Emmerdale: ITV soap defends Down’s syndrome storyline

Emmerdale producers have defended a forthcoming storyline which will see a couple terminate their pregnancy after being told their unborn child has Down’s syndrome.

The announcement of the storyline last week prompted a backlash from some viewers, who said the ITV soap was adding to stigma around the condition.

But series producer Laura Shaw has said the storyline had been well researched.

She also urged people to watch the scenes when they air later this year.

What is the storyline?

A forthcoming plotline will see Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy) and Jai Sharma (Chris Bisson) delighted when they unexpectedly fall pregnant.

But an early scan will show the pregnancy isn’t developing as expected and there is the possibility the baby has a chromosomal condition.

They decide to have a CVS (chorionic villus sampling) test, which is used to determine chromosomal or genetic disorders in a foetus. The result they receive tells them the baby has Down’s syndrome.

Laurel and Jai will then be seen agonising over what to do, before ultimately deciding to end the pregnancy.

Emmerdale already has one character with Down’s syndrome – Rhona and Marlon’s nine-year-old son Leo.

Who have Emmerdale worked with on the story?

The producers worked with Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) while the storyline was in development.

Its director, Jane Fisher, said: “Soaps in general tend to be keen on high drama, so I was a bit nervous about how it would be presented. But once I saw the script, all those anxieties went out the window, because it was clear from early stages that such a lot of thought and care had been put into getting this right. So our job as advisers was fairly straightforward.”

She added: “I think it’s really important that people can speak about this, not that they must, because for many people this is a very painful and private experience. And that’s fine, they may not want to talk about it openly. But thy need to know that they can, and at the moment many people feel reticent to talk about what’s happened to them because they fear judgement.”

Fisher said some parents who deal opt for an abortion “very sadly don’t feel they have permission to grieve for the baby they’ve lost, because they feel implicated in that loss”.

She acknowledged the contentious nature of the storyline, and said: “There are going to be people, however well this is portrayed, who are always going to have strong views. But I think the majority of people watching the episodes as written will have an insight into the reality, the complexity.”

The Down’s Syndrome Association have not been involved with the storyline, but have said in a statement: “The DSA can provide balanced and up-to-date information about Down’s syndrome for anyone in Laurel and Jai’s position.

“We would encourage anyone in this situation to contact our confidential helpline to talk with our trained staff for non-directive information and support.”