February 14th 2025.
Hold on to your hats, because what I'm about to tell you may make you cringe. Whether you're single, married, or in a relationship, it's hard to ignore that today is Valentine's Day. And what better time to reflect on some of the most memorable romances in soap operas? But don't expect a list of the most romantic, well-suited couples in soap history. Oh no, we're talking about the romances that make you want to hide under a rock and never come out.
Of course, we usually root for our favorite couples to go the distance. But every once in a while, our beloved soaps throw a curveball and introduce a pairing that is...questionable, to say the least. Sometimes, these unexpected couples surprise us and actually work out. But other times, the outlandish choices leave us cringing and wishing we could erase them from our memories. Unfortunately, we're here to remind you of the very worst romances soap operas have to offer. So buckle up and get ready to cringe.
First up, we have Nat and Georgia Simpson from Brookside. And let me tell you, things could not have started off worse. I mean, there's nothing that makes you want to shudder more than literal incest. In 1996, Brookside caused outrage among viewers when they introduced a storyline that involved brother and sister Nat and Georgia getting a little too close for comfort. Despite knowing they were related, they chose to act on their romantic feelings and were eventually caught in bed together. Needless to say, it didn't take long for producers to realize they had gone too far and the family was axed from the show.
But the cringe-worthy romances don't stop there. How about Maisie Wylde and Ryan Lamb from Emmerdale? At least these two didn't know they were related, but that doesn't make it any less disturbing. When they discovered they were actually brother and sister, it was a shock to them and to viewers. And while they didn't physically act on their feelings, they had already fallen in love with each other, which led to Maisie suffering a nervous breakdown.
Moving on to another Emmerdale disaster, we have Viv Hope's affair with Paddy Kirk. Not only did their sheer misplaced giddiness for each other make us cringe, but they also engaged in some questionable activities, like having sex in a post office. And let's not forget how much their antics hurt poor Emily. Fortunately, their affair came to an abrupt end when Emily announced their betrayal in front of a crowd of villagers.
But perhaps the cringiest of all was the affair between Bob Hope and Laurel Thomas. While we love both of these characters individually, watching them together was a whole other level of awkward. Why were all of their kisses so slow and why did they whisper so close to each other's faces? And why did anyone think this was a good idea? And don't even get me started on that infamous church scene where Bernice, Bob's ex-wife, showed up wearing Katie's wedding dress and ended up eating the engagement ring. Iconic, but cringy nonetheless.
And speaking of Bernice, let's talk about her affair with Andy Sugden, the son of her boyfriend at the time. While their actual affair wasn't too bad, it was Bernice's attitude afterwards that landed them on this list. She grew insanely jealous of Katie and even attacked her with a bunch of sausages for "stealing her man." This led to some hilarious yet cringy moments, like pouring pasta over Katie's head and showing up to the church on her wedding day wearing Katie's dress.
But perhaps the most cringy of all soap romances was between Jacob Gallagher and Victoria Sugden from Emmerdale. Yes, you read that right. Victoria dated Jacob's dad, David Metcalfe, before dumping him and then turning around and dating his son. It's safe to say, we were all left feeling uncomfortable and disturbed.
Last but not least, we have Honey Mitchell and Jay Brown from EastEnders. While they weren't technically related, Jay was raised by Honey's boyfriend, Billy Mitchell, and considered him a father figure. So when Honey and Jay started dating, it just felt...wrong. Thankfully, their relationship didn't last long and peace was restored when Honey and Billy got back together.
And finally, we have the infamous affair between Max Branning and Lucy Beale from EastEnders. Not only was Max significantly older than Lucy, but he was also her best friend's dad. Need I say more? This scandalous affair resulted in Max being framed for Lucy's murder, making it one of the most cringy and uncomfortable romances in soap history.
Brace yourself, because we're about to dive into some cringeworthy soap romances. Whether you're single, married, or in a relationship, you can't escape the fact that today is Valentine's Day. And what better time to reflect on some of the most memorable romances in soap history? But don't expect a list of picture-perfect, lovey-dovey couples. No, we're here to talk about the romances that make us shudder and wonder "what were they thinking?"
Sometimes, our beloved soaps surprise us with unexpected pairings that actually work. But then there are times when they throw together characters that just don't make sense, and we spend the rest of the year trying to forget they ever happened. Unfortunately, we're here to remind you of the very worst romances that soap has to offer. So grab a stiff drink and get ready to cringe with us.
Let's start off strong with a storyline that caused outrage among viewers back in 1996. Brookside's Nat and Georgia Simpson were brother and sister who decided to act on their romantic feelings for each other. Yes, you read that right - literal incest. It didn't take long for producers to realize they had gone too far, and the family was axed from the show. Thank goodness.
Next up, we have Emmerdale's Maisie Wylde and Ryan Lamb. At least they didn't know they were related when they fell in love. But still, we have more incest on our hands. When they discovered the truth, it led to Maisie having a nervous breakdown. Can you blame her?
Now, we need to acknowledge the distant memory of Viv Hope's affair with Paddy Kirk in Emmerdale. Their sheer giddiness for each other and that post office sex scene left us reaching for the nearest drink. Not to mention how much their antics hurt poor Emily. Fortunately, their affair was short-lived and came to an abrupt end when Emily announced their betrayal in front of the whole village.
Moving on to another cringeworthy Emmerdale pairing - Bob Hope and Laurel Thomas. We love them both, but together? Huge no from us. Their slow kisses and whispered conversations were just too much to handle. And let's not forget the time when Laurel poured pasta over Bob's head or showed up at his wedding wearing the bride's dress. And then there's the whole eating the engagement ring thing. Iconic, but still cringy.
Remember when Victoria Sugden and Jacob Gallagher got together in Emmerdale? Yeah, that really happened. She was nearly his step-mom, for goodness sake. And in case you need a refresher, Victoria previously dated Jacob's dad, before dumping him and calling him immature. So naturally, she then decides to date his son. Talk about a messed up family dynamic.
In EastEnders, we have Honey Mitchell and Jay Brown. Billy Mitchell raised Jay as his own son, so it just felt wrong when Honey and Jay started dating. Thankfully, their romance didn't last long and peace was restored when Honey and Billy got back together. Phew.
And finally, we have the scandalous affair between Max Branning and Lucy Beale in EastEnders. Not only was Max much older than Lucy, but he was also her best friend's dad. Talk about a double whammy. It's no wonder he was framed for her murder - that's never a good look.
So there you have it, folks. The most cringeworthy soap romances that we just can't seem to forget. Here's hoping our favorite shows won't subject us to any more questionable couplings in the future. Happy Valentine's Day!
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