11 replies to this topic

[Charlotte]

SAMANTHA Womack has revealed she went through agony filming the EastEnders cot death tragedy, saying: "It's been the most horrific four weeks of my life."
Fans will see her grief-stricken character Ronnie Branning find her newborn son James lifeless next week.

She will then secretly swap his body for Kat Moon's baby Tommy.

Mum-of-two Samantha, 38, said she has been haunted by the harrowing storyline for Ronnie, who has already lost her daughter Danielle and suffered a miscarriage.

She said: "I couldn't stop crying when we were filming the scenes where Ronnie finds her dead baby.

"I couldn't switch off when I returned home each day.

"What Ronnie has been through is such a crushingly awful thing to even pretend might happen to you. I actually felt ill having to portray it. We used an expensive silicone doll, and it was so lifelike it upset a lot of people on set. We had to stop and take a break because it was too much."

Sam admits she is worried how viewers will react to the grim storyline, which will be shown over New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Describing the moment when Ronnie finds James dead, Sam said: "Ronnie desperately tries to warm him up.

"Then she staggers into the Square with him in her arms and bangs on her mum Glenda's door.

"Ronnie is totally rambling, so a lot of what you'll see on screen wasn't scripted. What really got to the other cast and crew was that Ronnie arrives at Glenda's flat and shouts, 'Mummy!'

"She's like a child as she tries to reach out to the mother who rejected her. She is raw, stripped of everything."

Talking about the shocking baby swap, Sam added: "The abduction comes from a place of complete confusion. She hears Tommy crying and can't separate truth from fiction."

Sam told Inside Soap magazine, out today: "I love EastEnders and the fans enjoy it because it's hardcore and bleak at times. But I also worry because this is such a traumatic storyline.

"New Year can be a difficult time for some people, so I really hope this is taken in the spirit in which it's intended - which is about producing dramatic television. I've watched the episode where James dies and it really is very powerful, with strong performances from everyone. Producers are happy with it - I just hope it doesn't upset viewers."

Sam said she doesn't know how Ronnie can ever recover emotionally.

She explained: "Ronnie is the most damaged character I've ever played - she never gets a break, does she? I have no idea what direction she'll be going in after this storyline is over."

Sam, who wed fellow actor Mark Womack last year, wasn't the only member of the cast affected by the plot. Shane Richie, who plays Alfie, said his wife Christie had to stop him repeatedly going to check on their daughter Lolita, two.

Dad-of-four Shane, 46, said: "Christie had to tell me to leave Lolita alone. She said, 'You keep going in to see her'. And she was right.

"I found myself prodding her to make sure she was all right. In all my years of playing Alfie, I've never brought my work home with me - but now I have."

TV Biz told yesterday how EastEnders boss Bryan Kirkwood had defended the cot death storyline.

He said: "We took great pains to make sure the rest of the episode showed a community with a lot of love.

"We see friendships, fun and festivities - and hope these counter the inevitable darkness of this story."

http://www.thesun.co...death-plot.html

I get the impression from this Sam is trying to say:

'please don't kick off the way you did after Danielle's death'

anyone else?

I hope her words are listened to however speaking of the 'Danielle's' they seem to have vanished into thin air which makes me wonder if they were ever fans of the show in the first place. I still can't believe the fuss that generated. While its great they were so involved they did go so OTT. I hope the same isn't going to happen here as it will take some of the focus off the amazing material on screen.

[Dan]

Danielle's death was very "soapy" for want of a better word. This has to be as un-soapy as possible. This has to be like Hassan Osman's death or, to use a more recent example, Billie's death. This storyline can't go wrong, they have no room for error. If it does, they will anger and upset so many people.

I think Sam knows that this storyline will strike a chord in people far more than Danielle did.

[Charlotte]

Danielle's death was very "soapy" for want of a better word. This has to be as un-soapy as possible. This has to be like Hassan Osman's death or, to use a more recent example, Billie's death. This storyline can't go wrong, they have no room for error. If it does, they will anger and upset so many people.

I think Sam knows that this storyline will strike a chord in people far more than Danielle did.

I think child death in general is controversal because of the subject matter but the death of a baby really upsets everyone. The reviews have been amazing so they seem to have won critics over even if one or two of them are using the storyline as a way of having a pop at the BBC. People will complain regardless. The BBC will probably warn before the episode airs but we have seen such graphic scenes on Holby City, Casualty and so on all before the watershed as well. The problem thesedays is the stupid snowball effect that the Daily Mail will no doubt jump on instantly. I don't think anyone at EE wants press distracting from events on screen.

[Dan]

True but the Daily Wail wouldn't be the Daily Wail if it didn't wail about something!

If people can complain about Connor's "skinny white boy" line, they'll probably complain about this. But my main concern with this story is that the swap may end up being sensationalist. I'm having a nasty vision of an advert with the EE drum beats and a tense narrator's voice saying "when will Kat find out?" and going that angle on such a real, heartbreaking and tragic topic would be totally wrong. If it turns into a "how long will Ronnie get away with it for?" story, it would be really poor form. This has to be gritty and against the grain.

[Ronbbot]

Having heard from people that attended the screening of teh episodes I am much more postive and upbeat about the episodes (although I still hate the idea LOL!).

They also said that the acting from Sam and Shane is fantastic.

Edited by Ronbbot, 23 December 2010 - 12:23 PM.

[TellyAddict]

"I really hope this is taken in the spirit in which it's intended - which is about producing dramatic television"

I think this is the quote that stuck out at me the most in that interview, and I think this is the best thing I've heard about the story. It's going to be harrowing to watch but at the end of the day it IS only television, and if it can evoke such a strong reaction from its audience then I'd say it has done what it set out to do. It's no different to pieces of TV drama which are either based on or draw inspiration from traumatic events in real life - the only reason I feel that EastEnders draws the complaints is because it's EastEnders and the BBC, and according to the Daily Fail none of us are meant to like the BBC.

I've seen claims around the web that it's nothing but a cheap sensationalist attempt at grabbing ratings, and I don't agree with that view at all. Was baby Hassan's death back in 1985 a cheap grab at ratings? What about Trevor traumatising Little Mo on Christmas Day? Or the raid on the Vic, or the Tony/Whitney story - I really could go on. EastEnders has a reputation for tackling these issues with the utmost sensitivity and I'm sure they'll get it spot on with these episodes. If they wanted to grab the ratings with a cheap sensationalist plot at New Year they could've blown up every building in Walford whilst Jack Branning tells every blonde in the Square that he may be the father of their unborn baby.

For me it's where they take the storyline after New Year and the funeral that will matter, and how long they plan on spreading the storyline out for. One problem that dampened a lot of Santer's long-running arcs is you would have the event, and then months of going round in circles until another event, then a few more months of going round in circles until the big reveal. With a story like this I think Kirkwood and the storyliners need to be very careful, but the praise for the New Year episodes is very promising for this storyline and I'm sure it will make for absolutely compelling viewing.

Great interview with Sam, and thanks for posting it Charlotte.

Edited by TellyAddict, 23 December 2010 - 01:54 PM.

[Ronbbot]

well Sam says "worst 4 weeks" so presumely this storyine only lasts a month (plus aftermath I guess which will be longer).

[dannigold]

Bryan has confirmed this will be a long running story.

http://holysoap.five...grim-plot-11453

[Dan]

I don't know if he means long-running in the sense that Kat not knowing the baby is swapped is going to last for a long time or if he means long-running in the sense that the effects on Ronnie will be felt for so long.

Either way, they're in severe danger of overplaying this "tragic heroine" thing, turning Ronnie into a stock character and hastening her possible exit from the show. Next to Lacey, she is the most popular character and actress they have so that won't be good.

[Will Slater-Mitchell]

As Sam said herself, where do they send Ronnie after this storyline ends months, a year or so later down the line.

I can honestly see Ronnie leaving the show, it would be impossible for her to remain in Walford across from Kat and Alfie after everything comes out.

We'll just have to wait and see I suppose. I am looking forward to this story.

[Charlotte]

I don't think she has to leave. She would need to be written out for a while but if she is sectioned they can cover it this way. Then her return could prove just as interesting. How would everyone in Walford cope with a child snatcher on the loose?, how will Kat react?, will Ronnie get forgiveness? I think there are loads of options but yes a period off screen needs to happen first.

[Chui]

maybe Jack and Ronnie take the baby to Dubai for 6months/1 year...... that way Ronnie isn't given the constant reminder that her child is 6feet under and the boy she is caring for, isn't actually hers!

Cannot see it happening any other way in all honesty!!!

Maybe this new rumour of a long-lost son of Alfies coming onto the show, will take Kat and Alfie's mind off this particular tragic period of their lives.....