Show’s Over: Madeleine McCann And Entertainment
MADELEINE McCann is missing and there are ramifications back home in Blighty.
No Portuguese restaurants have been firebombed by caring parents. Prominent Portuguese in Briton have not been targeted by lynch mobs. A swarthy doctor in Portsmouth or Gwent has not been labelled a paedo.
The grim news is that the “Maddy horror” has sparked “storyline chaos” in Coronation Street. As the Star’s front page screams: “CORRIE AXES KIDDIE SNATCH PLOT.”
The soap opera was to feature a plot in which Claire Peacock’s baby was abducted.
Claire is seen holding a picture of her baby. It’s not an E-fit. It’s a real picture. She wants her son Freddie found.
But now it will not be. Coronation Street’s producers had filmed “identical scenes” to those being played out in Portugal.
Claire and husband Ashley Peacock appeal for help. Just like Madeleine’s parents. Claire holds her child’s security blanket. Just like Madeleine’s mother. Claire hands out pictures of her child. Just like Madeleine’s mum.
So the story has been shelved.
But why? Are the producers upset that Madeleine and her parents have stolen their thunder? In soapland life mirrors art and not the other way around.
In light of that soap law, is Coronation Street concerned that viewers will copy the scenes and Britain will be overrun by baby snatchers?
Is there concern that a foaming-at-the-mouth mob will see any ginger child who looks like Freddie Peacock and instantly attack the nearest adult to him, screaming “Paedo!” and setting about them with sticks and placards?
A spokesman for the show explains: “We are aware that there are some similarities in future storylines to the events surrounding the disappearance if Madeleine McCann. We would not wish to add to the family’s anguish at this terrible time.”
Nor to see the abduction of a child as source of entertainment…
May 9th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Whoever wrote this article does not deserve to be writing as a journalist and I suggest you put an end to your writing career. Have some respect for those at Corrie who have done the right thing by showing compassion for the family of the poor wee tot!
May 9th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Quoting topic writer “But why? Are the producers upset that Madeleine and her parents have stolen their thunder?”
Why would this be anyone’s first thought upon reading that the show had axed the storyline?, some of us care about the feeling of other’s this is obviously your first visit to that town >.> imbocile and /disgistued at your whole piece
YOU ARE SICK TO WRITE THIS, MADELEINE IS STILL MISSING AND ALL WE CARE ABOUT IS HER RETURN NOT YOUR STUPID TWIST ON WHY THE PRODUCERS HAVE AXED A STORYLINE WITH A SENSITIVE ISSUE.
May 9th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
This article is disgusting. We are aware of a family who are in the most
awful despair, what is the justice for this piece. Someone is truly sick to write this and the people who allowed it to be passed, all obviously have no compassion or decency. I am appalled. This is not a Dani Lloyd type story being published.
May 9th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Why did they tell the papers about this plot change? What reason to talk about a TV show at all?
May 10th, 2007 at 5:03 am
Is this article a joke, a very sick joke? You need help whoever you are - and the other people involved.
May 10th, 2007 at 5:54 am
The Coronation Street story appeared on the FRONT PAGE of a national newspaper. A fictional soap opera and the real story of a stolen child entwined in the national press. Fact and fiction talked about in the same breath… Which is the soap opera in the eyes of the red-top media?
May 10th, 2007 at 8:30 am
corrie have done the right thing.
they are only doing what they think is best because of the circumstances with madeleine’s disapperance.
i am sorry but this article is disgusting. they are not worried about their thunder being stolen at all.
get real THERE IS A CHILD MISSING FOR GODS SAKE,
SHE COMES BEFORE ANY STORY LINE,
HOW CAN YOU EVEN TRY TO COMPARE THE 2 THINGS, YOU REALLY MUST HAVE A SICK SAD MIND.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GIVE MADELEINE BACK XXXX
May 10th, 2007 at 8:59 am
How can we compare the two things? The papers did that!
May 10th, 2007 at 9:05 am
What bothers me is the standards by which this is judged. I fully understand that they might not want to broadcast a particular story line because it may upset people in a similar position, however, how would they have dealt with this had the story not made national headines (as not all child abductions do)? Would they still have pulled the storyline? I don’t think so! Therefore it can only be assumed that the concern for the feelings of the family of an abducted child is NOT the motivation behind this.
This suggests to me one of two things: either they do not wish to offend the national sympathy (which seems largely irrelevant compared with the family’s situation), or this is a cynical attempt to promote their series on the back of someone elses tragedy.
May 10th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
If the parents of Madeline had seen this story line on a soap maybe they would have thought twice about leaving their kids alone? Run the story - who knows it may save another tradgedy like this happenning again!
May 10th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
Please tell me whoever wrote this article and whoever passed it to be published has had second thoughts about the words chosen.
Please tell me?????
May 10th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
A child is stolen. Parents are in a living hell. Coronation Street reconsiders its plot. That is the story, Alison. How do you see it?
May 10th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Coronation Street should have run the story. The world over, the vast majority of mature, responsible parents would never have left their small children unsupervised in unfamiliar surroundings.
If a schoolteacher had left a child unsupervised for half an hour, and that child had been abducted, not only would he or she have been in serious trouble, but public opinion and the media would have been united in condemnation.
Wake up, people. Those selfish, foolish McCann people threw caution to the wind, and lost. They afforded the same level of care to their children as one would normally do in the case of a dog. In the circumstances, it is Madeleine you should be thinking about, not her parents.
May 12th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Oh my God, the person who wrote this article is a very sick and twisted individual. He has completely belittled everything that the McCann’s are going through. How can this person sleep at night after making the comment that ‘the McCann’s stole Corrie’s thunder’. Good on you Corrie for acting with understanding and not just chasing ratings.
May 12th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
this is sick.Show some respect
May 13th, 2007 at 3:42 am
I read this article with my mouth open. How can ANYBODY write such an article? There are certain things you just do not joke about and this is definitely without a doubt one of them.
The author of this article is surely a person the world would be better off without.
It’s nearly 4am. I’ve been reading about this case since just after 1am and when things like this happen, I’m always reassured about the world when I see the level of support people have for the victims of the incident (whatever it might be).
But THIS is utterly disgusting. The author of this article is AS BAD as the person who abducted Madeleine.
It’s sick.
May 13th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
So the article seems to have ruffled some feathers, how else are we to be kept informed of such important news other than by journalism. If I start to read a book and don’t like what I’m reading I simply close the book. The last time I checked there was something called ‘free speach’ - You should be applauding the courage of those who report for us, even more so when it is a particularly sensitive subject.
May 13th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
I feel that,it may Increase viewers to phone up to for madeline macann,
Only if at the beginning and the end and the break they say about her and the photos.
and the numbers that they can ring to report anything that they feel might help the investigation.
http://Madeline-McCann.bebo.com
May 14th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
http://SupportingMadeleine.bebo.com
Hey all you out there.
I was just wondering if you could pelase show your support on a little 4 year old girl called madeleine McCann by going on the above adresss and becoming a groupie, leaving a nice comment and a love.
She turned 4 on a day that she is still missing.
Thank you for your kindess and support and reading this.
xxxxxx
Hey
May 18th, 2007 at 12:10 am
we are all hoping Maddie will be found safe and well. But what about the parents? Surely they should be held to account for their child neglect. Did they leave their holiday money lying around the apartment while the were out on the razz? - No, of course not, because they did not want it to be stolen! Their child obviously comes a poor third place, after galavanting and money. It is clear where the McCanns priorities lay. It makes you ashamed to be British with their example being broadcast worldwide!
May 20th, 2007 at 10:38 am
There are cases of children goignmissing all the time, so why not run the story line?
If they run it in 6 monyths time there will surley be a family somewhere else in the UK in the exact same position.
May 23rd, 2007 at 1:25 pm
We All Really Wish Maddie Will Be Found Very Soon, Maddie Didnt Deserve To Go Missing Like This. If Any One Noes Where She Is They Should Contact The Police & Let Them Know. If You Have Got Maddie With You, Then You Are Really Sad! For Making A Family Worry Like This. Every One Is Trying There Hardest To Find you Maddie
Thanx For Reading This Best Wishes x
August 11th, 2007 at 10:51 am
[...] behaviour. But what is more creepy than this? EastEnders changed it story line. So too Coronation Street. Entertainment should not impinge on reality. Such was the coverage; producers were concerned their [...]
July 27th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
While we all hear how the parents of Madeleine McCann are suffering lets stop for a moment and ask why.
This little girl has been dealt a huge injustice by her parents, who decided to put having a meal out with friends above trhe safety and well being of their children, ask your-self that as a parent would you have left your children sleeping while you go out for a meal.
What if they had woken,crying for the comfort of their parents? who decided that going out to enjoy them-selves was more important then the well- being of their children
Nothing takes priorty over the safety of your children,and if as a parent you dis-agree then you have no right to have children.
I hope and prey as do the rest of the nation that she is found safe and well,for her only crime is to have been born to such parents.
M&A
You may wish to join the discussion on todays’ thread at:
http://www.anorak.co.uk/tabloids/186497.html?wpc=all#comments
July 27th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
How True
August 11th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
every day i check to see if there is any news on little maddie. i have babies the same age now as she was when she went missing..
For the person who wrote the artical …you have sold youself away to write to gain possition….you obviously have not got children, as i dont know one parent who has not been touched by this story and infact only wish that all those other missing children would also be helped, as there are many. evrey day i ask myself what would i do if i was in that possition…how would i cope…and to make an unwarrented artical on behalf of me and parents who you think are fed up …do us all a favour and just don’t write anything. Now if you are posing the question to a selfish single’s society whome have no care for children and couldnt care less one way or the other then you should be asking them.
Any way by the way ARTICAL PERSON who are you? if you were proud of what you had written may be you would show us who you are!!!! NO ! I THINK NOT!!