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.

Shocking non replies [shocked]

Will boycott EE too along with any P&G products of course.

Me too Dee I am actually quite proud of my restraint .

If someone has issues with not being able to apologise in their personal life and take responsibility for making a mistake, they sure as hell are not going to in their work life either, imagine being married to him, shudder...

I am lucky never to have suffered the death of a child, It doesn't stop me having enormous sympathy for those who have. I can only imagine the strength you must need to get through each day .I am insulted on your behalf that some one as weak and unable to genuinely listen and respond as Bryan Kirkwood has wasted an hour of your time.

Haven't read it but I gather it went well then...

My current FB status reflects my feelings about Mr Kirkwood. I cant repeat them in here or i might get banned!!! !!!!!!

What a waste of everyone's time, I don't need mn to say what they think, that's the shortest least friendy thanks I've ever seen.

Where is lissylou?? I am sure she will have plenty to say when she reads it!!

its my birthday so I came on late, but most of what I have to say is being said in rl.

Im fucking disgusted. he may as well just reissued the "official statement" once again he has shown that they arent actually sorry for any upset and this visit is just lip service. after all, we are only a group of mums, what can we do about it? If possible, Im even more disappointed. I made the point earlier that he was in charge of HO when they did the anorexia story and it was bloody brilliant! in doing that story so well (and also producing the late night sarah's death episode) I had high hopes for the direction he would take EE in. I love the soap, and its almost our christmas tradition to sit at my dads with a bowl of peanuts watching the EE special.

Im disappointed and outraged that he and the EE execs in general care so little. WE pay for this shite. WE pay their wages through a stealth tax, and this is how they repay us? I want my license fee back.

So, most questiosn not answers. So basically

• EE are just proud of the story,
• can't care less about any complaints (infact, probably just see the backlash as publicity, so a good thing)
• they insist bereaved parents thought it was fine
• they say an experiences midwife did say the weight difference and club foot would happen
• and presumably that they feel a bereaved mum woul undertake a baby swap

Well, I won't be watching. I haven't watched since just before Christmas in order to avoid the storyline. TBH not missed it and won't be going back there any time soon.

hula, pretty much. Id love to know which hospital the mw they consulted was at. one to avoid methinks

MNHQ - Just wondering if todays webchat (or lack thereof) fitted in with what BK had to say when you had the meeting with him?

I just feel incredibly let down, and tbh bloody angry - what was the point of him coming to MNHQ today if he wasn't prepared for questions?

I can see how the MW might have said the weight discrepeancy was ok, especially as Ronnie was apparently having problems feeding. The club foot thing, though, never.

I would accept the weight discrepancy. There have been discrepancies with measurements in my children's books. Someone could have made a mistake on a measurement.

The club foot thing is ridonkulous though.

As was this webchat.

Does BK really not get that if the story was so good and there was such a positive reaction to it surely some of them would have praised/piped up on here/written about it in the papers - I haven't seen any positive comments about it in media/online at all.

I'm really disappointed that so many questions were unanswered and no acknowledgement was made by BK of this, v surprised that MNHQ thanked him for this at the end of the hour!

(shabbapinkfrog - would give you a big hug if I could!)

really what was the point? he still thinks its a great story and wasnt prepared to back down or admit any misjudgment. the sanctimonious twonk still thinks that they have done the issue of SIDS a service (wonder how many people who visited FSIDS site did so to read their statement on the issue) and is hiding behind "its what ronnie would do"

well, either SW is a rubbish actress unable to portray a woman on the edge of a meltdown or he has shite writers. the character has always come across as strong and impressive. to me, she would have lashed out, not crumbled.

Im seriously considering cancelling my DD for my license, take me to court. I refuse to pay for a public service that holds us in such low regard.

Poor peformance in what should have been a great opportunity for some crisis management PR. Clearly boilerplate answers, yet still with missing words here and there. And evasion of answers that would make politicians proud. Epic fail on the PR front Mr Kirkwood!

Above message really aimed at the EE people who I presume will read it. For the posters with personal experience on here, sorry you were let down so badly by this webchat.

Best way to respond now is to stop watching permanently.

What a pile of rubbish that was. Hope Justine gave him a kick in the arse as he went down the stairs!)

That's set a new low. Really insulting actually. Basically he is quite happy to say all the people who object are wrong and because there were more hits on FSID website that justifies everything? Ugh!

I can't bear a person who can't apologise. When I mess up I say so.

What a pile of crap from Brian Kirkwood! He did not answer one question directly.

He should be ashamed of himself.