EastEnders gay kiss: Harry Reid 'upset' at homophobic reaction to Ben Mitchell and Paul Coker scene

Reid plays a character struggling with his sexuality on the long-running soap

Ben Mitchell and Jonny Labey's gay kiss on EastEnders has divided Twitter (BBC)

Harry Reid has shared his disappointment at viewers' negative reactions to his recent EastEnders gay kiss with co-star Jonny Labey.

The 22-year-old actor's character Ben Mitchell shared a smooch with Paul Coker on Monday night, but revealed on Instagram afterwards that not everyone had been open to their relationship.

"It's upsetting to read the negative tweets about the gay kiss in last night's episode of Eastenders," he wrote alongside a photo of notorious bisexual gangster Ronnie Kray.

"I only want to ask one question. Would you have called Ronnie Kray disgusting?"

Reid, who joined the long-running soap last September, added that he was "not biting, it just needed pointing out".

Ben had been openly gay before he killed Heather and began describing his sexuality as a phase, even dating Abi in a bid to prove it. Newcomer Paul slipped Ben his number in Monday's episode and they later kissed after meeting at Blades.

Reid's co-star Adam Woodyatt took to Twitter to support him, writing "Don't bite little bro, they're not worth it", while hoardes of other fans voiced their anger at the nasty tweets.