Yahoo News Emmerdale releases new Piper the dog video after abuse plot backlash
Note: The following article discusses topics including domestic abuse, coercive control and animal cruelty.
Emmerdale spoilers follow.
Emmerdale has released a new video featuring Piper the dog following backlash to the abuse storyline.
Recent scenes have seen Tom King turn his attention to Piper after his abuse of wife Belle, with the villain cruelly poisoning the dog in an attempt to have Belle released from a mental health crisis centre.
The storyline received backlash, however, with fans complaining about the sensitive nature of the scenes. Government regulator Ofcom received over 300 complaints in response to the storyline.
Some scenes can be upsetting to watch, but Minnie (AKA Piper) is treated with nothing but love and lots of cuddles on set 🎬 🐾#Emmerdale pic.twitter.com/tVx0Alf2CB
— Emmerdale (@emmerdale) June 2, 2024
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After previously assuring viewers that Minnie, the dog who plays Piper, wasn’t harmed during the filming of the scenes, the soap has released another video via X/Twitter to ease fans’ worries.
“Some scenes can be upsetting to watch, but Minnie (AKA Piper) is treated with nothing but love and lots of cuddles on set #Emmerdale,” read the caption, which showed actor James Chase interacting with Minnie.
Chase, who joined the ITV soap as Tom last year, recently spoke about the emotional storyline, saying: “I love playing villainous roles, and this one is definitely the most challenging I have ever played. Certain scenes like syringing the dog was not... I really didn't like it, which is a good sign.”
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Ofcom revealed that they had received 313 complaints following last Monday’s (May 27) scenes, though stressed that the “number of complaints received is not an indication of how serious an issue it is”.
The soap previously addressed the complaints with a post, writing: “These scenes can be distressing to watch, but we want to remind you that Minnie (AKA Piper) is a very good actor and is always living her best life on set! We can confirm that no harm has come to her whatsoever.”
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.
Read more Emmerdale spoilers on our dedicated homepage
If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, organisations including Refuge (www.refuge.org.uk), New Beginnings Peer Support (www.newbeginningspeersupport.com) and Women's Aid (www.womensaid.org.uk) can provide further support and information. The 24-hour, freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247. The US National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or text LOVEIS to 22522.
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