The Gathering viewers threaten to boycott Channel 4 show as they dub drama about abuse ‘absolutely vile’

Channel 4 viewers have threatened to boycott the broadcaster’s latest TV drama, The Gathering, calling the ‘gripping’ show ‘absolutely despicable’.

The six-part series revolves around a teenager who is violently attacked during an illegal beach rave.

The attack sends shockwaves through a Merseyside community as friends and family try to uncover the truth by exposing people’s deepest secrets and lies.

While the offensive scenes left viewers feeling sick, the rest of the show failed to captivate 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 protagonists’ toxic mother-daughter relationship.

Sherlock star Vinette, 43, (pictured) plays Natalie, a woman dubbed the ‘mother from hell’, with her daughter Jessica, played by Sadie, a talented teenage gymnast.

Sherlock star Vinette Robinson, 43, plays Natalie, a woman dubbed the ‘mother from hell’, with her daughter Jessica, played by Sadie Soverall, a talented teenage gymnast.

Viewers watched as Jessica tried to live up to her mother’s strict and overbearing standards and the consequences of not being picked for a gymnastics team.

Natalie is outraged on her daughter’s behalf threatened to move her from Liverpool to rival Manchester, leaving all her friends and family behind.

Viewers wrote: ‘Despicable woman. I think it’s definitely abuse. Pushy parents are a nightmare, but somehow moms are always worse than dads. Dance Moms is crazy – it literally has nothing to do with the kids – it’s the obsessed moms! #TheGathering #DanceMoms’

“I just watched Ruby Franke. What a mean mother. Very moving. I hope the children recover from it. It will be a long process. Maybe they can reunite with daddy’; “That mother sent that video, she is absolutely mean! #The meeting’

“Okay, I can’t get the last 45 minutes back, but I don’t need to waste any more time of my life. I am gone. #The meeting’; ‘Trying to stay with #TheGathering’; “I’m sure I may be a little unfair, but #TheGathering is all a bit… so far, right? I am gone.

‘No, I’m completely lost now #thegathering’; “It’s been pretty bad so far. I doubt I’ll watch the next episode #TheGathering.

The Gathering is produced by World Production and was commissioned by Channel 4 in 2022.

In the six-part series, a teenager is violently attacked during an illegal beach rave. The attack sends shockwaves through a Merseyside community as friends and family try to uncover the truth

While the offensive scenes left viewers feeling sick, the rest of the show failed to captivate 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-did-it.

“Focusing on a group of diverse teens and their parents, each character has a motive for attacking Kelly.

‘An accomplished gymnast on the national team track, Kelly sticks to her strict training schedule but finds freedom and liberation in the joyful, unregulated world of freerunning.

“Each episode chronicles the events leading up to the attack from a new perspective, revealing the rivalries and relationships of a disparate group of teens and their parents.

“As their secrets and lies are exposed, the truth behind the attack comes to light.”

The Gathering continues on Tuesday evenings at 9pm on Channel 4.

The Gathering continues Tuesday nights on Channel 4 at 9pm (LR) Vinette Robinson, Sadie Soverall, Eva Morgan, Sonny Walker and Warren Brown