EMMERDALE viewers were left in tears tonight as Laurel and Jai after they were told their unborn baby has Down’s Syndrome.
The controversial storyline has sparked many emotions with hundreds of people complaining to broadcasting regulator Ofcom.
During tonight’s episode the couple were left devastated when a doctor confirmed their baby had chromosomal disorder Down’s syndrome.
The revelation caused viewers to get upset, with many taking to Twitter to share their despair and to point out the controversy around the current storyline.
One tweeted: “Having a baby with down syndrome isn’t a bad thing.”
“Terrible news for Jay and Laurel in the hospital,” added another.
While a third sobbed: “Having a child with Downs symdrome can be a good thing. People react differently. Laurel and Jai should not see this as a hindrance or a setback. They would be really great parents.”
On Monday’s episode when Laurel and Jai were first told their baby might have a chromosome disorder, the mum-to-be was quick to enquire about abortion.
The upsetting scenes sparked an initial 265 official complaints to the TV watchdog.
The storyline has already gathered significant backlash from Down’s groups and organisations as well as people with Down’s and their families.
More than 30,000 people have signed a petition demanding the storyline is axed, but bosses have insisted that won’t happen.
One mum, Rachel Mewes, slammed the soap as “disgusting” and “irresponsible” as she said it adds to the stigma her three-year-old daughter Betsy faces as a child with Down’s Syndrome.
She said: “Promoting abortion of babies with Down’s syndrome through this storyline is absolutely disgusting.
“It violates the human rights of people with the condition, and their families, who should not be expected to have to put up with such prejudice in mainstream media.
“It suggests that themselves or their child would be better off dead. TV shows are big influencers in our society and that comes with responsibility.”
Producers of the series said they consulted with “medical professionals, charities and parents with lived experience”, but Rachel is adamant this was directed at those who have terminated pregnancies and not families with the syndrome itself.
The soap also came under fire by disability campaigner Adam Pearson, who called the storyline “cliched”, highlighting that disability is still portrayed as a “death sentence”, even in 2020.
