# UK Soap and Drama Discussion > EastEnders > Spoilers >  Baby swap and infant death at christmas

## sean slater

Just read on Digital Spy that Kat and Ronnie are going to have their babies mixed up at the hospital and take the wrong baby home!! how random is that?! I dont like that at all. It would be so weird. I also read that Kat is going to name her baby Charlie after her dad, who is supposed to die! I think that's probably true because I remember Kat wanting to call the baby Charlie when she was having a baby with Anthony and had a miscarriage.

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Dazzle (10-10-2010), lizann (18-10-2010), tammyy2j (11-10-2010)

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## Dazzle

That could certainly explain the upcoming dramatic storyline which will be ongoing for a couple of years that Shane Richie has talked about!

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matt1378 (06-11-2010)

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## sean slater

Well it says that apparently, Ronnie has a big upcoming Christmas storyline and then there's Kat and Alfie's big storyline! The thing is though, it feels really long to drag out something, when the audience all know about it! I think it would get kinda annoying.

But Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie are amazing! So I think they would pull it off.

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## Perdita

not very predictable at all, was it

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## moonstorm

Don't really fancy this story line  :Sad:

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## sean slater

I don't know, it could be good. Maybe they would start to think they may have the wrong baby because they can't bond with it properly. Also Ronnie is very athletic and Kat most likely drank at least part of her pregnancy. They are very different people who would probably produce very different babies.

But maybe they'll turn the tables on that, like Ronnie's baby gets sickly and dies and then Kat's baby is still with Ronnie. Cos Kat's baby may be a little bit damaged but its also very strong!

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## tammyy2j

Isnt it about time Ronnie's pregnancy was shown she dont look very pregnant while Kat does

Anyways one of the babies probably dies like the Emmerdale storyline and then the truth comes out

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## sean slater

I havent seen Ronnie for agess. Most likely the next time we see her she will look about 8 months pregnant! lol.

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## alan45

Spoiler:    EastEnders is reportedly planning a storyline involving the tragic death of a newborn baby in the New Year.

The Daily Star Sunday claims that producers are refusing to reveal whether the plot will involve Kat Moon or Ronnie Mitchell.

A source said: "The baby will be born in the New Year but will sadly die from a rare condition just a few days later. It's going to be heartbreaking. The doctors aren't able to do anything to save the tiny baby and there will be a lot of unanswered questions surrounding his death."

Ann Chalmers, chief executive of Child Bereavement, said: "The death of a child is a particularly difficult and painful kind of loss. Anyone who suffers such a loss will need the appropriate support, which I hope EastEnders will show."

A spokeswoman for the soap added: "Everyone knows Kat and Ronnie are both pregnant so it doesn't take much to work out when they may both be due. But it is way too early to confirm storylines as it will only spoil things for viewers."

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Dazzle (17-10-2010), moonstorm (17-10-2010)

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## Dazzle

If this is true, it's going to be very sad  :Sad: .   I don't want either baby to die, but it would be most unfair on Ronnie, who's already lost a child.

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## Chloe O'brien

I think it will be Kat and Alfie who suffer the loss.

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## tammyy2j

> Isnt it about time Ronnie's pregnancy was shown she dont look very pregnant while Kat does
> 
> Anyways one of the babies probably dies like the Emmerdale storyline and then the truth comes out


EastEnders is reportedly planning a storyline involving the tragic death of a newborn baby in the New Year.

The Daily Star Sunday claims that producers are refusing to reveal whether the plot will involve Kat Moon or Ronnie Mitchell.

A source said: "The baby will be born in the New Year but will sadly die from a rare condition just a few days later. It's going to be heartbreaking. The doctors aren't able to do anything to save the tiny baby and there will be a lot of unanswered questions surrounding his death."

Ann Chalmers, chief executive of Child Bereavement, said: "The death of a child is a particularly difficult and painful kind of loss. Anyone who suffers such a loss will need the appropriate support, which I hope EastEnders will show."

A spokeswoman for the soap added: "Everyone knows Kat and Ronnie are both pregnant so it doesn't take much to work out when they may both be due. But it is way too early to confirm storylines as it will only spoil things for viewers."

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lizann (18-10-2010)

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## Ruffed_lemur

> Isnt it about time Ronnie's pregnancy was shown she dont look very pregnant while Kat does
> 
> Anyways one of the babies probably dies like the Emmerdale storyline and then the truth comes out


Hope they don't copy the Emmerdale story.  Having one of the babies die is bad enough.  :Sad:

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## moonstorm

Hope it's not Rommie, i think she has been through enough baby wise.

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## lizann

If Ronnie loses another baby that would push her completely over the edge

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## Siobhan

Is it definitely a new born??? cause I read this on another thread: EastEnders' executive producer Bryan Kirkwood has revealed that Stacey Slater will take centre stage in this year's Christmas storyline.
Could it be Lily??

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## lizann

> Is it definitely a new born??? cause I read this on another thread: EastEnders' executive producer Bryan Kirkwood has revealed that Stacey Slater will take centre stage in this year's Christmas storyline.
> Could it be Lily??


I think this is her exit storyline as her secret about killing Archie comes out and she is leaving soon enough (will she go to jail or escape)

I dont think it is Lily who dies

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## moonstorm

"The baby will be born in the New Year but will sadly die from a rare condition just a few days later.

No it's not Lily.

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## Siobhan

> "The baby will be born in the New Year but will sadly die from a rare condition just a few days later.
> 
> No it's not Lily.


ah ok... poor Ronnie or Kat

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## sean slater

The exit pictures for Stacey are already in the magazines, we see her leave Ryan and she's pushing a pram. 

Yeh I think it's going to be baby swap, but one baby dies. I feel really bad for Kat and Alfie if that happens to them. Cos Kat will most likely blame herself, she's already had two babies taken off her. Zoe and she had a miscarriage a few years ago. Yeah and then there's Ronnie who has basically gone through the exact same thing. So both of them have probably suffered the same really. It's just Ronnie cries more about it! lol.

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## sean slater

Also Ronnie's baby must be a boy  :Smile:  cos the baby that dies is a boy and Kat's baby is a boy, therefore if they are going to do a swap. Well its obvious lol. cool!

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## lizann

Could it also be maybe Syed's wife Amira wouldnt her baby be due around now also if she comes back but I dont think she is

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## moonstorm

Eastenders will have its most harrowing holiday period ever when Ronnie Mitchell steals Kat Moon's baby moments after her child dies.

In some of the most emotional scenes in soap history, Ronnie will lose her tot to cot death and run to the Queen Vic for help - still clutching and talking to the body.

As everyone else celebrates New Year's Eve, she hears Kat's newborn cry upstairs, switches it with hers and runs off.

Exec producer Bryan Kirkwood said: "When Ronnie loses the one thing she's always wanted she acts on impulse in a moment of sheer desperation."

Filming of the scenes began this week with Jessie Wallace, 39, and Samantha Womack, 38, as Kat and Ronnie.


 Kirkwood said: "We're lucky to have two wonderful actresses who understand the need to portray this subject sensitively."

A show source said: "It will not make for easy viewing, but the makers wanted to work on this subject."

Bosses say they have taken care to research the issue and hope to raise awareness of the 300 babies claimed by cot death every year.

Joyce Epstein of cot death charity FSID said: "We are very grateful for their accurate depiction of the devastating effect the sudden death of an infant can have on a family.

The other Christmas story is the exit of Stacey Branning, played by Lacey Turner.



Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/tv/20...#ixzz153WOmN4w 
Go Camping for 95p! Vouchers collectable in the Daily and Sunday Mirror until 11th August . Click here for more information

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alan45 (12-11-2010), lizann (12-11-2010), tammyy2j (12-11-2010)

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## tammyy2j

Oh god that sounds awful

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## Joanne

It does sound awful and also unbelievable. Presumably the babies are at least a day old as they are both at home? A mother would know instinctively if it wasn't her baby so I don't see how Kat wont notice unless of course her and Ronnie have managed to have identical twins between them. Plus Ronnie will have to swap the clothes they're wearing around etc.

I know alot of people say all babies look the same but they so don't when it's yours!

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.:SpIcYsPy:. (14-11-2010), Debs (18-11-2010), lizann (12-11-2010), moonstorm (12-11-2010), Siobhan (12-11-2010), tammyy2j (12-11-2010)

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## lizann

I am surprised Ronnie hasnt tried to kill herself with all the tragedy she has 

As said in the post above surely a mother knows their own baby

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## sean slater

Oh my god! thats even more dramatic than what I thought. Ronnie actually knows that the baby isnt hers! And she's sees Kat go through all that pain.

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## sean slater

Also so much for happiness for Ronnie?! There was a spoiler put on here a while ago that said Ronnie would have some happiness for a while cos that's what the viewers want. Havent seen much of it so far. Ronnie has no money to pay for the wedding! Her baby is going to die, that sounds like an extremely awful year to me.

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## moonstorm

EastEnders - New Year Story



EastEnders' Ronnie Mitchell will steal Kat Moon's baby in a harrowing New Year's Eve storyline.

The nightclub owner -played by Samantha Womack - storms into the Queen Vic pub crying for help just minutes after realising she has lost her tot to cot death.

However, as she stands at the bar clutching her dead baby's body among the punters celebrating the countdown to 2011 she hears new mum Kat (Jessie Wallace)'s newborn cry upstairs.

In one of the soap's most heart-wrenching scenes, Ronnie rushes to the bedroom and swaps the babies before fleeing into the night.

Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood explained: "Viewers will know that Ronnie has had a difficult past, losing both her daughter and father in the last couple of years When Ronnie loses the one thing she's always wanted she acts on impulse in a moment of sheer desperation.

"We're lucky to have two wonderful actresses who understand the need to portray this subject sensitively."

BBC bosses are hoping the devastating storyline will raise awareness of the 300 babies whose lives are claimed by cot death every year.

Joyce Epstein, of cot death charity FSID, said: "We are very grateful for their accurate depiction of the devastating effect the sudden death of an infant can have on a family."

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## Perdita

EASTENDERS stars are being offered counselling after breaking down in tears while filming Ronnie Mitchell's harrowing cot death storyline.
The plot sees tragic Ronnie run to the Queen Vic with the body of her longed-for baby and swap it for Kat Moon's child.
Filming had to be halted as both cast and crew were overcome with emotion at Elstree Studios, in Herts.
A source said: "Most of the crew have never shot anything quite so sensitive.
"Filming stopped for over an hour as people found it hard to continue without breaking down. It will certainly be very strong viewing."
TV Biz told last week how the New Year's Day plot will be the latest heartbreak for Ronnie.
Her long-lost teenage daughter Danielle died in her arms last year after being hit by a car.
Fans will see Ronnie, played by Samantha Womack wrap up her lifeless baby and rush to seek help at the pub, where a New Year's Eve party is under way.
She hears Kat's tot crying upstairs and in her grief switches it with hers, before disappearing into the night.
The story is part of the soap's festive ratings bid, which also sees the exit of Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).
Last New Year's Eve, Archie Mitchell's murder mystery helped grab 8.2million viewers.


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz15nlQN33A

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## sean slater

It's crazy how it was a year ago that Archie died and Bradley! Time has flown by.
I hope Stacey gets away with killing Archie and gets to leave happily with her baby. 
Loving the Ronnie and Kat storyline, I didn't think i'd like it, but I'm warming to it definitely. They are all fabulous actors.

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## randomxx

I don't like this storyline at all. Why do they have to switch the babies? I just find it really unbelievable and it reminds me of the Emmerdale storyline. If they were going to tackle SIDS they should do it more justice than this there is no need to switch the babies.

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## lizann

> I don't like this storyline at all. Why do they have to switch the babies? I just find it really unbelievable and it reminds me of the Emmerdale storyline. If they were going to tackle SIDS they should do it more justice than this there is no need to switch the babies.


Surely Kat will know the dead baby is not her son and does Ronnie leave the Sqaure with the baby or return to Jack with Kat's son?

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## randomxx

Yeah I reckon she will know its just the whole swapping thing that bothers me. if she actually went in to the Vic screaming for help I think that would be much better and more realistic x

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## lizann

> Yeah I reckon she will know its just the whole swapping thing that bothers me. if she actually went in to the Vic screaming for help I think that would be much better and more realistic x


Why go to the Vic surely she would ring 999 or go straight to the hospital

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Joanne (24-11-2010)

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## Perdita

This is soapland, so I would expect her to go to the Vic. And even in real life, everybody reacts differently when in shock and a new mum might just run to the nearest place where she expects to find members of the family or just anybody.

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## alan45

THE SUN 20th November




> EASTENDERS stars are being offered counselling after breaking down in tears while filming Ronnie Mitchell's harrowing cot death storyline.
> The plot sees tragic Ronnie run to the Queen Vic with the body of her longed-for baby and swap it for Kat Moon's child.
> Filming had to be halted as both cast and crew were overcome with emotion at Elstree Studios, in Herts.
> A source said: "Most of the crew have never shot anything quite so sensitive.
> "Filming stopped for over an hour as people found it hard to continue without breaking down. It will certainly be very strong viewing."
> TV Biz told last week how the New Year's Day plot will be the latest heartbreak for Ronnie.



THE SUN 25th November
JESSIE Wallace and Samantha Womack clown about to lighten their mood during a break in filming tragic EastEnders funeral scenes.
Jessie (Kat Moon) is seen burying a baby she believes is hers.
However, the dead infant is the child of Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha).





Glad to see that their ''grief'' didnt last too long. Obviously the counsellling worked wonders in a short space of time

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## Perdita

The article stated that the actors were OFFERED counselling, you don't know whether any of the professional actors accepted the offer, maybe the filming was stopped because the crew found it too difficult to cope with the storyline.

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## alan45

> Filming had to be halted as* both cast and crew were overcome with emotion* at Elstree Studios, in Herts.
> 
> ]





> The article stated that the actors were OFFERED counselling, you don't know whether any of the professional actors accepted the offer, maybe the filming was stopped because the crew found it too difficult to cope with the storyline.


it seems that it was actually BOTH CAST and crew who were supposedly overcome by emotion but obviousy the three PROFESSIONAL actors who were central to the storyline were able to cope by having a laugh. Obviously they didn't need to be OFFERED counselling

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## Perdita

Everybody deals with emotional stuff differently. It is well known that people employed in emergency services and the Forces have a very dark sense of humour which helps them deal with real traumatic stuff. The three actors pictured have had plenty of serious storylines in their time with the show, they might not have needed the counselling but other less experienced actors and crew involved in these scenes might have.

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## alan45

I am probably better qualified than anyone else on here on the subject of death and especially neo-natal death as well as dealing with the aftermath.  

At the end of the day I was just reporting what was in the papers about these actors and how they were supposedly dealing with a sensitive storyline.

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## tammyy2j

> I am probably better qualified than anyone else on here on the subject of death and especially neo-natal death as well as dealing with the aftermath.  
> 
> At the end of the day I was just reporting what was in the papers about these actors and how they were supposedly dealing with a sensitive storyline.


I am sorry to hear that Alan it is such a hard subject to tackle but I remember Emmerdale also did this storyline and it was acted very well particularly Laurel

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alan45 (25-11-2010)

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## alan45

qed

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## alan45

BBC
EastEnders producers have decided to alter some scenes in their harrowing cot death storyline to avoid upsetting viewers.

The show's dramatic New Year plot will revolve around Ronnie Branning and Kat Moon giving birth, only for Ronnie's baby to tragically die when he is just a day old - driving her to swap her son with Kat's baby.

EastEnders' executive producer Brian Kirkwood told PA: "We're very aware of the need to deal with such an emotive subject matter as sudden infant death syndrome sensitively in what is a very powerful, dramatic storyline."

One scene which has been specifically subject to "small edits" is a shot of Ronnie, played by Samantha Womack, touching the hand of her dead son.

The audio has also been altered when the distraught mother, who is holding the lifeless body of her baby, hears the sound of Kat's infant crying as she stands in the square.

Further changes have been made to a scene where Kat (Jessie Wallace) is discovered in bed by husband Alfie (Shane Richie) after having haemorrhaged.

Kirkwood commented of the moves: "These are small edits which we have made being mindful of viewer sensitivity but which will in no way detract from the compelling drama, dialogue or performances."

A source at the show added: "We didn't want one scene to overshadow a really powerful story."

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## alan45

Eastenders star Neil McDermott has revealed that he will not be watching the soap's New Year cot death storyline, as it is due to coincide with the birth of his own child. 

The 30-year-old actor - whose character Ryan Malloy was central to the Christmas Day episode that saw Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) flee Albert Square - stated that he simply wouldn't be able to watch the tragic plot while waiting to become a father. 

He told the News of the World: "My family always watches EastEnders at Christmas, it's a family tradition, so I am very proud to be involved in it - and so are they. 

"But I won't be watching, considering my baby is due on New Year's Day and the baby storyline goes out on New Year's Eve. I don't think my wife would be too keen to be watching over this period."

He added: "I've been told it has been done very well and with a lot of care and attention to detail. So I'm sure they'll have done a fantastic job and it will be done sensitively."

McDermott also joked that the lengths Ryan has gone to in order to protect his daughter Lily served as a good indicator of the devotion that he would lavish on his own child. 

"Ryan's had to save his child from a car that was driven into a railway track and from a fire, so if I ever find myself in either of those situations then I guess I'll know what to do.

"I can tell I will be wrapped around its little finger, just like Ryan, because being a dad made him become more responsible. My job is mirroring life - they say that happens with soaps."

McDermott first discovered that his wife Michelle was expecting while filming the birth of his on-screen daughter.

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## Chris_2k11

I reckon this storyline will be massive next year, especially considering it has two of the shows best actresses at the forefront of it

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## lizann

Surely once it is revealed it will mean the end for Ronnie i.e. jail or the nuthouse 

I just hope this storyline dont go on all year with the big reveal next Xmas

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## parkerman

There was a hint in the Daily Mirror today that the two babies are mixed up at birth, so when Ronnie snatches Kat's baby, it is actually Ronnie's baby...

What a twist that would be.

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## alan45

> There was a hint in the Daily Mirror today that the two babies are mixed up at birth, so when Ronnie snatches Kat's baby, it is actually Ronnie's baby...
> 
> What a twist that would be.


Mmmmmm now what famous soap set in Yorkshire had a similar storyline

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## lizann

Is Kat's baby overdue because Ronnie said tonight she wasnt due for a while whereas Kat is acting like she is overdue

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## alan45

MOTHERS have blasted EastEnders chiefs over a "hurtful" New Year cot death storyline.
Viewers will see Ronnie Branning find newborn son James' body, then SWAP it for Kat Moon's tot Tommy.

Samantha Womack, 38, who plays Ronnie, admits she has found it traumatic working on the pre-publicised scenes on the BBC1 soap.

But furious mums who have lost babies to cot death - known as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - say the plot is "ridiculous".

Ailsa Hichens, 38, who lost her nine-month-old daughter Martha last New Year's Eve, said: "This 'twist' is ludicrous - and hurtful.

"People who watch it could look at mothers who have lost a child and think that they would snatch their baby. It's distressing."

Facebook groups have been set up to protest at the storyline.

On one, Julie Ann Harris says it will "undoubtedly upset parents and families who have suffered this loss".

EastEnders bosses decided to cut some traumatic scenes after a preview screening of the New Year's Eve and New Year's Day episodes.

They have also toned down Kat's baby's cries, which attract Ronnie's attention as she holds her son's body.


An EastEnders insider said: "Bosses are keen to assure viewers that they're not portraying Ronnie's behaviour as typical of bereaved mothers.

"Regular viewers know she's lost two children before this tragedy with James. She acts in a state of grief and shock."

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## Dutchgirl

I know I'll cry. It will be hurtful but knowing EE they will handle things with care.They never shy away from dramatic turns. If you cannot handle it you shouldn't watch it. It is heavily publisized so everyone knows when it is airing.

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## alan45

EastEnders' hard-hitting baby swap storyline has sparked more than 3,000 complaints to the BBC, it has been confirmed today.

In episodes which aired on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, viewers saw new mum Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack) discover that her newborn son had fallen victim to cot death, before desperately swapping the child with Kat Moon's (Jessie Wallace) baby in her grief-stricken state.

This afternoon, the BBC confirmed that complaints over the plotline have now topped 3,400. The total includes all of the complaints which have been received since the tragic story was first announced in November.

In a statement released today, EastEnders' executive producer Bryan Kirkwood commented: "We appreciate this is a challenging storyline and have taken care to ensure viewers were aware of the content in advance of transmission. 

"We also provided actionline numbers at the end of each show, offering advice and support to those affected by the issues."

While devising the storyline, the EastEnders team worked closely with the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) with the aim of providing a sensitive portrayal of the issue of cot death.

Show bosses also took the decision to make a number of small last-minute changes to the episodes in question to avoid upsetting viewers.

DS

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## Jakes_stuff

> EastEnders' hard-hitting baby swap storyline has sparked more than 3,000 complaints to the BBC, it has been confirmed today.
> 
> In episodes which aired on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, viewers saw new mum Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack) discover that her newborn son had fallen victim to cot death, before desperately swapping the child with Kat Moon's (Jessie Wallace) baby in her grief-stricken state.
> 
> This afternoon, the BBC confirmed that complaints over the plotline have now topped 3,400. The total includes all of the complaints which have been received since the tragic story was first announced in November.
> 
> In a statement released today, EastEnders' executive producer Bryan Kirkwood commented: "We appreciate this is a challenging storyline and have taken care to ensure viewers were aware of the content in advance of transmission. 
> 
> "We also provided actionline numbers at the end of each show, offering advice and support to those affected by the issues."
> ...


Do we know what was in the scenes removed?

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## moonstorm

I think it was a shot a the baby's hand.

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## lizann

EastEnders actress Samantha Womack has insisted that Ronnie Branning did not premeditate swapping her dead baby with Kat and Alfie Moon's. 

Over 3,400 viewers have complained about the plot which has seen Ronnie take Tommy Moon from The Queen Vic following the tragic death of her newborn son James. However, speaking to Soaplife Womack said that Ronnie was attracted to the pub by the sound of the child crying and had not gone there with the intention of carrying out her actions.

"It wasn't premeditated," she said. "She was in a panic. It was the most raw you have ever seen her. She heard a baby crying and in her mind she couldn't differentiate fact from fiction. She didn't know what she was doing when she took Kat's baby Tommy."

Womack stated that Ronnie "was" going to return the baby shortly after realising what she had done, adding: "But then Jack came home and he was so happy to meet his son. Ronnie couldn't do it. But she knows at some point she's going to have to do the right thing and give the baby back."

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## lizann

The New Year baby-swap storyline on ‘EastEnders’ has caused controversy, with the BBC accused of using misery to try and grab ratings. 

The episodes, which were watched by over 10 million viewers, saw Ronnie Branning lose her son James to cot death and then, in a fit of grief, switch the body with that of Kat Moon’s son Tommy. The harrowing story has seen many viewers complain to the BBC. 

The Daily Mirror TV critic Kevin O’Sullivan called the plot “trashy and insensitive.” 

Criticism on Twitter is aimed more at the baby swap rather than the death itself.

“I could handle the cot death but the swapping of babies is a horrible storyline,” wrote flossy30. 

“Cot death is a difficult subject alone, but to add the switch is bizarre, hard viewing,” wrote Andilou70.

“Horrendous,” wrote AMP2210. “Fair enough, do a cot death story, but to swap a dead baby for an live one is just sick.”

But there were people willing to defend the soap. 

“People are complaining that the ‘EastEnders’ cot death/baby snatch storyline makes all mums look bad,” wrote Poppy The Cat. “No it doesn't! And it has happened.”

“’EastEnders’ deserves an award for the Kat and Ronnie baby storyline. It's raising awareness of cot death,” wrote Stuart North19.

The BBC released the following statement about the episode. 

“‘EastEnders’ is a drama which explores many difficult issues and inevitably these do sometimes touch a nerve with some sections of the audience. We have sought guidance and advice from the FSID (The Foundation for the Study of Infant Death), as well as speaking to parents who themselves have lost babies through cot death, to ensure that our portrayal is as sensitive and realistic as possible.”

However the FSID has distanced itself from the storyline, releasing a statement reading:

“FSID has received several complaints and comments from bereaved parents about the ‘baby-swap’ story on ‘Eastenders’.

“We are very sorry to know of the very natural distress caused by this plotline but would like to stress that our involvement was limited to advice on SIDS risk factors, bereavement and the involvement of health professionals and the police.

“FSID had no involvement in the planning or adoption of the 'baby-swap' plotline. The behaviour and actions of Ronnie Mitchell are in no way 'endorsed' by FSID as a typical, or even likely, reaction of a bereaved parent. “

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## Dutchgirl

I'm most shocked by the lack of after care. Do newborn babies not get checked daily? In the Netherlands you have a person coming in for ten days to check moms and babies health. They even do some household chores. (I am aware we haven the most infant deads in Europe due to home births but even so)

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## matt1378

This story is guaranteed till drag on till at least easter  :Sad:

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## tammyy2j

The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) has insisted that the organisation had "no involvement" in the baby swap element of EastEnders' ongoing Ronnie Mitchell storyline.

When the plot was revealed in November, it was confirmed that the BBC soap had worked closely with the foundation on the cot death aspect of the storyline. 

However, in a new statement, the charity stated that it "in no way" endorsed Ronnie Mitchell's actions.

"FSID has received several complaints and comments from bereaved parents about the baby-swap story on EastEnders," a statement said. "We are very sorry to know of the very natural distress caused by this plotline but would like to stress that our involvement was limited to advice on SIDS risk factors, bereavement and the involvement of health professionals and the police."

It continued: "We primarily advised on the likely emotional reaction of the Moon family to the sudden and unexpected death of their baby."

The group commented that they were responding due to the press "continuing" to suggest that they had been involved in the overall plot.

"FSID had no involvement in the planning or adoption of the specific baby-swap plotline," it added. "The behaviour and actions of Ronnie Mitchell are in no way endorsed by FSID as a typical, or even likely, reaction of a bereaved parent."

It was today confirmed that Samantha Womack has quit the soap, amid rumours that her decision was prompted by the storyline.

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## tammyy2j

The BBC has now received nearly 6,000 complaints about EastEnders' controversial baby swap storyline, it has been confirmed.

A plot which is currently airing on the Walford show has seen Ronnie Branning lose her newborn son James to cot death, before secretly switching him with Kat Moon's (Jessie Wallace) child in a moment of despair.

BBC News reports that a total of 5,826 complaints have been received by the corporation since the storyline was first announced last November. The number has risen in the past two days as 3,400 complaints had been confirmed on Tuesday.

Although the media regulator Ofcom is known to have also received 374 complaints over the plot, it is understood that an official investigation is unlikely as the episodes in question are not thought to have breached the broadcasting code.

A statement released by the BBC has insisted that "EastEnders has a long history of exploring difficult issues, and the storyline regarding Ronnie and Kat follows in this tradition".

Show bosses have also promised that "viewers will see the situation resolve itself over the coming months".

Meanwhile, EastEnders has today confirmed that Samantha Womack - who plays Ronnie - will be leaving the soap later this year.

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## Perdita

WORRIED BBC bosses are axing the EastEnders baby-swap storyline earlier than planned in a bid to stop the backlash against the soap.
Show execs held an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss how to end the controversy after receiving 6,000 complaints since New Year.
Plans to continue the story until Christmas have been scrapped and Kat, played by Jessie Wallace, will be reunited with baby Tommy by the spring.
Samantha Womack, whose character Ronnie stole the tot after her own child’s cot death, has furiously denied she is quitting the soap because of the controversial plot.
The mum-of-two, who admits the scenes were the most “horrific four weeks of her life”, said she was already leaving the soap.
She told a pal: “It’s ridiculous to claim I quit because of the storyline. I told the producers I wanted to leave and the plot was created to help with my departure.
“I’ve had a wonderful time on the soap and made some brilliant friends. It was just time for me to move on. It was nothing to do with the storyline.”
EastEnders insiders confirmed that the plot was devised as a way for Ronnie to leave.
But since the complaints, they said several scenes have already been cut and *they are now trying to write a happy ending.*  ??? How can this storyline have a happy ending? 
A show source said: “We have listened to what people have said and taken on board the complaints and are now rescheduling things and working on the final scripts.
“It is important that we listen to viewers, because it is their soap after all.
“Filming will be done in the next few weeks and the storyline will end this spring, possibly by April.”


Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...#ixzz1AKpN1Bpp

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Dazzle (07-01-2011), parkerman (07-01-2011), tammyy2j (07-01-2011)

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## parkerman

If this was due to be Samantha Womack's exit storyline and they are bringing it forward from Christmas to April where does that leave Samantha? Will she be going early or will she be hanging around until Christmas? I can't see that happening.

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## tammyy2j

How can there be a happy ending? Unless it wasnt really Ronnie's baby that died maybe it was all a dream (like Dallas)

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## parkerman

Ronnie: Er...Kat...I have something to tell you. You know you thought your baby had died, well he hasn't. Here he is. [Ronnie hands the baby over to Kat]
Kat: Oh, I'm so happy to have Tommy back.
Ronnie: Yes, and me and Jack are happy too because I'm pregnant again and this time nothing will go wrong.
Kat: That's good.

So, there you are a happy ending, Eastenders style.

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alan45 (07-01-2011), Perdita (07-01-2011)

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## tammyy2j

BBCEastEnders star Samantha Womack has allegedly been abused by a fan over the soap's cot death storyline.

The 38-year-old actress, who yesterday revealed her intention to leave the BBC One show when her contract runs out later this year, was said to be called a "murdering ****" as she was walking her son Benjamin, 9, and daughter Lily-Rose, 5, in London. 

The controversial plot, which saw Womack's character Ronnie Branning swap her dead baby with Kat Moon's (Jessie Wallace) newborn, has so far received almost 6,000 complaints.

A source told The Sun: "Samantha's received such vile abuse this week. She was shouted at with her kids. Having to act that storyline was bad enough, having it filter into her home life is even more awful."

According to reports, the Walford drama's writers are currently planning to conclude the storyline earlier than first proposed.

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## Abigail

A controversial EastEnders cot death storyline is to be brought to an early conclusion following almost 6,000 complaints to the BBC.

The story of Ronnie Branning swapping her dead child for another baby drew criticism from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Sids) awareness campaigners.

The story will now end in the spring.

The BBC had said there was "no inference that Ronnie's actions are in any way typical of a bereaved mother of a newborn baby".

It has now confirmed the storyline is "due to finish earlier than planned".

In new year episodes, Ronnie, played by actress Samantha Womack, was shown finding her baby, James, dead in his cot.

She was later shown in the living quarters above the soap's Queen Victoria pub where she swapped James with baby Tommy, the newborn son of characters Kat and Alfie Moon.

Parenting website Mumsnet was flooded with complaints, prompting it to write a letter to the BBC suggesting that "as is all too common, a bereaved mother has been portrayed as deranged and unhinged".

On Friday, the site published a letter of response from BBC Vision director Jana Bennett.

“Taking Kat's baby is the action of a character in great distress due to a series of events that have befallen her in the last 18 months”

In the letter, she acknowledged it was "without doubt a very challenging and emotional story and one that has had a deep impact on many of those who have been watching it".

She added: "Taking Kat's baby is the action of a character in great distress due to a series of events that have befallen her in the last 18 months.

"It is the culmination of these that has driven her to this one moment of madness rather than as a direct result of the loss of her baby."

She also invited Mumsnet staff to meet the programme's makers to discuss the storyline further.

On Thursday, actress Womack - who is leaving the soap - denied she had quit over the storyline, saying her exit had been agreed with producers for several months.

TV presenter and Sids awareness campaigner Anne Diamond, whose baby son died in 1991, told the BBC News website the baby swap storyline was a "crass twist to an otherwise credible storyline" that had not done "one iota of good in educating a young audience about cot death"

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alan45 (07-01-2011), parkerman (07-01-2011), tammyy2j (07-01-2011)

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## parkerman

> TV presenter and Sids awareness campaigner Anne Diamond, whose baby son died in 1991, told the BBC News website the baby swap storyline was a "crass twist to an otherwise credible storyline" that had not done "one iota of good in educating a young audience about cot death"


I think this is a very good point. They could have dealt with the story as a cot death which would have been harrowing enough but at least it might have shown how people deal with this tragedy and come to terms with it, but the twist put on it adds nothing and is not helpful in the least.

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alan45 (07-01-2011), Perdita (07-01-2011), StarsOfCCTV (08-01-2011), tammyy2j (07-01-2011)

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## Dazzle

Poor Samantha Womack is always going to be associated with this furore now.

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## Chloe O'brien

It's a shame she didn't refuse to do the storyline as I think this will have an adverse affect on her future jobs.

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Abigail (08-01-2011)

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## Abigail

> It's a shame she didn't refuse to do the storyline as I think this will have an adverse affect on her future jobs.


I agree. If she didn't feel comfortable doing it, she shouldn't have gone through with it. If I were a casting agent, I'd rather hire somebody that respected themselves and their opinions enough to know when to say something is ridiculous and likely to upset or offend many people. Compromising principles for the sake of money or future job prospects is something that I would never do and my personal opinion of Sam as an actress has drastically changed.

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## Perdita

The EastEnders baby swap storyline will reportedly have a "warm and tender" ending.

The controversial plot, which will end earlier than originally intended, will have a "soft and emotional" conclusion to avoid distressing viewers, according to reports.

An insider told The Mirror: "When Kat Moon is finally reunited with her son, the focus will be on her *happiness at *discovering the child she thought was dead is alive and well."

The scenes will apparently air around Easter and will show Ronnie Mitchell handing the baby back to Kat and Alfie Moon.

DS

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## Abbie

I wonder what the orginal plan was

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## Chloe O'brien

How the flaming hell can this storyline have a warm and tender ending? By the time Ronnie gives the baby back to  Kat he will be 4 months old and would have bonded with Ronnie and Jack.  Kat/Alfie will be strangers to him. Also Kat may have difficulty bonding with the child because as far as she is aware her baby is dead. Both characters are prime candidates for having PND and it's likely that Ronnie will suffer a breakdown, locked up and that will be her exit story.  Never mind silver linning it may get EE a soap award. and that's all that matters.

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megan999 (09-01-2011), Meh (09-01-2011), tammyy2j (09-01-2011)

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## Perdita

EastEnders star Shane Richie has assured fans that he has no intention of quitting the soap despite the controversy surrounding his current storyline.

Newspaper reports have today suggested that Richie and a number of other cast members are considering their futures with the BBC show due to the backlash the programme has suffered over its baby swap plot.

Richie's character Alfie Moon is currently grieving for the loss of his newborn son Tommy on screen. However, he and wife Kat (Jessie Wallace) are unaware that the child is alive and well - as Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack) secretly switched the baby with her tragic son James after losing him to cot death.

In a statement released to This Morning's soaps correspondent Sharon Marshall this afternoon, Richie dismissed speculation that he is planning to leave Walford.

He said: "It's absolutely not true. I have no plan to quit EastEnders. In fact, as I have been saying, I've never been happier there. 

"I'm reading reports that we are all about to walk out, which is nonsense. I know some people have found this story challenging, which I can understand, but EastEnders have listened to that and taken some of the feedback on board. 

"I just want to carry on giving the best performances we can to do the story justice."

On Friday, EastEnders bosses confirmed that the baby swap plotline will be brought to an end in April.


DS

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## lizann

EastEnders’ actress Samantha Womack reportedly considered walking out on the show when she first received scripts for her character Ronnie Branning’s controversial baby-swap storyline.

The ‘EastEnders’ actress has faced verbal abuse and been at the centre of public outcry over the soap’s current controversial baby-swap storyline – which saw her character Ronnie Branning switch her dead infant for Kat Moon’s (Jessie Wallace) newborn – and even considered walking out on the show in disgust.

A friend of the actress – who quit the show in November, allegedly after receiving scripts for the plot – said: “Sam’s had it with the BBC now. She wants to come out all guns blazing but she’s still under contract so had to bide her time.

“The thing with Sam is she’s a professional. She did think about walking off set and never coming back but that’s not how she operates.

“Nevertheless, she’s been plunged into a living hell by this. Some viewers can’t separate fact from fiction. It’s a huge ordeal and she doesn’t even want to leave the house.”

Show bosses have confirmed they have rewritten storylines so the plot will come to an end in April – eight months earlier than planned – in a bid to diffuse the outcry, but ‘EastEnders’ chief Bryan Kirkwood is said to be furious at the chaos the programme has plunged into because of the changes.

An insider told the News of the World newspaper: “The show’s in meltdown. Bryan isn’t happy at all because he’s being forced to rewrite the baby stuff. It’s absolute havoc.

“He believes he should be left alone to run the show like he was at ‘Hollyoaks’.”

Bryan faces further stresses as it is claimed senior cast members are furious with Samantha’s decision to quit the show and believe it is his fault.

The source continued: “Now he faces revolt from some senior stars, angry at Samantha’s going and that the producer ever let it come to this.”

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## Abigail

Hollyoaks isn't watched my millions of people and it isn't the BBC's flag ship programme. The issue is a pointless, unrealistic storyline that in reality has probably never happened anywhere in the world. He really didn't think this one through, didn't research what goes through bereaved mothers' minds and obviously didn't consult charities like FSID who knows better than this chump what the effects of losing a baby are.

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## alan45

Former deadenders actress Barbara Windsor has waded into the soap’s baby swap row, saying: “God elp us.”
The furious actress, who played Queen Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell, slammed the show as a “sad disgrace” while starring in panto.
On stage playing Fairy Bowbells in Dick Whittington on Saturday, she ad-libbed to the audience: “Are you watching EastEnders at the moment? Urrrgh. God help us.”
And backstage at the Bristol Hippodrome, Barbara, 73, she told a theatre-goer: “EastEnders doesn’t need to shock to get figures, it should stick to what it’s good at – comedy and pathos. Someone’s lost the plot and it makes me so sad. This isn’t the show I know and love. It is a disgrace and I just hope they get back to doing what they do best.”

The star, who first joined the BBC TV show in 1994, quit for good last autumn.
More than 9,000 viewers have complained about the plot in which Ronnie Branning, played by Samantha Womack, swaps her dead child with the baby of Kat Slater, actress Jessie Wallace. Writers are now shortening the storyline, chopping more harrowing scenes.
Yesterday, Derek Martin, who plays Kat’s dad, Charlie and is leaving the soap this week, admitted he was also “surprised” by the plot.
He told ITV’s Daybreak: “When I heard the news about the swap it was a surprise to me. But the cot death is a thing that happens, and the swap – you see it in movies.”


Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...#ixzz1AinAKo2d

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## alan45

Ex-EastEnders actress Natalie Cassidy has criticised the show for having a poor attention to detail following the birth of Ronnie Mitchell's baby.

Cassidy - who will reprise her role as Sonia Fowler for a one-off episode later this month - gave birth to her first child Eliza last September. The 27-year-old did however praise the BBC soap's cast for their performances in the controversial baby swap plot.

"The cot death storyline in EastEnders has stirred up a lot of emotion," she wrote in her column in New magazine. "I think the attention to detail was poor - Ronnie walking around hours after giving birth. Also, mums are advised to keep babies in a Moses basket until they're six months and you wouldn't leave a newborn on the bed like Ronnie did."

The hard-hitting storyline has seen Ronnie (Samantha Janus) lose her son James to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and switch him with Kat and Alfie Moon's newborn baby Tommy.

"That said, the acting has been sensational," Cassidy added. "Unfortunately, I hear Samantha Janus has quit. I know how it feels to have big storylines take up your time and energy, so maybe itâs her time. I'm sure she'll continue to have a great career. I wish her lots of luck."

(c) DS

It seems that all the publicity seeking luvvies are jumping on the bandwagon. If of course the storyline had received rave reviews instead of its well deserved criticism then no doubt the same luvvies who are condemning it would be voicing their support

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## Siobhan

I think they are doing a good job.. we are seen both mothers trying to cope with the death.. Kat thinks her baby is dead and that scene in the hospital where she is asking for answers and saying she did all the wrong things. The doctor telling her they may never know what happened. 
Ronnie's mental state also done well here.. I think I would be more critical if she just took to baby Tommy like it was her own. She is grieving too and doesn't know how to handle the situation. Luckily I have never had to deal with this so I am not sure how I would cope in this situation

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parkerman (11-01-2011)

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## lizann

I think we have seen so many sad and crying scenes for Ronnie it is enough by now same ole same ole I'm fed up of her now 

Jessie has been brillant as Kat and also Shane and Derek as Alfie and Charlie

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## Perdita

An EastEnders spokesperson has confirmed that changes were made to scenes involving the baby swap storyline.

Producers made the decision following the strong viewer response to the plot, but assured fans that the changes did not weaken the overall story.

The spokeswoman told the Daily Star Sunday: "We can assure you that no complete scenes were cut from this episode. Given the audience response to this storyline, we felt on this occasion that it was appropriate to respond and make some changes.

"The vast majority of material remains intact and we don't believe that those trims we have made will weaken or detract from the overall storyline for viewers."

An insider added: "The scenes showing the little white coffin were a bit much. A lot of people who had already seen the episode felt it was going a little too far. So all the scenes which showed Kat clutching the coffin were left on the cutting room floor.

"After all the controversy that this storyline has caused, the last thing anyone at the BBC wanted was to make the situation even worse. The corporation's top chiefs got involved and ordered the changes. No scenes were reshot - they were just tweaked slightly."


DS

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## moonstorm

Eastenders: Kat Moon will make Ronnie Branning pay for stealing her baby
January 18th, 2011 by Lisa McGarry.  


Insiders have assured viewers that EastEnders’ Ronnie Branning will be “made to pay” for swapping her dead baby with Kat Moon’s healthy tot.

The grief-stricken new mum – played by Samantha Womack, who has since announced her decision to leave the BBC One soap – eventually admits what she’s done and returns baby Tommy to his real parents Kat and Alfie Moon. 

However, that won’t be the end of the matter. While Kat (Jessie Wallace) will initially be elated to have her child back in her arms, her happiness will soon turn to anger.



An insider explained: “There’s no doubt that when Kat moves past her elation at getting Tommy back, she’ll want Ronnie to pay. It’s very likely that her first port of call would be to the police. Ronnie has committed a serious crime.”

After soap bosses were forced to bring the harrowing storyline to an early end when the BBC was flooded with complaints about the nature of the plot, viewers will see Ronnie face even more heartache when her husband Jack (Scott Maslen) finds the shocking revelations too much to deal with.

The ‘EastEnders’ source added to Inside Soap magazine: “However much Jack loves Ronnie, this will be almost too much to bear. It’ll be interested to see if Ronnie is treated with compassion by her family and friends.

“She has clearly not been in her right mind since the tragedy on New Year’s Eve (31.12.10). Ronnie’s a woman battling serious psychological issues. It will be vital that she gets the help she needs to overcome this.”

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tammyy2j (19-01-2011)

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## tammyy2j

If I were Kat I would want to kill her 

Jack didnt even have a chance to see or say goodbye to his son - I cant see anyone forgiving her for this

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## Siobhan

Yeah.. can't see anyone backing her up.. but again she does need treatment.. some how I can see her in a mental hospital talking to both James and Danielle when all this comes out

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## tammyy2j

Rita Simons has said that she cannot "even imagine" how EastEnders' Roxy Mitchell will react when she discovers the truth about her sister Ronnie's baby.

Roxy remains unaware that Ronnie (Samantha Womack) switched her dead son James with Kat and Alfie's newborn son James on New Year's Eve. 

"Ronnie's obviously not herself," Simons told Soaplife. "Most people in the Square have noticed. Roxy thinks it's the baby blues, that Ronnie, having lost a child herself and seeing Kat mourn, is struggling. She's worried about her but has no idea of the true situation."

Asked what Roxy, who has developed a close friendship with Alfie (Shane Richie), would do if she found out, she added: "I can't even imagine... It would be a massive shock."

The controversial plot, which will see Womack leave the soap, will conclude in April.

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## alan45

EASTENDERS fans will be over the Moon to see these photos - of Kat and Alfie finally reunited with son Tommy.



It follows the baby swap plot that turned out to be the soap's most controversial storyline ever.



On New Year's Eve Ronnie Branning (actress Samantha Womack) exchanged her dead son James for Kat and Alfie's newborn - leaving them to cope with a tragedy.
But 6,000 people complained the storyline was sick and BBC bosses cut the plot short.

Even stars were furious, with Sam quitting and Barbara Windsor calling it a "disgrace".

In scenes filmed this week, Kat and Alfie, (Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie) get to see Tommy again after Tanya Branning and Greg Jessop's wedding.

The pair, still in marriage gear, take him to hospital for a check-up while Kat vows that if she ever sees Ronnie she will kill her.



Later, overjoyed Kat hugs her crying son and kisses a relieved Alfie. An insider said: "These are scenes viewers have longed to see. They were extremely emotional for everyone but it was the right outcome to the story." They will be shown next month.



(c) The Sun

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Dazzle (07-03-2011), matt1378 (07-03-2011), tammyy2j (10-03-2011)

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## parkerman

I'm glad this story is coming to an end soon. It's getting a bit wearing. How were they going to keep it going till Christmas as they originally planned? I think it would have driven everyone mad!!!

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## alan45

The climax to EastEnders' baby swap storyline will see Ronnie Branning finally come to her senses and confess to her terrible mistake, a report has claimed.

Yesterday, it was revealed that the soap had finally filmed the conclusion to the controversial plot, which began at New Year when Ronnie lost her son James to cot death before switching him with Kat Moon's newborn child Tommy in her grief-stricken state.

According to the Daily Star Sunday, the stress of Ronnie's tragic secret becomes too much to bear after her brother-in-law Max suffers an accident on the day of Tanya and Greg's wedding next month. Visiting Max at the same hospital where she gave birth to James, Ronnie bumps into the midwife who delivered the child and reportedly realises the enormity of what she has done. 

Speaking of the baby she has stolen, Ronnie apparently tells husband Jack: "I'm sorry, but there's something I need to do. You don't deserve any of this, but he's not your son. He's not yours."

Sources say that Ronnie then heads off alone to the Queen Vic, where she will make her confession. Exact details are currently being kept under wraps, but it is thought that she either tells the truth to her sister Roxy, Tommy's real father Michael Moon, or anguished Kat and Alfie.

After coming clean and handing Tommy over, Ronnie is expected to do a disappearing act - but as Samantha Womack does not finish filming with EastEnders until May, she will be seen on screen again as the aftermath of the storyline is fully explored.

An insider told the newspaper: "Kat is finally reunited with her baby as the shocking news sinks in. After all they've been through, Kat and Alfie can't believe what they're being told. The episode will be a must-see for all fans."

An EastEnders spokesperson said: "We do not comment on future storylines but we have always said Ronnie will do the right thing and Tommy will be reunited with Kat."

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matt1378 (07-03-2011), tammyy2j (11-03-2011)

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## Perdita

SCARED Ronnie Mitchell will hand herself over to the police after admitting she swapped her dead baby for Kat Moonâs son Tommy.

The controversial storyline will come to an end next month when Ronnie finally sees sense and confesses what sheâs done. 

But rather than do a runner from the Square, we can reveal that she will own up to her crime and then hand herself in at the local police station. 

Fans will get to see the official investigation unfold and the chaos it causes for all involved. 

BBC bosses are keeping tight-lipped about whether Ronnie (Sam Womack, 38) will be charged and face a court appearance or be let off and allowed to leave Walford. 

While her future is far from rosy either way, things are also rocky for Kat (Jessie Wallace, 39). 

She is overjoyed to be reunited with her son after believing he died in his cot. But in the days and weeks to come, she will struggle to bond with the baby. 

A show insider said: âItâs a tough thing for Kat to get her head around. 

âSheâs been through so much pain mourning the loss of Tommy and now sheâs got to get used to him being alive.â 

Ronnieâs shock revelation also comes as a hammer blow for doting dad Jack (Scott Maslen, 37) who had no reason to think that the baby wasnât his son James. 



Daily Star

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crystalsea (10-03-2011), tammyy2j (10-03-2011)

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## tammyy2j

I seen on another board that Jack and Kat become very close (I hope it isnt an affair) over this - I would think Kat wouldnt want him or anyone near her baby from now on

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## Siobhan

> I seen on another board that Jack and Kat become very close (I hope it isnt an affair) over this - I would think Kat wouldnt want him or anyone near her baby from now on


Maybe he just needs to be near "james".. after all he did bond with him as his own son so it will be really hard for him to let go

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## tammyy2j

> Maybe he just needs to be near "james".. after all he did bond with him as his own son so it will be really hard for him to let go


Yes I hope it is this and not an affair - It will be difficult for Jack also as he thinks Tommy is his son and he never got to see or hold his real son James

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## Siobhan

Exactly... Ronnie has been mourning her child for weeks, she got to hold him but Jack never did.. How do you just tell someone "sorry the child is not yours, even though you thought so for 4 months, and now you can't see or hold him anymore".. that is heartbreaking.. Jack didn't know at all.. so Kat probably recognises this and lets him around Tommy

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## Perdita

EastEnders star Jessie Wallace has revealed that there are happier times ahead for her character.

The actress, who plays Kat Moon in the BBC One soap, also told the Sunday Mirror that the controversy surrounding the baby swap storyline had been good for the show.

Speaking of Kat getting her baby back from Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack), she said: "We've just shot the scenes. There'll *happier times for Kat and Alfie. But it probably won't stay too happy for long.

"This 'controversy' has done us good. If anything we've got more viewers out of it. Why should the show not push the boundaries? People need to chill out.

"A lot of people just jumped on the bandwagon and complained before the scenes even went on air."

The plot attracted 12,500 complaints from fans of the show.

DS

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## Perdita

Ronnie Branning is to be sent to prison for her callous kidnapping of toddler Tommy Moon in the latest twist in EastEnders's controversial baby swap storyline.

The troubled character, played by Samantha Womack, is to hand herself in to police, filled with guilt over her actions.

But, it turns out, Kat and Alfie will not be completely rid of Ronnie after being reunited with baby Tommy - as she comes back to haunt them.

A show source told the Daily Mirror: 'Ronnie gets out on bail on the day of Tommy's christening, and is in Albert Square as celebrations kick off.' 

It was reported in January that Womack, 38, was planning to quit following the controversial storyline and this could provide the perfect way out of the show. Her contract is up in May.

The baby swap plot started on New Year's Eve when Ronnie exchanged her newborn son James, who'd died of cotdeath, for Kat and Alfie's newborn.

But more than 6,000 enraged people complained that the storyline was sick so BBC bosses had to cut the plot short and do a U-turn.

After bumping into the midwife who delivered her baby, the enormity of what she has done finally hits Ronnie.

She takes baby Tommy and drives to the Queen Vic - where he is reunited with his parents.

The police are then called and baby Tommy is taken to the hospital to be checked over.

Meanwhile, former Albert Square star Natalie Cassidy, 27, has revealed that she cried over the cot-death story.

Talking in The People, she said: 'The cot death storyline has been heartbreaking. The way you see Ronnie cradling that baby, I almost felt that I was holding it myself. Jessie Wallace and Samantha Womack have both been immense.

'It was harrowing stuff and I did cry when I was watching it.'

However, she defended the plot, saying: 'I can see where people are coming from when they say Ronnie stealing the baby was a step too far. But that's where the soap element comes in.

'EastEnders is a dramatic programme, which has been pushing the boundaries for years.'   



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...#ixzz1HOnzElZj

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## Perdita

Ronnie Branning will end up behind bars for stealing Kat Moon's child as EastEnders' baby swap storyline reaches its climax, a report has claimed.

The hard-hitting plot, which began at New Year when Ronnie swapped her dead son James with Kat Moon's child Tommy, will draw to a conclusion next month as Kat is reunited with the baby she thought she had lost.

According to The Mirror today, after Ronnie gives Tommy back and hands herself over to the police, she will be jailed as the matter is investigated.

However, in a further twist, the troubled blonde is expected to be released on bail a few weeks later on an important day for Kat (Jessie Wallace) and her husband Alfie (Shane Richie).

A source told the newspaper: "Ronnie gets out on bail on the day of Tommy's christening, and is in Albert Square as celebrations kick off in The Vic.

"The fact she is back is going to have huge repercussions for that day and she is likely to come face-to-face with Kat."

Rumours about the plot's conclusion are still unconfirmed as EastEnders bosses do not comment on future storylines.

Samantha Womack - who plays Ronnie - is to leave the soap later this year, but it is understood that the door will be left open for a possible return in the future.

DS

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## tammyy2j

Who would bail her out?

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## alan45

EastEnders stars Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie have hinted that the soap's baby swap storyline could have a long-lasting impact on their characters Kat and Alfie Moon.

The pair recently filmed scenes showing Kat and Alfie reunited with baby Tommy, months after they thought they had lost him to cot death. Reports suggest that Ronnie Branning, who swapped Tommy with her late son James at New Year, will soon come to her senses on screen and finally give the child back.

Discussing the Moons' reunion with Tommy, Wallace told All About Soap: "It's so lovely having the chance to work with a baby all the time. It's made me really broody. 

"But it's definitely not going to be easy for Kat and Alfie. They've grieved for the death of their child. They thought they'd buried him, and now they've suddenly got him back. That's a massive thing to deal with."

Richie added: "While Alfie happily throws himself into being a dad to Tommy, it's Kat who's going to be finding things difficult."

More trouble ahead for the Moons has been rumoured for some time, as one report recently suggested that Kat will struggle to bond with Tommy following the shock development.

Asked whether Kat will want revenge against Ronnie, Wallace replied: "Almost certainly! I'm sure that Kat's too much of a feisty person just to let that one go."

Kat and Alfie will get Tommy back next month.

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## Perdita

SHANE Richie has told how the EastEnders cot swap was extra tough for him - as his wife Christie is eight months pregnant.
Shane's character Alfie's wife Kat had her baby snatched by Ronnie Branning, whose son died of cot death. Shane, 47, said it made him keep his baby news a secret. He tells Hello! magazine, out today: "I wanted to keep the two things separate.

"People would ask me about the cot death and it would have felt strange tagging on the end, 'Oh, and by the way, we're expecting a baby'. If they asked about Christie I said she'd just put on weight."

The Sun

----------


## Perdita

EastEnders' Ronnie Branning's husband doesn't believe her when she tries to tell him she swapped their baby with Kat Moon's son. 

The troubled mum was devastated when he newborn James passed away from cot death and switched his body with that of little Tommy Moon on New Year's Eve (31.12.10) and after growing increasingly strained over the weight of her secret, she finally cracks and tells Jack (Scott Maslen) that the baby isn't his.

The matter comes to a head after Ronnie and Jack visit his brother Max in hospital and the troubled blonde is unable to cope with being in the same place where she gave birth months earlier, so she runs away, before blurting out part of her shocking secret when her husband follows her.

However, Samantha Womack, who plays Ronnie, revealed: "She blurts out that James isn't his son - but Jack doesn't believe her and thinks her depression is making her say it.

"He's really worried and insists on returning to Albert Square with her - but Ronnie drives off without him."

Ronnie is now determined to come clean about her actions and heads straight for the Queen Vic to speak with Kat (Jessie Wallace).

Samantha added to Inside Soap magazine: "All she wants to do now is the right thing. And, after telling Tommy she loves him like as her own, Ronnie walks into the Vic to bring an end to the torment and confusion she has caused."

(C) BANG Media International

----------


## Perdita

EastEnders star Samantha Womack has explained what goes through her character Ronnie Branning's mind as the soap's baby swap storyline reaches its long-awaited conclusion.

At the end of next week, Ronnie finally comes to her senses as she realises the enormity of her decision to switch Kat Moon's newborn son Tommy with her dead child James at New Year. Deciding to put things right, she bids Tommy a final farewell before heading into The Vic with the intention of ending Kat and Alfie's turmoil.

Ronnie's life-changing decision comes after her brother-in-law Max Branning and his daughter Abi are involved in a car crash on Tanya's wedding day, which brings the troubled character to the same hospital where she gave birth to James in December.

Speaking of the baby swap climax, Womack told Inside Soap: "The pressure of what Ronnie has done has been building and building for months and it's becoming enormous. 

"There have been several moments where she's realised what she has to do, and being in the church for Tanya's wedding and around Kat and Alfie is particularly difficult for Ronnie. But it's the car accident involving Max and Abi that makes everything just too much to bear."

The actress noted that returning to the place of James's birth reminds Ronnie that his arrival was "the happiest day of her life" and prompts her to do the right thing at last.

Discussing how Ronnie tells husband Jack the truth, Womack said: "She blurts out that James isn't his son, but Jack doesn't believe her and thinks that her depression is making her say it. He's really worried and insists on returning to Albert Square with her, but Ronnie drives off without him.

"All she wants to do now is the right thing. And after telling Tommy that she loves him as her own, Ronnie walks into The Vic to bring an end to the torment and confusion she's caused."

Womack will leave EastEnders later this year. Although reports have suggested that Ronnie will spend time in jail after handing herself into the police, her final fate currently remains unknown.

DS

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## alan45

Baby Pictures

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Dazzle (12-04-2011), Dougie (12-04-2011), Dutchgirl (12-04-2011), lizann (13-04-2011), Siobhan (12-04-2011)

----------


## Perdita

JACK Branning breaks down after discovering baby Tommy is not his son.

The hardman sheds tears after wife Ronnie confesses that their son James died and she swapped his dead body for Kat and Alfie Moonâs son Tommy. 

It means Jack (Scott Maslen, 39) has to hand over the little lad he has raised as his own and then mourn the loss of his own child. 

And Ronnie ends up behind bars as cops investigate the baby swap.

But while itâs heartbreak for Jack, thereâs joy for Kat and Alfie (Jessie Wallace, 39, and Shane Richie, 47) as they are reunited with the son they believed was dead. 

They canât hide their excitement outside the hospital after getting the all- clear from doctors. 

The truth comes out this week after Jackâs brother Max (Jake Wood, 38) is hurt in a car crash on his way to Tanyaâs wedding. 

Ronnie and Jack rush to the hospital and itâs there that the enormity of what sheâs done hits Ronnie. 

Sam Womack, 38, who plays Ronnie, said: âThe pressure of what Ronnie has done has been building and building for months. 

âThere have been several moments where sheâs realised what she has to do, and being in the church for Tanyaâs wedding and around Kat and Alfie is particularly difficult for her. 

âBut itâs the car accident involving Max and Abi that makes everything just too much to bear.â 

She explains that returning to the place of Jamesâs birth reminds Ronnie that his arrival was âthe happiest day of her lifeâ and prompts her to do the right thing at last. 

Daily Star

----------


## Perdita

'EastEnders' Kat Moon almost loses her son for the second time when she "freaks out" after learning he is still alive.  

The bolshy barmaid is stunned to learn son Tommy is still alive after he was taken by grieving Ronnie Branning - whose own baby James died from cot death - and Jessie Wallace, who plays Kat revealed her alter ego is so overwhelmed she almost misses a vital meeting with a social worker who has come to assess whether she and husband Alfie (Shane Richie) can take their baby home.

Jessie said: "Kat finds it too much to bear and scarpers. She goes home to The Vic, where Jean is waiting.

"Jean gets Tommy's toy, Clarence. She says, 'You're bringing your little boy home'and that's when it hits Kat. She can't get a cab so she runs to the hospital. She's desperate to make it on time."

However, when Kat makes it to the hospital, where Tommy is being checked over, the social worker is driving away.

Jessie added to Inside Soap magazine: "There's no way she's going to let that car drive off. She's not prepared to lose Tommy again."

Kat and Alfie are eventually given their baby back, and Jessie admits her character is left "overwhelmed" with emotion.

She said: "She's completely overwhelmed. Kat just wants to be the best mum possible. This is her second chance and she's determined to do a good job."

(C) BANG Media International

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Dazzle (12-04-2011)

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## Dutchgirl

> Baby Pictures


Ow where did they get his suit from. It is so Kat and Alfie. hahahaha nice touch.

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## Perdita

EastEnders star Jessie Wallace has confirmed that there will be no quick happy ending for her character Kat Moon once the soap's baby swap storyline has reached its climax.

Kat will finally get her son Tommy back this week, months after she thought she had lost him to cot death. The life-changing moment occurs as Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack) comes to her senses at last, realising the enormity of her decision to swap the child with her late son James on New Year's Eve.

In an interview with Inside Soap, Wallace explained that there will still be difficult times ahead for Kat and her husband Alfie (Shane Richie) even after the emotional family reunion has taken place.

The actress commented: "Oh yes, there's still a bit of a way to go. There'll be lots coming up for Kat and Alfie. Kat is really struggling to get her head around the fact that Tommy was swapped with James, and Alfie quickly realises that she's finding it hard to cope with the situation.

"Kat really struggles to come to terms with how Ronnie could have done such a terrible thing. It's such a whirlwind of emotions - from anger and hatred, to happiness and joy at having Tommy back again. But it's going to take a lot for Kat to ever forgive Ronnie for what she's put her and Alfie through."

Discussing how things progress in the longer term, she added: "There's the complication of Michael being Tommy's biological dad for starters. And then we have some new Moons arriving in the summer."

Wallace and her EastEnders co-stars filmed the baby swap climax in early March.

DS

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## Perdita

Scott Maslen has confirmed that his EastEnders character Jack Branning will find it impossible to cope after his wife Ronnie's devastating secret is revealed.

The soap's baby swap storyline finally reaches its climax this Friday as Ronnie comes to her senses, tells Jack that Tommy is not his son and heads over to the Queen Vic with the intention of putting things right.

Next week, after she has come clean, fans will see Ronnie spend time in jail as her crime is investigated. Meanwhile, Jack is left reeling following the news that his baby son James was the child who died on New Year's Eve.

In an interview with Inside Soap about Jack's role in the aftermath of the baby swap reveal, Maslen explained: "He couldn't believe what Ronnie was saying when she tried to tell him about James, but now he's heartbroken. 

"At first, he just couldn't understand what she was on about and thought she was saying it to be spiteful. He doesn't believe it until he hears the results of [a] paternity test, and then he's completely lost."

Discussing how Jack has to say goodbye to Tommy as Kat and Alfie get him back, the actor continued: "Jack is distraught - he loves the baby like he's his own. It feels like losing his own child. Jack can normally cope when things go wrong, but this situation has brought him to his knees."

Maslen also pondered what the future could hold for Jack and Ronnie, who tied the knot late last year.

He said: "Jack loves Ronnie. There's an unbreakable bond between them. One day, he might even be able to understand why Ronnie did what she did."

DS

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## lizann

Happy Moons

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## Perdita

Few soap storylines have divided opinion as much as EastEnders' baby swap saga, a plot which provided high drama both on screen and off as the actions of a grief-stricken Ronnie Branning sparked viewer complaints and a public debate. Tonight, millions of viewers will watch the storyline reach its long-awaited climax as Ronnie finally realises the enormity of what she has done and decides to put things right at last. 

To mark the plot reaching its peak, Soap Scoop now takes a look back at the storyline with a full, in-depth timeline detailing how a tragic story twist became one of the most talked-about events in Walford historyâ¦

LATE 2010

September 23: During an interview on This Morning, Shane Richie offers the first teaser of what is ahead, explaining that he and Jessie Wallace will be at the centre of a massive EastEnders storyline. Shane promises that "it is going to be the biggest soap story in probably the history of soaps", but no further details are revealed.

October 17: The Daily Star Sunday is the first newspaper to reveal details of a baby tragedy ahead on EastEnders. A report in the tabloid discloses that either Kat Moon or Ronnie Mitchell will lose their child just a few days after giving birth.

November 3: In an interview about Ronnie's pregnancy, Samantha Womack confirms that there will be a "baby saga" ahead for the character in the New Year. She adds: "I hope it will be okay. It would be nice to see Ronnie happy... for a bit."

November 12: EastEnders bosses officially announce the details of the baby swap storyline, confirming that Ronnie will lose her son to cot death on New Year's Eve before switching him with Kat's child in her grief-stricken state.

November 20: A report in The Sun claims that the cast involved in the baby swap storyline have been offered counselling due to the hard-hitting scenes.

December 22: EastEnders' executive producer Bryan Kirkwood praises the storyline, describing it as a "bold" plot with "absolute believability".

December 23: Scrutiny surrounding the storyline increases as Samantha Womack admits that filming the plot has been "horrific" due to the emotional scenes. At the same time, Shane Richie admits that he has been deeply affected by the story. By the end of the day, EastEnders bosses announce plans to tone down the forthcoming cot death scenes to avoid upsetting viewers.

December 29: The first report of complaints surrounding the upcoming storyline is published as The Sun reveals that Facebook groups have been set up which brand the baby plot "ridiculous" for its portrayal of a bereaved mother as unhinged. However, a show source says: "Bosses are keen to assure viewers that they're not portraying Ronnie's behaviour as typical of bereaved mothers. Regular viewers know she's lost two children before this tragedy with James. She acts in a state of grief and shock."

December 30: 9.65m viewers watch Ronnie and Kat give birth to their baby sons James and Tommy.

JANUARY 2011

January 1: The episode in which Ronnie swaps James with Tommy following her tragic loss is watched by 8.95m viewers.

January 4: The BBC confirms that more than 3,400 complaints have been received about the baby swap storyline. The total includes viewers who complained before the plot had gone to air.

January 5: Internet rumours suggesting that the climax to the baby swap storyline has already been filmed are denied by EastEnders.

January 6: The attention surrounding the storyline turns into a frenzy as The Sun reports that Samantha Womack has quit EastEnders over the baby swap storyline. Womack's agent later issues a statement confirming her departure but denying any connection to the current plot. Meanwhile, as viewer complaints near the 6,000 mark, the BBC defends the storyline and media regulator Ofcom confirms that it is unlikely to launch an official investigation into the matter. Amid the row, reports in The Mirror and The Guardian claim that the story will be cut short in response to the complaints.

January 7: The BBC confirms that the baby swap storyline will reach its conclusion "earlier than planned". EastEnders' executive producer Bryan Kirkwood, BBC drama boss John Yorke and BBC Vision director Jana Bennett all defend the storyline, with the key message being that there is no intention to portray Ronnie's actions as typical of a bereaved mother. As the day concludes, it is confirmed that the storyline is now the most complained-about plot in the soap's history.

January 8: The latest tabloid rumours suggest that the baby swap storyline will have a "warm ending", focusing on Kat's joy at being reunited with her son. Meanwhile, EastEnders bosses agree to meet with bereaved mothers who have complained about the storyline.

January 9: Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace pledge their commitment to EastEnders in response to reports of unrest among the soap's cast. Show bosses insist that there is "absolutely no truth" in talk of poor morale on set.

January 10: Samantha Womack breaks her silence over the storyline, laughing off reports that she is heading for a breakdown over the plot.

January 11: The day of the baby's funeral arrives on screen, but fans notice that some cuts have been made to the episode at the last minute.

January 16: The BBC confirms that changes were made to the funeral episode, telling the Daily Star Sunday that it was "appropriate to respond" to the strong feelings surrounding the storyline.

January 18: Patsy Palmer denies reports that she has quit EastEnders over the baby swap storyline, clarifying that she is focusing on motherhood following the arrival of her fourth child Bertie but will return to filming "when the time is right".

January 26: EastEnders bounces back from the baby swap controversy by winning three prizes at the National Television Awards, including the hotly-contested 'Best Serial Drama' gong. On the red carpet at the event, Jessie Wallace defends the ongoing storyline, while Scott Maslen says that Samantha Womack may return to EastEnders in the future.

FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2011

February 6: A report in the News of the World claims that Samantha Womack will return to EastEnders in 2012 following a 12-month break. The BBC insists that it is too early to discuss any rumoured 'plans' for 2012.

February 13 The baby swap storyline gets its first award nomination, appearing in the 'Best Baby Drama' category in the All About Soap 'Bubble' Awards, which will be determined by a public vote.

March 2: A Digital Spy report exclusively reveals that Charlie Slater will make a brief return to EastEnders for an emotional reunion with daughter Kat. The pair's relationship had become strained in January as Kat blamed him for the loss of her baby. 

March 5: Reports reveal that the climax to the baby swap storyline has now been filmed. Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace are spotted filming at a hospital with the baby.

March 6: A report in the Daily Star Sunday exclusively reveals the ending to the baby swap plot, confirming that Ronnie will come to her senses after Max suffers an accident on Tanya's wedding day, which brings Ronnie to the same hospital where she gave birth to James. The report adds that Ronnie will realise the enormity of what she has done and rush to the Queen Vic in a bid to put things right.

March 10: A Daily Star report says that Ronnie will hand herself over to the police after giving the baby back.

March 13: Jessie Wallace discusses the upcoming plot climax by confirming that there will be "happier times for Kat and Alfie".

March 22: Jessie Wallace backs the decision to end the baby swap storyline early, noting that "as an audience you want everything to fall back into place again".

March 23: A report in The Mirror reveals that Ronnie will spend time in prison for stealing the baby, before being released on bail on the day of Tommy's christening.

March 27: EastEnders continues to bounce back from January's row as the storyline wins the 'Best Baby Drama' prize in the All About Soap 'Bubble' Awards. Meanwhile, Jessie Wallace wins the 'Best Actress' gong and Kat and Alfie's return to Albert Square is named 'Best Comeback'.

March 29: Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie confirm that the plot will have a long-lasting impact on Kat and Alfie. Jessie says: "They've grieved for the death of their child. They thought they'd buried him, and now they've suddenly got him back. That's a massive thing to deal with."

APRIL 2011

April 4: Shane Richie reveals that he will soon become a father again but had previously chosen not to reveal the news due to the scrutiny surrounding the baby swap storyline. 

April 5: Detailed spoilers released for the baby swap confirm that Ronnie will come to her senses following Max's car crash, verifying the Daily Star Sunday's report from a month earlier. Meanwhile, Samantha Womack explains that the plot's climax sees Ronnie decide "to bring an end to the torment and confusion she's caused".

April 12: Scott Maslen confirms that Jack will be "distraught" once the truth about the baby swap is revealed. Meanwhile, Jessie Wallace explains that the story will still have "a bit of a way to go" even after the reveal scenes have aired.

April 14: Viewers see that Ronnie's world is starting to crumble around her due to the problems stemming from her terrible mistake.

April 15: Fans will see the plot reach its climax as Ronnie decides to do the right thing at last.    :Cheer:   :Thumbsup: 


DS

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Dazzle (15-04-2011)

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## Perdita

Ronnie tells Jack that the baby is not his


JACK: "Ronnie, where you been? I've been looking all over for you."
RONNIE:"I'm sorry."
JACK: "Well come on, Tanya's in a right state. What you doing?"
RONNIE: "I'm going."
JACK: "Going where? I need to talk to you."
RONNIE: "No, there's something I've got to do, Jack."
JACK: "Well it can wait."
RONNIE: "It can't!"
JACK: "Ronnie, I'm serious, you need to tell me what's happened."
RONNIE: "Don't worry, I am going to put it right. I am going to put everything right."
JACK: "Ronnie, what are you talking about?"
RONNIE: "You don't deserve this, Jack! You deserve much better, I should never have lied to you."
JACK: "So you lied to me."
RONNIE: "Yes."
JACK: "Is it about Michael?"
RONNIE: "No."
JACK: "Then what is it, Ron?"
RONNIE: "Jack, I've got to go."
JACK: "Go where?"
RONNIE: "Back, okay - I've got to go back!"
JACK: "Go back where? Oi, you tell me, right. If it's not about Michael, then what is it?"
RONNIE: "It's him, it's about him, okay? It's about James." 
JACK: "Ronnie, what about him?"
RONNIE: "He's not your son."
JACK: "What you talking about?"
RONNIE: "Jack, listen to me - I'm sorry but it's true."
JACK: "No, I don't understand Ronnie, what are you saying?"
RONNIE: "I've got to go!"
JACK: "What are you talking about?"
RONNIE: "He is not yours and that is all you need to know."
JACK: "You're lying to me, right - you're doing this to hurt me and to mess with my mind. Ronnie, look at him - look at his face, everyone always says that this kid is the spit of me, everyone knows that he's my boy!"
RONNIE: "Jack, I'm so sorry - I'm so sorry, it's true."

Ronnie tells Kat the shocking truth


KAT: "What is it?"
RONNIE: "Maybe we should go upstairs."
KAT: "I'm working. I ain't really got the time, so just spit it out."
RONNIE: "It's about James."
KAT: "Right."
RONNIE: "I know what you've been through. I know how difficult it's been for you, I understand."
KAT: "What do you want, Ronnie? I've got a pub full of punters."
RONNIE: "He's not mine."
KAT: "Sorry?"
RONNIE: "He's not mine, he's yours."
KAT: "What are you talking about?"
RONNIE: "I know. I know it sounds crazy. I should have come here before - I tried to come here before. This isn't James, it's Tommy!"

Outside, Jack arrives back on Albert Square and looks over towards The Vic.

RONNIE: "Please listen to me, Kat, you don't understand. You don't understand."
KAT: "Why don't you go home, yeah, call a doctor, go and talk to someone!"
RONNIE: "Listen to me, Kat!"
KAT: "You're mad!"
RONNIE: "Please, please, listen to me. I took your baby. I know how you feel. I am the only other person in this world who knows how you feel. To give birth to a baby and have it… to have your heart shrivel up inside. I know because it happened to me."
KAT: "You need to go."
RONNIE: "My baby died on New Year's Eve. Kat, listen to me! I went in, I went in and saw him in the cot, and he was still. He wasn't breathing, he was still and I was so scared. I was so scared. And I was trying desperately to believe that it wasn't true and then I ran out, I panicked - I ran out into the Square and I wanted somebody to come and help, but nobody came. Nobody came and then I heard him - I heard Tommy crying and I came in there and I walked up the stairs and I took him. I took him, Kat."
KAT: "No, you couldn't have, you wouldn't do that…"
RONNIE: "I'm sorry Kat, I'm so sorry…"
KAT: "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, my Tommy's dead! Yeah, I saw him, I held him in my arms - he's dead!"
RONNIE: "You didn't, that wasn't Tommy!"
KAT: "No! No, no, no!"

Alfie enters.

ALFIE: "What's wrong?"
KAT: "Get her out of here! Get her away from me!"
ALFIE [to Ronnie]: "What have you said to her? Just stop."
KAT: "No, he's not mine! How can he be mine?"
RONNIE: "Please take him, you need to take him!"
KAT: "No, I can't!"
RONNIE: "He needs his mum! You need to take him."

Jack has now entered The Vic and seeing the commotion, goes to join Ronnie, Kat and Alfie.

RONNIE: "Please take him, please take the baby…"

Ronnie hands Tommy over to a distraught Kat.

ALFIE: "I need to phone the police, alright."
RONNIE: "You don't need to phone them, I've already phoned them, and I'm so sorry."
KAT: "Get her out of here! Get her away from me."
RONNIE: "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."

Ronnie heads for the exit, and following a final apology to Jack, she gets into a police car to face her punishment.

DS

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## Perdita

The conclusion to the EastEnders baby swap storyline was apparently re-shot to be more emotional.

The original scenes, filmed last month, saw Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack) storm into the Queen Vic and confess her secret to Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) in front of everyone.

However, according to the Daily Star Sunday, producers decided that the climax would be more effective if it focused on the four central characters - including Alfie, played by Shane Richie, and Jack (Scott Maslen).

"The original ending showed Ronnie telling Kat what she'd done right in the middle of Greg and Tanya's wedding reception," a source revealed. "We saw the reaction from people who were not involved in the storyline and Kat reacted a lot more angrily.

"She told Alfie that she was going to kill Ronnie for what she'd done and, as you can imagine, there were a lot of gasps of shock from people watching the events unfold inside the Queen Vic.

"But once the producers watched it back they realised it didn't have to be done in front of everyone. In fact, it was better for Ronnie to confess to Kat alone. The scene was re-written and the actors were called in a couple of weeks ago to re-shoot."

The scenes were eventually watched by 10.21m people on Friday, with a further 1.15m watching the 10pm repeat on BBC Three.


DS

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Dutchgirl (17-04-2011)

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## Dutchgirl

Sometimes less is more. The only emotions that count are the 4 involved.

And that goes for the Character Michael. Maybe he had some emotion about the death, but if he had it at all he hid it very well.

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## Perdita

DEVASTATED Jack Branning is set to make a move on his sister-in-law after discovering wife Ronnie's baby swapping. 

The troubled ex-cop seeks solace from Ronnie's (Samantha Womack) sister, Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) after his wife confesses that she swapped their dead son James with Kat Moon's (Jessie Wallace) tot, Tommy, at Christmas. 

With Ronnie banged up after she confesses all to the police, Jack (Scott Maslen) asks Roxy to take him to James' grave where the headstone has been changed. 

Jack, who is dad to Roxy's daughter Amy after an affair three years ago, has a heart-to-heart with the club owner. 

And in scenes due to air on 29 April, confused Jack can't stop himself from leaning in for a kiss from his former flame - but Roxy pushes him away. 

Actor Scott, 39, admitted that his character is a broken man since discovering the truth about his son. 

The former Strictly Come Dancing star told Inside Soap: "Jack is distraught - he loves the baby like he's his own. 

"It feels like he's losing his own child. Jack can normally cope when things go wrong, but this situation has brought him to his knees." 

He continued: "Added to that, Jack loves Ronnie. There's an unbreakable bond between them, despite what's happened. One day he might even be able to understand why Ronnie did what she did." 

The baby swap plot, which earned the BBC a record number of complaints - more than 8,000, was not one of Scott's favourite storylines. 

Speaking to This Morning today, the ex-Bill star said: "It's not a story that I enjoyed because we've all got kids and we all know what the implications of these sorts of things are. 

"It's a tragic story but I felt that in the circumstances we played it really well and that was the very positive thing to come out of it." 

He added: "You have to keep yourself very focused on what you're doing and not listen to what other people are saying about things, otherwise it influences it." 

The Sun

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## Perdita

DEVASTATED Jack Branning is to return to his wild ways in a bid to get over the loss of his son - by bedding his ex's SISTER.

EastEnders' reformed romeo romps with ex-drug addict Rainie Cross while wife Ronnie is behind bars.

They come together for a one-night stand after Rainie (Tanya Franks) - the sister of his former girlfriend Tanya Jessop - offers grieving Jack a shoulder to cry on.

He is still in shock after learning that his baby son James is dead. Desperate wife Ronnie swapped the infant with Kat and Alfie Moon's newborn son Tommy, so Jack (Scott Maslen) had no idea that his child had died.

He also has to deal with Ronnie (Samantha Womack) being imprisoned for the baby swap.

An insider at the BBC1 soap said: "Jack's a real mess. He's lost his son and his wife. Rainie is there for him."

The storyline will hit screens from early next month.

The Sun


*Yawn*   :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## tammyy2j

^ I think we can add Vanessa and Roxy to his bed list also I seen on another board they also make their way into his bed

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## Dutchgirl

Please give the man a decent storyline.

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## tammyy2j

EastEnders star Scott Maslen has claimed that Jack and Ronnie's relationship is strong enough to survive their recent devastating experience.

The actor's alter ego discovered the shocking truth about his baby son James last month as Ronnie finally confessed that she swapped him with Kat Moon's newborn child on New Year's Eve after losing him to cot death.

Although Jack is currently keeping his distance from his jailed wife, Maslen told Inside Soap that the businessman could soon decide to build bridges with her.

Maslen explained: "There is this unbreakable bond between them. Would Scott Maslen forgive? I don't know, but Jack would. Jack loves Ronnie that much.

"He'd want to sort things out because they're married, and they promised to be together and work through things."

The 39-year-old also reflected on the controversy which surrounded the baby swap plot after it began in January, insisting that he never had any doubts about the story.

"I trust what they do here - you've got to," he commented. "The BBC is renowned for its stringent policy when addressing issues and I didn't doubt our producers for a minute. I believe in what they do.

"Through adversity comes strong stuff. The bosses listened to the complaints which were voiced in the media and by the public, and changed things accordingly. In the end, I'm happy with what we've produced - and on the plus side, maybe now people will finally stop coming up to me in the street and telling me, 'That baby ain't yours!'"

Earlier today, it was revealed that the baby plotline has been nominated for the 'Best Storyline' prize at this year's British Soap Awards.

----------


## Perdita

Samantha Womack has hinted that there could be a long road ahead before her EastEnders character Ronnie Branning is forgiven by husband Jack.

The pair's relationship comes back to the forefront of the BBC soap in next week's episodes as Ronnie returns to the Square after being released from prison.

Although Ronnie keeps a low profile by going to stay with sister Roxy, viewers will soon see Jack confront his troubled wife over the baby swap and his sadness over their late son James. 

Speaking to Inside Soap about the row, Womack explained: "Ronnie tries to apologise for everything. But Jack says he'll never be able to forgive her for not giving him the chance to say goodbye to his son. Later on, Jack asks her once again to try to explain the reasons why she took the baby that night."

Following a heart-to-heart in which Ronnie finally speaks candidly about her decision to steal Kat Moon's child, Jack invites Ronnie to come home. However, Womack warned that even this is not a sign of forgiveness.

"The pair of them have a lot to sort out. Even though Jack has told Ronnie to come home, it doesn't mean that he's forgiven her," she said. "And Ronnie still believes that she should be punished for her actions. Although she loves Jack deeply, she feels they can never really get over this."

Womack will soon be leaving EastEnders before joining a touring production of the musical South Pacific.

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## tammyy2j

> Please give the man a decent storyline.


Put a blond wig on Phil and hey presto a new Mitchell for Jack this couple could rival Chryed

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lizann (13-05-2011)

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## lizann

> Put a blond wig on Phil and hey presto a new Mitchell for Jack this couple could rival Chryed


Oh that would be funny

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## Perdita

TROUBLED Ronnie Branning stares lovingly into husband Jack's eyes as she shows him the wedding ring she thought she would never wear again - before the couple share a smouldering kiss. 

The EastEnders couple are reunited this week, when Ronnie is released on bail after snatching Alfie and Kat's baby Tommy. Despite her lie to Jack about their baby's death and his fling with another woman, the pair agree to give it another go. 

An insider said: "Ronnie is heartbroken when she finds out Jack has cheated, but she understands she has put him through a lot." 

It's no wonder Ronnie can't resist Jack - actor Scott Maslen, who plays him, won his third successive Sexiest Male gong at Saturday's British Soap Awards. 



Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz1MUHatEHR

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## Perdita

EastEnders star Scott Maslen has suggested that Ronnie Branning's forthcoming departure from Albert Square is the best move for the troubled character's state of mind.

Ronnie, who has been at the centre of the controversial baby swap storyline, will be leaving Walford later this year as Samantha Womack has decided to take a break from the role. Exact details of how she bows out are currently being kept under wraps.

Speaking to Digital Spy on the red carpet at the British Soap Awards, Maslen said of Ronnie's future: "I think she needs to go away - she needs herself to go away. As much as Jack wants to keep her out and Roxy wants to keep her out, I think Ronnie needs to go away. 

"She needs time to deal with the issues - all the stuff, not just James but all the stories that have gone on prior to that. I think she actually wants to be left alone to deal with it."

Discussing the next move for Jack, the 'Sexiest Male' winner continued: "There are a lot of stories to come - I know that, I've had a conversation, but I'm just focusing on Sam going at the moment. It's going to be quite dark, because he's lost everything. We're going to see Jack maybe at his weakest."

Maslen also hinted that Ronnie will continue to be Jack's true love even after her departure.

He said: "Ronnie is the light of his life, so I should imagine whatever happens, if Ronnie shows up there'll be some type of soaptastic storyline!"

DS

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matt1378 (22-05-2011)

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## alan45

LOOKS as if Ronnie Branning is praying for help outside court before she faces justice for kidnapping Tommy Moon in the soap's controversial baby-swap storyline.
slen as Jack
Disturbed Ronnie, whose son James died of cot death on New Year's Eve, finally gave herself up to cops in March and admitted the cruel exchange.
Actress Samantha Womack was snapped filming some of her final scenes for the soap which see Ronnie and hubby Jack (Scott Maslen) arriving at the court.
The drama is due to be screened on BBC1 next


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz1NE79dIv9

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## Perdita

EastEnders character Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) will reportedly forgive Ronnie Branning for swapping their babies.

The Queen Vic landlady will initially become even angrier with Ronnie (Samantha Womack) and plan to get revenge. However, she changes her mind, screaming, "I forgive you" at Ronnie during her trial.

"Kat felt Ronnie had destroyed her life and even with Tommy back things would never be the same again," a source told the News of the World. "But the one thing she can relate to is the feeling of losing a child, and she comes to realise just how desperate Ronnie was when she did what she did.

"As far as Kat's concerned they can lock Ronnie up and throw away the key. The conversation that changes all that isn't one to miss.

"In the end she doesn't think jail will achieve anything and makes her feelings clear in the court. But will it do any good?"

April's conclusion to the actual swap was "soft and emotional" following controversy over the storyline.

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tammyy2j (13-06-2011)

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## tammyy2j

^ Wow I dont think I could

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## alan45

RONNIE Branning gets a stinging slap from furious Kat Moon as EastEnders' baby-swap plot reaches a dramatic end.
The vulnerable blonde is set up to take Kat's baby Tommy again, in a plot dreamed up by twisted Michael Moon.
Michael - furious with Ronnie (Samantha Womack) for snubbing his advances - lures her to the park, where she sees Tommy crying alone in his pram.
When she picks him up to comfort him, nasty Michael alerts Kat and Alfie, who come running - and think she's trying to take the little lad again.
Kat hits Ronnie and tells her she'll rot in jail. Ronnie faces court in tomorrow's hour-long episode - and fans will find out if she gets banged up or quits Walford for good.


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz1RHIME2pi

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Dazzle (06-07-2011)

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## Perdita

EastEnders character Kat Moon will reportedly face fresh heartache after she suffers a miscarriage.

In scenes to be aired at the end of summer, Kat (Jessie Wallace) will discover that she's pregnant with Alfie's baby, despite him believing he's infertile.

She then falls ill and is rushed to hospital, where she is told the devastating news, the Daily Star Sunday reports.

"The pregnancy takes Kat and Alfie (Shane Richie) completely by surprise and neither of them know how they really feel about it," a source said. "Kat is understandably very nervous and anxious about having another baby. 

"Her head is all over the place. But before she has a chance to get used to the idea she suffers a miscarriage. It is a cruel thing to happen to them after everything that they've already been through this year. 

"And once again viewers will be in tears as they watch Kat come to terms with losing her baby."

Kat was at the centre of the baby swap storyline earlier this year, when Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack) lost her son James to cot death before switching him with Kat's healthy newborn Tommy. The plot received record viewer complaints.

An EastEnders spokesperson added: "There is a little bit more heartache for Kat and Alfie as they try to rebuild their lives with Tommy."

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tammyy2j (18-07-2011)

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## Dazzle

More heartache for Kat and Alfie - just what the viewers want to see!  :Thumbsdown:

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## Perdita

> More heartache for Kat and Alfie - just what the viewers want to see!


Guess it will happen at Christmas

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## tammyy2j

Coukd Aflie be Tommy's real dad so or was he in prison around that conception?

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## Siobhan

> Coukd Aflie be Tommy's real dad so or was he in prison around that conception?


He was in prison..

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## Perdita

EastEnders' controversial baby swap storyline featuring Ronnie Branning and Kat Moon has today been cleared by Ofcom.

In its latest broadcast bulletin, the regulator has confirmed that it received a total of 1,044 complaints from viewers over the dark plot, which saw Ronnie lose her newborn son James to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) before swapping him with Kat Moon's healthy child Tommy.

Ofcom noted that many of the complaints came from viewers who felt the storyline had presented the baby swap "in an offensive manner" because it "appeared to suggest that a mother who has suddenly and tragically lost a baby through cot death would react by stealing another baby to replace that loss".

Other complainants were concerned over the scheduling of the baby swap episodes, which transmitted in pre-watershed timeslots on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

However, in its ruling, Ofcom decided that EastEnders was not in breach of the broadcasting code.

Responding to suggestions that Ronnie's actions were presented as typical of a bereaved mother, the regulator argued that a number of other factors had clearly contributed towards her terrible decision, including "losing the daughter she had been forced to give up for adoption at 14, her desperation to have a baby and the tragedy she had experienced when she had miscarried, and the recent revelation of sexual abuse by her father".

The watchdog added: "Ofcom also noted that there was another 'bereaved' mother involved in the storyline, the character Kat, who believed it was her baby who had died of SIDS. The broadcaster did not present her reaction to the sudden loss of her baby in the same way as Ronnie. 

"The storyline presented her grief, disbelief and anger and the temporary breakdown of her relationship as well as her gradual coming to terms with her loss and the efforts to re-build her life following the tragedy. This underlined the fact to viewers that whilst the loss of baby James was a catalyst, Ronnie's reaction was born out of extreme personal trauma in her life and not as the direct and sole consequence of losing her baby. 

"It is Ofcom's view that the broadcaster did not intend the storyline to suggest that her actions were a typical response of a mother who had experienced SIDS and therefore sufficient editorial context was provided to viewers."

Ofcom also stated that the scenes in question "were not unduly disturbing or graphic", while extensive pre-publicity surrounding the storyline ensured the plot "was brought to viewers' attention before the broadcast so viewers could choose whether this was an appropriate programme to view with children and on New Year's Eve". 

EastEnders brought the baby swap plot to a close in April when Ronnie handed baby Tommy back to Kat and Alfie after deciding to do the right thing. Her final scenes aired last month as Ronnie was jailed for her crime.

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## tammyy2j

Sounds like Kat and Jack will become very close 

http://twitter.com/#!/allaboutsoapma...183680/photo/1

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