HUNDREDS of furious Emmerdale viewers have complained to Ofcom as the ITV soap’s controversial Down’s Syndrome abortion storyline kicked off.
On Monday’s episode, Laurel and Jai were left devastated when a doctor told them their unborn child could have a chromosomal disorder after a scan showed irregularities with the foetus.
Laurel was quick to enquire about abortion, with the upsetting scenes sparking 265 official complaints to the TV watchdog.
The controversial storyline gathered significant backlash as soon as it was revealed, with groups and organisations supporting those with Down’s speaking out – as well as parents of children with the disorder.
More than 30,000 people signed a petition that demanded the plot was axed, but Emmerdale bosses have insisted that they won’t be doing this.
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.
He called the storyline “cliched”, highlighting that disability is still portrayed as a “death sentence”, even in 2020.
An ITV spokesperson previously told The Celeb Report: “Viewers who watch Emmerdale will know Rhona and Marlon have a much loved son, Leo.
