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.

Not you, BTW, Digital Spy

There are some real charmers on there, they were having a go at Anne Diamond yesterday because her son died 20 years ago, plenty of time for her to stop going on about it and move on

Have namechanged temporarily btw, just realised my posting name is the same on here and DS.

I have to say some people are very hypocritical saying it is just a soap, get a life it is not worth it, if that is true why are you bothering to post about it. The people on this thread who have lost children think it is worth it and I can understand why they are posting but if you think it is not worth why are you wasting your time and effort posting to tell people it is not worth the effort.

Also people coming on and saying give it up if it upsets you use the off switch, well I dont know how you expect others to follow that advice when you yourself wont. This thread and campaign is bothering you so why dont you just use the off switch or better yet if beraeved mothers campainging upset you dont click on the thread and follow your own advice. But dont be hypocritical and tell others to follow a course you yourself are not.

Some people's replies and responses on this issue really do take the biscuit.

On the issue of Samantha Womack's resignation... if indeed it is true that she was originally contracted for longer and has resigned, then no doubt there will be clauses associated with that to protect the BBC in the case of an employee falling out with them. It's not unheard of. I very much doubt she would be realeased early from the contract without some sort of gagging clause comin into effect. She will, no doubt, also want to work as an actor again and the BBC is a big influential organisation to fall out publically with. No future employer would want to think that she's someone who might publically denounce them either. I would say it will be impossible to know the truth of her feelings on the matter from what is reported, no matter who publically denies what.

It's on ITV now.

Hi all :) I was over on the BBC Eastenders Facebook yesterday and sadly there were people on there too sayin they think its a good story to raise awareness especially for mental health issues :( there were also A LOT and I mean a lot more people who feel like us and are angry about it. I joined a group over on fb sorry I don't know how to do links and I don't even know if you can from a mobile but for anyone over on fb I just typed eastenders baby swap into the search and a group against it came up, there are thousands (!) of eastenders fan pages and I clicked on a few which like the BBC one (which has 1.7million fans) had a few people for but most comments against this awful swap... I also joined an "event" it was boycott eastenders baby swap funeral 11-1-11 let's see if they listen to a ratings drop (sorry if iv got the wording a bit muddled ) it had a few hundred people signed up but then the even organiser cancelled it today because she had being receiving abusive messages and I think they must have been awful cause she "sounded" really upset :( I think that's rotten isn't it? People can't even decide to not watch a tv program together as a group in protest of somethin they feel is wrong without getting hate mail! poor lady I hope she's alright now, fairplay to her for taking a stand. Speaking of which can I just applaud Justine and mnhq for standing up and demanding our voice heard too, well done! I was very proud to be a member of this community today :)

Me too! I feel honoured to have so many people share their lives with us/me.

BBC News 24 had Anne Diamond and Joyce Epstein on a little while ago, Anne spoke really well.

Sorry to keep popping up, they've just trailered(?) the piece on News 24 again, am assuming it will be on in about 10/15 mins or so if anyone wants to catch it.

Excellent point crawling

Maybe you can point it out to the idiot who started an offensive thread in AIBU stating that EE watchers must be thick

But then again, that is how the writers treat us!

Oh God, I saw that earlier in 'Active Convos' MsKLo

I am staying well away from that one. I'm causing enough trouble elsewhere by trying to educate the stupid- ignorant.

It does seem from the guardian article that EE are now reconsidering and may terminate this storyline sooner than they planned.

And for anyone who missed it on the thread, Justine posted this:

JustineMumsnet (MNHQ) Thu 06-Jan-11 20:57:00
Hi all,
The BBC's controller of drama, John York, has been in contact today promising a formal response shortly and to suggest a meeting to discuss the issues raised and the future direction of the cot-death storyline. Will keep you posted

Evening all, I've been away from comp for the day, have just caught up on everything and must agree I too am very proud to be a member of this community today and YEAH!!! Justine well done you. I am so very proud of all of us for making this stand and making our voices heard. The complaints are rising and some may say it's not going to get us anywhere but what are we meant to do, sit and do nothing because it's too hard, because it's only a few thousand of us? A few thousand of us, I think that's bloody brilliant and it's definitely making it a talking point at the moment. It's just such a shame that so many and the BBC included still seem to be missing the point being raised and are putting this all down to cot death.

I've made several complaints now and have also complained about getting a generic response and still have not received an individual response to this, I don't think I'll be getting one!

Well done, I have been so very touched by so many of you on this thread over the last few days.

I agree that this storyline was shocking and very sad and I had tears in my eyes when I watched it, but ultimately, it is just a soap and is just doing it's job. The fact that lots of people are talking about cot death must surely be a good thing??

I can't possibly imagine what it is like to loose a child, but thought that Samantha Womak and Jessie Wallace both portrayed it very well... the baby swap is obviously very extreme, but clearly wasn't premeditated and is down to the state of the character's mental health - given her back story and what a traumatic life she has had and how desperately she wanted a baby and a family I think that her actions were out of a split-second decision born out of complete desperation!!

I think we have to assume that the vast majority of the general public are sensible enough to recognise that this is a fictional drama and will not believe that all mothers suffering the devastating loss of a child will react in the way Ronnie did.

This story is nothing new - in the Bible you can find "The Judgement of Solomon" - the ultimate story of just how strong a mother's love is and what sacrifices she will make for her child!

It is a shame that people have reacted so badly to this storyline as it had the potential to raise some interesting dilemmas in the future and it is also a real shame that Samantha Womak has decided to leave the show as I thought she was an outstanding actress.

I still don't understand why people send in complaints - if you don't want to watch something then simply change the channel! I imagine this is just another "Jonathan Ross / Russell Brand" storm in a teacup, with people being offended and complaining just for the sake of it!!

Finally, I would just like to send my love and prayers to any parent that has lost their beautiful child, regardless of age or circumstance and though I can't begin to imagine their grief, I can only express my deepest condolences and truly believe that their angel is resting safely in heaven.

Have you read the thread, MummyZak?

People are talking about the baby swap, not the cot death. This stunt clearly hasn't been done to raise SIDS awareness. Cot death is sad enough, it doesn't need a twist.

Agreed fortunatehamster!

Wow, on the other thread we have infant death being compared to being a good cook and on this one to an abusive phone call...

Pass the wine.

Off to bed, big day tomorrow, huge meet with DS's community teams.

Be back PM if anyone replies to me, not ignoring you

I am so cross about the generic response I received.This was my reply :-
This reply has annoyed me possibly even more than the storyline itself, as there is still the assumption,that given her "emotional toll",Ronnie is then quite capable of taking another woman's child.In reality a woman in Ronnie's position would be far more likely to be unable to even look at another baby.Ever. I really wonder if you have any women writers on the team who have been through the loss of a child,even a miscarriage,as i find it hard to believe if so,that we would be having this sort of tosh peddled to us.EE has become more and more misogynistic as the years have gone by,and I am now old enough and experienced enough to see the damage that this sort of nonsensical presentation of womanhood does to all of us,men and women.Of course it is just a soap opera ,and as such is larger than life and often ridiculous.But this isn't "Dallas".When EE runs as you say "difficult issues" they do it with a certain virtuous "public service" type of presentation.They do it with helplines,and "support".That is why people take them seriously,and accept what they see. But its all lip service isn't it?Its all just good PR.When you can reply to me,and to women who have lost a child through cot death,which thank God so far I haven't ,with decency and thoughtfullness,then you might be able to hold your heads up,but this trite and silly reply is offensive.I won't go into here the impact that SIDS had on a member of my husband's family,but for that woman I am making a stand,and saying to you that you have made a grave mistake,and its about time someone from the BBC stood up and admitted as much ,and apologised properly,and with truth,for the pain that has been caused by this utterly offensive and poisonous storyline.

Go Hellymelly !

Have you seen the response to Justine on the other thread?

Night everyone x

Yes, FortunateHamster, I have read the thread - the point I was trying to make was that I think the storyline has been taken out of context and no-one is considering the character's history and what her mental state must have been at the time. Also, we have seen in all the episodes since the swap that she knows what a horrific thing she has done and how she is struggling to cope not only with the death of her own baby but now the horrible fact that she now has someone else's baby. It's not as though she is walking around as if nothing happened.

Having said that, perhaps the baby swap storyline did go one step too far and the writers misjudged this one, as a cot death storyline is most certainly tragic enough.

Oh, I just don't know.... I still can't help thinking it is only a soap after all?!??

They are talking about this on TalkSport radio as I type. They are asking for people who have complained about the storyline to call in and discuss the matter.

I don't have the number to hand but if anyone wants to talk to them you can Google "TalkSport radio" and get the number.

Just to prove even HCPs can be insensitive. This will make more sense to angel mummies than to most other people but I want to see if those who are "unbiased" really know the ins and outs of infant loss. Anyone supportive can ask me in PM if they wish.

Last obstetrician I saw didn't know what a tear drop is (she's young) and told me to talk to the midwife. OH ran off with my notes and took the children to the car. I spoke to MW and asked for a tear drop. She said no because she needed to see my notes! Who the heck would ask for a tear drop for the fun of it?!?!

And she knew what t was? What an idiot