EastEnders is set for some of its most heartbreaking scenes ever as Shabnam Masood and Kush Kazemi will be dealt a devastating blow - their baby is stillborn.
The BBC1 soap worked closely with neonatal death and stillborn support group Sands to reflect the reality of the heartache suffered by more than 100 families every week.
Speaking about the upcoming storyline in the Walford soap, Erica Stewart, Bereavement Support Services Manager at Sands, said: “The death of a baby is rarely talked about. Many people shy away from the issue, others have a misconception that this is a thing of the past. We hope that with a TV drama as popular as EastEnders covering this heartbreaking experience, it will help to lift the taboo, and raise awareness of all the issues that surround the death of a baby.
“We worked closely with the writers and actors on this storyline. We really appreciate their dedication to ensuring that they portray the impact that the death of a baby has on bereaved families as truthfully as possible. Everyone involved has approached this storyline with incredible sensitivity.”
Actress Rakhee Thakrar, who plays Shabnam, said: “In the UK, 3628 babies were stillborn in 2013, that’s one in every 216 births; a shocking fact I’ve come to learn during my preparation for telling this story. It is an experience that profoundly changes a person’s life forever, and we feel a heavy responsibility to tell the truth of this.
“Our hope is that we can encourage people to talk about their experiences and their babies that have died.”