Live Webchat with EastEnders Producer, Bryan Kirkwood. Friday 21st January at Midday

[RachelMumsnet]

Following recent debates on the EastEnders' storyline, and our meeting with BBC executives and two mumsnetters to discuss the baby snatch story, we're delighted Executive Producer of EastEnders, Bryan Kirkwood is joining us to answer your questions this Friday (21st January) between 12 and 1pm. If you're unable to join us at that time, please post your questions to Bryan on this thread.

You seem to have missed lissie's question which was one of the first on the thread, so I'll re-post it for you:

'I would like to know which midwife told you that he/she would discount the loss of a club foot and 20% weight loss overnight as one of those things.'

I'd also like to know when kat gets her baby back. I watched the swap but haven't watched since because I think EE has gone too far with this one. I' like to tune in and see it resolved though.

I used to watch Eastenders but stopped as it seemed to be nothing but bleak and tragic storylines to grab headlines and attention. I am not interested in returning to view but am interested to know whether you cut the storyline short due to the public furore as you have stated in the press or due to actor's contracts ending?

[quote IAmReallyFabNow]

Will you admit you were wrong to screen this story line and is it true that the writers pushing for it have no children?
quote]

The EastEnders team is very diverse, and includes many women with children. Indeed, some of the more powerful episodes broadcast over the past few weeks were written by mums.

we need jeremy paxman.....

such a shame that our questions are being so skillfully avoided.

Why did you agree to come and do this chat ? I can see no difference to what you are saying now and what was said in the generic e mail that was sent back to everyone who complained in the first place .

Mr.Kirkwood - you seemed to have missed answering the first part of that question.

Personally, I feel that the incredibly moving performances from both actresses since this story began have reflected the emotion and anguish of the situation.

I think both have acted this fantastically, their acting is not in question.

Mr Kirkwood with all due respect Deemented has put forward a post full of the most salient points to our upset and arguement. Perhaps you might address a few more of those?

So that will be a no to the apology then Bryan .

Why not just say that instead of only answering the bit you think you can get away with ?

Mr Kirkwood, do you actually understand why bereaved parents found the portrayal upsetting? Because its not at all obvious that you do.

written by Mum, but obviously not bereaved Mums, otherwise this would never have got to air.

wow. that is not even close to answering Iamfreallyfabnow's question.

And i pay my licence fee to fund his wages??

Not impressed, Mr. Kirwood, not impressed. At. All.

Andu Coulson's post is up for grabs. He would make a wonderful politician

iyswim

Well it looks to me like this is a PR stunt rather than a genuine attempts to interact and explain . Not really sure what the point was.

@ClaireDeLoon

You seem to have missed lissie's question which was one of the first on the thread, so I'll re-post it for you:

'I would like to know which midwife told you that he/she would discount the loss of a club foot and 20% weight loss overnight as one of those things.'

On this issue (and other aspects of the storyline) we sought advice from a midwife with over 20 years of experience, who now also teaches trainee midwives as a midwifery practice educator. This midwife advised us that the weight loss discrepancy was not unusual enough to cause concern. Regarding the club foot, the midwife also advised us that this could be explained by a discrepancy in the birth notes. Again, we are not suggesting this is a regular occurance, but a scenario constructed for this storyline.

tbf CazandBelle I doubt even non-bereaved mothers would be happy writing this. And I woudl be very interested to know the parental status of the writers who wrote/came up with the start of this specific storyline.

What utter rot!! Any midwife worth her qualification would have issue with both of those things.

This is quite comical - not one question has been appropriately answered.

You must surely admit you got it wrong - cause you wouldn't be sitting here trying to justify yourself, very poorly too I might add, if you had got it right!

So admit defeat, apologise for your gross portrayal of this story line and you might just reclaim some dignity.

But surely the fact that Kat recognised the baby wasn't hers would have been at least looked into ? Or is this another case of "loony woman noone listens too"?