Downton Abbey won't show charity number (From Evesham Journal)
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Downton Abbey won't show Pre-eclampsia number
2:50pm Friday 26th October 2012 in News
DRAMA: Downton Abbey
A REQUEST by a Worcestershire charity to show a helpline number at the end of a distressing episode of Downton Abbey has been turned down.
Ann Marie Barnard, chief executive of Action on Pre-eclampsia, was told by ITV and the Carnival production company that it was not relevant to include the number after a repeat because the hit programme was “historical in context” and “pre-technology”.
However, the small charity based in Evesham saw a spike in calls again from distressed women after Sunday’s repeat of the episode in which Lady Sybil lost her life to eclampsia.
Mrs Barnard had initially contacted ITV and the production company after being inundated by upset people who had lost babies or partners to the condition following the episode’s original airing on Sunday, October 14.
The charity’s helpline number is 0208 474217. For information about the condition, log on to apec.org.uk