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.

FSID have made it even clearer what they think of the storyline. While the BBC continue to imply that they have the experts backing....

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Joyce Epstein, director of the Foundation For The Study Of Infant Deaths (FSID) told MailOnline that the scriptwriters had gone too far.
Mrs Epstein said: 'We think cot death is dramatic enough. We think it's the most unimaginably awful thing that can happen to a parent that you have an apparently healthy baby die for no reason. We think that's pretty dramatic.'

What an excellent comment by Joyce Epstein.

Good for her for sticking her neck out a bit, and not just saying that the story-line had nothing to do with them.

Just what FSID should be doing !

Samantha Womack has quit her role this morning.

"Samantha Womack has quit her role this morning"

But not before filming the ridiculous baby swap storyline.

Wonder how much is still to be screened that she has already filmed?

Give her some credit though. She's an employee and was under contract - she probably didn't have a choice in the matter.

To be fair to her acting is her job - and as any otehr job she will abe subject to a contract plus she is a Motehr herself - and has a family to support. You cant just walk out of a job based on principles, particualrly in this day and age, new acting jobs are not ten a penny either. Good luck to her.

Anne Diamond making good points on Fivelive phone in re: bad portrayal of bereaved mothers.

Joyce Epstein on 5live when asked about the storyline says 'it's soapland.'

swallowed a fly -they may yet resort to that ending for her character given that she's leaving in May (reportedly -though not sure if that's filming finishing or screen departure). I don't think they should, it would just make it more harrowing and get yet more complaints. They can't undo this and it's v v hard to see where they can salvage any good from this. It's too late to get the babies swapped back before the funeral already, and it's obviously going to take some weeks at least, if not months.

I sais Sam was against this. Good on her for going public. How stupid they were not to listen to her .

According to the Daily Mail ( so not the Gospel I realise) she quit when given the original script in November but was contracted to continue till May. It reads as if this story was the catalyst to her handing in her resignation.

no, samantha Womack has not quit her role this morning - she quit even before the storyline was filmed as she is going into film.

Nicky campbell tried to turn this to the bbc's advantage by saying that "well if this controvercial story hadn't been aired then maybe we wouldn't have had this phone in and maybe the advice given about sids will have saved a baby's life."

I read that too that she quit as soon as she read the script and that she quit because as a mother first and actress second she disagreed with it. Such a shame they made her character into such a sad and pathetic figure - they could have done so much with her role and dealt with the abuse she had as a child and the cit death in such a helpful way and shown a character who could emerge strong but instead they made her into a mad baby kidnapper

I really hope people start boycotting EE and that this storyline has ramifications for them

I'm glad she quit assuming it's true. As people have said, she'll be under a 6 month notice period.

Good on her.

I wondered how she had been feeling about the publicity, ever pap shot of her recently she looks really down.

I'd like to think she quit on principle but if she has a filming role to do I guess it's more about contractual clashes than principle.

But I can hope....it would be great if she spoke out.

BBC Execs sticking to the 'it's just a soap' line just demonstrate how ignorant and ill-educated they are. People who write this stuff are not rocket scientists, and there is no backlash to them for the outcome so they can feel free to do what they like. Wouldn't it be great if our broadcasting laws actually had teeth to bite them on the bum so they don't think they can get away with anything.

here's what the BBC have released

Mumsnet gets a mention! Go Justine

Here is the answer I received to a complaint this morning

Thanks for contacting us.

We?re sorry if you?ve been offended or upset by the current storyline in EastEnders. The high volume of complaints we received about this reiterate the same points and so a generic response was deemed the most effective way to respond on this occasion. We have however, approached the production team for a response to the concerns raised and they?ve supplied us with the following statement:

We appreciate this is a particularly emotive storyline and as with all such sensitive subject matters, we approached it with great care and attention, seeking guidance and advice from a number of experts in this field in order to ensure as realistic a portrayal as possible.

EastEnders has a long history of exploring difficult issues, and the storyline regarding Ronnie and Kat follows in this tradition.

We acknowledge that for some members of the audience this storyline will have particular resonance and significance, however we can assure viewers that it?s not our intention to cause distress or upset, and we have ensured that key episodes are supported by the BBC Action Line in order for those affected by the storyline to be able to obtain information regarding sources of further help and advice.

It?s important to note there is absolutely no inference that Ronnie's actions are in any way typical of a bereaved mother of a newborn baby. In her grief and desperation at the discovery that her much longed for baby has passed away, and finding herself in the exceptional circumstance of being alone with her neighbour's newborn son, Ronnie acted on impulse in the heat of the moment, without really knowing what she was doing, or considering the consequences or repercussions. On a wider sense, we were careful to select Ronnie, who we felt was the only character capable of acting in this way in a believable manner, following all the difficulties she?s experienced in her life and the emotional toll this has put on her.

Over the coming weeks, we will see Ronnie and Kat each coming to terms with the loss of their babies, and explore how they re-build their lives in the wake of such tragedy. Viewers will see the situation resolve itself over the coming months.

We were careful to signal the nature of the content of the episodes to the audience in advance through publicity, programme billings, and continuity announcements.

Thanks again for contacting us.
Kind Regards
BBC Audience Services

Don't you just love the feeling of the shit hitting the fan... Shame it had to come to all this fuss though.

"Allows an exit for Ronnie Branning"

Sailing off into the sunset with a smile and a cheeky wink? Doubtful.

Suicide
Prison
Psych ward
Forcible exile and hated by the entire square.

She is a deranged baby snatcher after all. What exit options are there.

Back to the argument her life has been a tragedy, she is a damaged woman so it. cant. end. well.

My thoughts exactly Foofy

Crock of shite.

gregssausageroll glad you got a response (albeit generic) I complained also and am still waiting for a response! I have read there were over 3500 complaints although if they are just churning out a standard copy and paste email then they are not exactly showing any form of sincerity so perhaps better I don't receieve their letter!

'Since the storyline was announced, 5,826 viewers have complained to the BBC about the New Year's storyline, which saw Ronnie take Kat's baby.'

From the BBC news website

And yet the viewing figures are up? I don't watch EE myself, but I have a feeling that until people vote with their remotes, it won't actually change that much?

My 11 year old daughter is asking me how do I know she wasn't swopped at birth!!!