenes of family life breaking down and couples splitting up. Otherwise why watch this stuff? Not for the beautiful location surely? I got bored with Neighbours while it was still popular because the story lines kept repeating so often. Track the plot in EastEnders and I suspect that you will find much the same simply because there is so little that can happen in the � square mile to so few people. Otherwise you end up with the Brookside phenomena with probably too much creative input from Phil Redmond (ex. Grange Hill writer).
Thankfully BBC2 is repeating Star Trek the Next Generation that makes no pretence at being a "realistic" portal of normal family life. The setting of the story does give the chance to introduce transient characters, pretty scenery and vary the story line.
Michael Moorhouse, UK

I thought everyone knew that EastEnders was just a scam thought up to make Londoners feel better about having to live in such a dump!
helpful, UK

I always try to monitor what my children (aged 4 and 11) are watching. Easy enough for the 4 year old but my 11 year old daughter likes "soaps". I allow Home and Away and Emmerdale (this one is under review!) but I have had to ban EastEnders and Coronation Street as they are far too violent. The story lines are about miserable, mean and violent people. They contain far too much sex, violence and drugs for the time they are shown. Why can't they be shown later or even better not at all? Do we need such drivel on our television? Do we really need omnibus editions at the weekend? Yes I know where the off button is but it is harder to monitor an 11 year old especially around 6:00pm to 7:30pm. The trailers are put on at all hours which doesn't help. Please let's get rid of this utter rubbish and put some decent programmes on.
Alison, Solihull, UK

Stop, think, look at yourself... you are analysing a TV soap. There is far more to life than complaining about TV. If you don't like it, then don't watch it. Simple really.
Luke, London, UK

Do millions of people really have nothing better to do than sit in front of a TV watching this mindless garbage? Does anyone really care what these people think?
Kulu, UK

I'm an ex-pat residing in the U.S. and have to say I'm very embarrassed about EastEnders. It does not represent society in the East End of London or anywhere I've been. Its way too over the top and depressing - the writing initially was okay but it's been ridiculous for some time. I catch the occasional episode when I visit my family in Essex and I'm appalled. Tell the writers to lighten up, take a vacation or something - People need to laugh more, not sink lower, times are tough enough for a lot of people without having to put up with that rubbish. Other than EastEnders, I think the BBC and its programming content ranks one of the highest in the world.
Paul S. Foley, U.S.A.

Soaps build on the anger that our nation suffers today Rose Underwood, England

I would say that most soaps on TV build on the anger that our nation suffers today. I find that the majority of TV soaps are depressing and give a lot of negative vibes, which I do believe make people react in that end. These soaps labour the point on any one particular issue, but there should be a balance between positive and negative and unfortunately I feel they lean more to the negative on a lot of issues that they touch on.
Rose Underwood, England

Virtually everything about EastEnders is not right for viewing before the nine o'clock watershed. My kids are aged six and seven and I'm not that happy about them seeing Mark top himself or a person get run down by a car or someone else 'on the pull' or whatever other puerile and disgusting behaviour they can dream up. Now I'm not an angel but I don't want my kids watching this stuff so I turn it off. Mind you most of the programmes on before 9pm are not suitable, you can routinely hear many profanities from eight onwards.
Garry Smith, UK

There was nothing wrong with the alleged violent scene. Those who complained were probably worried that their children where watching, but whose fault is that? EastEnders is not a children's programme and parents need to be responsible for what their children watch.
Dave, UK

We turned on Coronation Street only to be met by Richard smashing the back of Emily's head with an iron bar Katy, UK

My nine year old son wanted to watch TV before he went to bed and we turned on Coronation Street only to be met by Richard smashing the back of Emily's head with an iron bar - lovely! What ever happened to Hilda and her flying ducks! We do seem to have moved into a world where soap writers seem to think that violence will draw in the viewers. How many people seriously think that what Richard gets up to reflects real life which is what soaps purport to do?
Katy, UK

Is it any wonder the number of violent crimes have risen? Most TV programmes now include a violent storyline suggesting it is normal human behaviour.
Matt, UK

Come on people, this is EastEnders, a TV soap, it isn't real! The people in it are actually actors. I know school kids see and hear a lot worse in the playground than they will ever see and hear on EastEnders. If you don't like what you see, turn over. It's just that simple.
Andy Hodgson, UK

I don't know about too violent, but they're certainly too frequent Ian, UK

I don't know about too violent, but they're certainly too frequent. Parents refuse to let their children cross the road but amazingly they let them watch EastEnders, so they are obviously quite happy with them becoming stupid. A day in the life in Walford: 1. Small event. Massive Overreaction. Massive Overreaction back. Forgiveness. 2. Someone is about to die. Try to get someone to help, but constantly interrupted by countless others with stories about washing, being late for dinner.
Ian, UK

31 people out of millions of viewers is hardly a majority is it? If you don't like what you are watching then watch something else.
Laura, UK

I think that EastEnders, on the whole, is appalling. It makes out that nearly everybody is a petty criminal - but that they can also somehow be a "decent sort" at the same time! It makes out that violence is a normal way of life, and people should just accept things like pub fights. People often blame "action" films for the rise in violent crime. I think they should look closer to home. EastEnders is beamed into everybody's living room and appears to be widely accepted as perfectly appropriate viewing for the whole family.
Peter Judge, W Yorks, UK

If it makes you feel sick, then it has portrayed the true face of violence correctly Dan, UK

Soaps should show violent acts in a true light. It is far worse to glamorise or sanitise violence. If a violent scene makes you feel sick and upset, then it has portrayed the true face of violence correctly.
Dan, UK

We are constantly bombarded with images of women committing acts of violence towards men and no one bats an eyelid, in fact it is looked upon as entertainment. Indeed, Emmerdale, one of the UK's leading soaps that is shown at 7pm has a woman hitting a man as part of its credits. Why the double standards?
Gerry, Scotland

Quite frankly people will complain about virtually anything on TV; put the effort in and write to the BSC or the ASA. How many put pen to paper and complain to their MP etc about issues that really matter.
Helen, UK