According to author Hilary Kingsley, the scenes in "EastEnders"' early years that showed toddler Vicki "chattering happily" with the baby actor who played her uncle Martin (Jon Peyton Price) were viewer favourites. "EastEnders" was criticised in 1993 for featuring a storyline about child abduction at an inappropriate time. In the storyline, six-year old Vicki was abducted, leaving Michelle frantic with worry. In what has been described as a "coincidence of ill-timing", the storyline was screened at the same time as the real-life abduction and murder of two-year-old James Bulger. The BBC was forced to transmit a health warning prior to the airing of the episodes, announcing that the storyline would be "resolved positively".