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.

oh dear it looks like Mr Kirkwood has tried to use mn in the hope of good publicity with the press, sadly it has backfired on here anyways b the looks of it.

@ilythia

Was the plotline billed as a SID and then 'amended' to include baby swapping or was it all in one from the start?
Will the writer who came up with the babyswapping plot be fired?

The baby swap aspect of the storyline was integral to the plot from the start. The storyline was created by a number of people, and none of them will be fired.

I've been lurking up til now but now I'm just fed up - no answers, no apologies. I'm sorry but this storyline was inaccurate, distressing and just not appropriate.
However I will ask a question in the vain hope it will be answered
Have you considered that if you are going to continue misrepresenting tackling controversial storylines then you should move EE to after the watershed so that will help people better understand what level you are aiming the programme at?

shabbapinkfrog -

please please end kats misery, its so very hard to watch and being an avod viewer, i have almost switched off because of this. Would this general opinion make the decision to stop this early happen?

You handled the Biance reaction well, remembering she lost a baby before Liam, so good on you for that bit.

Disagree with whoever said "the question avoidance is skilful".

It looks pretty blatant to me.

My question for Bryan - do you have any personal apology to make for the way in which you have cynically mishandled the storyline and the fallout afterwards?

It's a yes/no question, should be pretty straightforward to answer.

But what we want to know is WHY was the baby swap in there ? What did you think it would bring to the story that just the mundanity of a dead baby couldn't ?

Mr.Kirkwood - what exactly was the point of this webchat. You've not actually answered any of our questions.

@CazandBelle

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

We consulted with bereaved parents, throughout the story planning and scripting process, and they were fully across the baby swap element.

A group of bereaved parents came to meet with the key actors and members of the production team to share their experiences with us.

I can't comment on the personal histories of our writers, I'm afraid.

integral from the start?! I begs to answer the question again why wasn't a baby dying traumatic enough? why did the swap need to be there?

I can only assume you have no dead children.
I think we'll be going back to banging our heads against a wall. You just don't seem to understand. Don't even seem to attempt to.

Fi, I am also an regular viewer, and I very much want Kat's mysery to end quickly and happily.

So, you consulted with bereaved parents who had actually swapped their dead babies for live ones, did you?

Ooh, found my easy question after skipping oevr everyone else's did we? well done.

I'll shut up now and leave it to Dee.

Why is he avoiding apologising, is he alergic?

This is ridiculous. Samantha Womack had resigned in November, this storyline began in December. Obviously there was a Spring ending imposed on the writers, it's no grand gesture to shorten the storyline.

So a group of bereaved mums were fully behind this storyline

i am not a bereaved mum, i dont watch EE however the story line makes me feel sick and frankly rather panicky.

Find that hard to believe really - and I am not a bereaved parent - just a normal one who finds the storyline offensive. We are not saying it doesn't happen and that there isn't a story in it - for hollywood maybe - but just admit it was inappropriate for EE.

Mr Kirkwood there is but minutes left. We all came on here in good faith to hear each other out. Please answer one of the questions less easily spun.

I used to watch and enjoy Eastenders. I gave up months ago because I felt like slitting my wrists after every episode. I don't see why it has to be so very miserable all the time. The baby swap story was despicable.

This is so funny-it's pointless him being here.

Keep strong ladies and just ignore!!

good point dontworrybaby would of liked to see them continue it to xmas with out the cast !

news headlines, EE boss refuses to appologise to mumsnetters for poorly thoughout out offencive plot, after how many complaints?