Emmerdale producers have been forced to defend an upcoming plotline in which a couple terminate their pregnancy after being told their baby has Down’s syndrome.
After announcing the storyline last week, ITV received criticism from many who accused the soap of adding to the stigma around the condition and perpetuating the idea that it is not worth living with Down’s syndrome.
The storyline will see Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy) and Jai Sharma (Chris Bisson) discover their unborn baby may have a chromosomal condition.
One character in Emmerdale already has Down’s syndrome – Rhona (Zoe Henry) and Marlon’s (Mark Charnock) nine-year-old son Leo, played by Harvey Rogerson.