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Corrie drops child kidnap plotline

09/05/2007

ITV has decided to pull a planned plotline on its flagship soap Coronation Street over fears it may be too close to a real-life tragedy.

The storyline was due to feature the disappearance of baby Freddie Peacock, but ITV chiefs are concerned it may upset the parents of Madeleine McCann, who went missing in Portugal last week.

Police believe Madeleine, three, was kidnapped from her Algarve apartment while her parents ate in a resort restaurant nearby.

The case has attracted widespread media attention and the young girl's parents have delivered emotional press conferences while pictures of their daughter have been circulated across the world.

In the fictional story, Ashley and Claire Peacock, played by Steven Arnold and Julie Haworth, were to be shown making similar heartfelt appeals for their son's safe return.

The storyline is now to be changed so that it does not bear such a resemblance to the real-life abduction.

"We are aware that there are some similarities in a future Coronation Street storyline to the events surrounding the disappearance of Madeleine McCann," a spokesperson for the broadcaster said.

"We would not wish to add to the family's anguish at this terrible time and we are currently reviewing our storyline including episodes which have already been filmed.

Madeleine has been missing from the holiday resort of Praia da Luz since Thursday evening.

A major manhunt has been in progress since then but no news of any possible suspect has been made public, prompting criticism in some quarters of the Portuguese police.

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