‘Cold Feet’ has won widespread praise from fans over the way it dealt with a teen pregnancy storyline.
Viewers of the ITV comedy drama were impressed with how sensitively the plot had been handled, after Karen Marsden’s daughter Olivia decided to have an abortion.
During Friday’s (22 September) episode, fans saw 17-year-old Olivia (Daisy Edgar-Jones) coming to terms with the fact she was pregnant with Matthew’s (Cel Spellman) baby.
As both of their fathers - played by James Nesbitt and Robert Bathurst - tried to influence their decision to terminate the pregnancy, the teens were determined to come to their own decision.
Eventually they reached the conclusion that abortion was the right option for them, and emotional scenes saw them attend the clinic together, supported by their parents.
It is not the first time ‘Cold Feet’ has won praise for dealing with tough issues.
Upon its return to screens last year, viewers lauded the drama for tackling the subject of male depression, after Pete Gifford contemplated suicide, amid struggles with his mental health.
Actor John Thomson later admitted his surprise at the reaction to the storyline, telling HuffPost UK: “People have said they’re depressed, telling me: ‘Your storyline is the most genuine depiction of male depression of a man of that age. I know I’m going through it, I need to do something about it.’
“People have told me they’ve gone to the doctor. I didn’t realise that would be the ripple effect of my portrayal.”
‘Cold Feet’ continues next Friday at 9pm on ITV.
Useful websites and helplines:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393
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- Get Connected is a free advice service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email: help@getconnected.org.uk
