Emmerdale fans vow to boycott soap over sɪᴄᴋᴇɴɪɴɢ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ ᴛᴏʀᴛᴜʀᴇ sᴄᴇɴᴇs
Fans thought scenes with April went too far.
SHOCKED Emmerdale fans were venting their anger last night at the treatment of one of the village’s youngest cast members.
Fifteen-year-old April found herself the victim of wicked criminal Jade and her gangsters as she was kidnapped and used as leverage in an argument with Ross.
Jade was convinced that Ross had stolen £10,000 from her at a previous illegal fight held at Moira’s farm.
It transpired that it was Macenzie who had secretly taken the cash and that left Ross out of ideas and on a desperate shake down of anyone he could in the village.
Finding himself still short he received a chilling call from Jade showing him that she had April bound up in her car.
Worse still she was on top of the multi-story car park that April’s mum and the love of Ross’s life, Donna, had fallen from and d.i.e.d years earlier.
What followed was a stand off between Ross and Jade with April trapped in the middle, being dangled over the edge of the car park roof by one of the criminal gang.
April, played by Amelia Flanagan, was seen screaming for her life, unsure if she would survive.
It was this use of a child being held off a roof that really seemed to anger some viewers who went online to vent.
One said: “I never complain about soaps but tonight was totally inappropriate. Who in their right mind thought it would be fitting to show a young, underage child being dangled over wall by a grown man? It was also mental and physical torture she was enduring. Is this how low soaps have fallen?”
Another agreed: “That was inappropriate and it made me cringe. Shame on the writers and producers.”
A third was concerned at how prolonged it was: “Yes, it was cruel and also went on far too long.”
Whilst lots of viewers were shocked some wanted to heap praise on actor Amelia Flanagan for her portrayal of the harrowing scenes.
Writing on X one said: “Amelia Flanagan who plays April is FABULOUS tonight!! Amazing talent right in front of our eyes.”
Another agreed, adding: “April is outacting all the adults”
One fan was keen for the writers to take note of Amelia’s performance: “April could be in much better storylines & #Emmerdale this is how you use her.”
The dramatic episode comes as actor Mike Parr, who plays Ross, has revealed he was recently rushed to hospital suffering from hallucinations.