Eastenders Baby Death Storyline

[deemented]

Once again, no one can live happily ever after

Ronnie's baby James, dies and she puts his body in Kat and Alfies son's crib, and steals their baby boy, Tommy.

Why oh why oh why do scriptwriters insist on portraying bereaved parents - mothers especially - as mad and deranged??? Maybe it's because they can't begin to imagine how awful the death of a child is, but really, whilst we are mad with grief, it is our own child that we want back, not someone else's stolen child. When are scriptwriters ever going to understand that?

Still, it'll be a riveting watch, no doubt.

I'm put in mind of this, i really am...

"They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up for me."

Please forgive my clumsy mistake yesterday shabba and peterpansmum, all your heartbreaking sadness was on my mind that's why I mixed up Gregor and Mattys names, sorry it was dreadfully insensitive :( ladies you were all in my dreams last night (sorry I know that sounds wierd) but I went to sleep thinking of Shabba, Matty and Gareth and Caz and Belle and Dee and Peterpansmum and Gregor and all you ladies. Eastenders was no where near my thoughts just your posts and how very very kind ye have been to let us into your world and share your stories and helping us to be better people by helping us to know at least a little bit how we should be with anyone who has gone though the nightmare of a child dying :( thank you...

"If you don't understand why people are upset, diddl, then you obviously haven't read all of this thread, have you?"

And you haven´t read my post which says:"I do understand why people are angry/upset"

-right back atya!

Secret - dont worry I didn't even see it thank you for your kind words xx

Oh i'm ever so sorry, diddl - i do apologise. Late night/early morning/headache and i'm not seeing straight. I do apologise again. Sorry.

Not to worry

Will admit I haven´t read all the thread though

Secretwishes - no apology required - I could tell from your post that it was just a genuine mixup and not at all insensitive - thank you for your kind thoughts and genuine interest - the death of our children is the ultimate taboo in life and I guess the point is that any mum would love to talk about their children whether they are alive or dead.

I have had no choice but to learn how to deal with Gregor's death with Gregor's surviving brother at my side, he was 4.5 when he died and is now 6 - children are very straightforward with their approach to death and could teach adults a thing or two!! So many people told me DS1 was too young to understand what was going on but I disagreed at the time and now nearly two years on I would absolutely refute it with evidence - He totally gets it!

Deemented - That passage from Niemoller is an incredibly powerful one - thank you for adding it.

I have just had my breathe taken away again, googled "eastenders complaints" ended up at the bbc ee website..where there is a whole page of stuff about the lengths they went to in getting the actors to play bereaved parents. Now, they obviously thought that was a very good idea...but didn't even occur to them that the rest of the plot might raise a few eyebrows.

MEANWHILE, sorry, meanwhile, there is a long list of useful links - Sands, FSID etc etc.. topped off with a website re: PND.

I'm not watching ee, but is the implication that Ronnie has PND????? Can't see why else it would be on there...unless it just comes as part of the list of contacts for sad women who cry lots.

List urls as justification, here

Am not going to dig further, it's all just too much.

Well, The soaps have just been discussed on This Morning and Sharon Marshall said she saw the pre-cut version and said it was awful so thankfully they saw sense and cut the episodes.

Now, reports in the press and digital spy say the story is to conclude sometime in February but Sharon Marshall has just said that the producers want the story to run for a couple of years (as was mentioned earlier in the thread). They are bringing Michael Moon back into the show too (Tommy's read dad).

jackaroo

Your post just made me weep.

I made an online complaint at OFCOM this morning, hopefully if they get enough complaints it will get investigated then the storyline won't drag on as long as the BBC want it too. Not that I will be watching.

Can we do more? Can we do more than just complain?

Can we take it further? Does anyone know? I am sick of being phobbed off with the SIDS reply.

That is not our point here is it????

PotPourri - in answer to your question re my sister, it was bad news for me because she 'knew' it was the 1st year anniversary of the triplets dying.

We'd discussed it the week before.

I felt jealous, angry, hurt, guilty, lots of things. I should have been happy for her. But I wasn't.

Not watched EE since the janine & what's his name when they where on holiday in scotland or somewhere new years story a few years ago.

If people just turn off the tv, or change to another channel of which there are loads, then ee will have to change to get it's audience back. The story sounds just awful.

"If people just turn off the tv, or change to another channel of which there are loads,"

Well yes, as well as complaining, stop watching!

'Its bollocks and I am sick of it. I am sick of it being done badly, I am sick of my friends being distressed, I am sick of bereaved parents being portrayed as fucking lunatics.

Replace our children? FUCK RIGHT OFF.

But we do you know, and we do all kinds of other things according to lazy arse scriptwriters. Kidnapp is the favourite but we also beat other people up, become hermits, throw the ashes of our dead children over people we dont like, the list ogoes on and on.

The truth is this,

YOu wouldnt know us if you saw us in the street.
We are far more likely to bite our tounges at the stupid things people say to us even when they do deserve a smack
and most importantly (please listen if you work in the media) WE DONT WANT SOMEONE ELSES CHILD. WE WANT OURS BACK. Nothing else will do.
Not even having another of our own - we dont do that to replace our dead child either, it doesnt make it all ok'

Absolutely agree with you mrsdevere

When my first son died I didn't want anyone elses child! I wanted him. I have 3 more sons who are very precious to me, but they in no way replace him. Sadly those people who haven't suffered a loss of a child will never totally understnad.

Great post purplefish xx

I agree with NancyDrew but there is a ?nothing? that can be good as well, someone who just sits with you and holds you or makes you a cup of tea. A just being there and following your lead. But that?s more about early days I guess than on going, I say it though to help people who don?t know how to react.

I think if they?re implying Ronnie has PND it?s even more insulting! Not only do women who lose their children kidnap others, but now women with PND and why does a mother who is grieving for her lost baby have to have PND? Why can she just not simply be suffering from grief?

29 years ago my brother died of cot death. During that period of time there have been many docs and dramas covering the issue, which natuarlly re-open old wounds. ( never really healed). However i have never been as appalled as i am now with EE. Its not the cot death story line in its self ( we see cancer stories etc all the time ) but the baby swap which is totally unneccesary and sickening. I will not watch until this is over ( and unlike many on here i love EE). Perhaps a mumsnet e - protest to BBC can be arranged.

Love Ians big sister Sarahxxx

Motorhomer001 I too love EE, but not right at this very moment. I'm sorry to hear of your brother. I think you are right I think MN needs to protest to the BBC as a whole.

Do you think that maybe other forums are feeling the same as us?

I'm just not sure how to go about doing something more. What about a FaceBook page

Anyone have any suggestions?

It's terrible storyline and it's about time EE gave Ronnie a good time!! Why do they aways want to portray her as mad? She has had a tough life and all considered copes with it all very well!!!

I know I know, It's only a soap. I just hope people don't think this is how 'real' people act

So.... MNHQ you have seen our views, read about our experiences so what CAN you do about this? Can you contact BBC / EE senior staff / OFCOM about this???

Peterpansmum - have reported your post in the hope of bringing this to MNHQ's attention and perhaps getting some answers.

I think the olny way EE are going to realize how angry they have made people is if people refuse to view it. I for one won't be watching anymore. We need to get more people to boycott EE.

As somebody has already said Sharon Marshall the soap 'expert' said how good a storyline she thought it was and how the EE team want it to run for years. Wouldn't it be great she said, smirking away, if we the audience are 'in' on the secret.

I would've thought that This Morning would be more sympathetic given that they like to have a constant stream of sad stories for Phillip and Holly to fawn over.