Megan & Jai face the future
AS THEIR DAUGHTER ELIZA HAS ANOTHER FIT, CAN JAI AND MEGAN COME TO TERMS WITH HER CONDITION?
Megan and Jai are at breaking point this week, as Eliza is rushed to hospital after suffering another fit. It’s been barely a week since Eliza’s last medical episode, and although her parents are still awaiting an official diagnosis for their daughter, it seems increasingly likely that Eliza – having been deprived of oxygen during her traumatic birth – has cerebral palsy.
While Jai and Megan struggle to cope with the prospect of their daughter’s life-changing condition, we join stars Chris Bisson (Jai),
Gaynor Faye (Megan), plus Emmerdale series producer
Iain Macleod, for their take on what’s ahead for the former couple and their little girl…
Jai is looking after Eliza when she has the fit – how does he cope?
Chris Well, of course it scares the life out of him. The main thing for Jai to overcome is that he’s traumatised by seeing his daughter like that. He feels he’s not up to looking after Eliza.
Gaynor Eliza’s fits are a shock for both of them, but Megan decides to be the strong one, and digs deep inside herself to encourage Jai. She wants them to battle on and fight it together. She’s very positive and wants to seek support, which is crucial for people who have children with any sort of physical illness.
What are Jai and Megan told to expect by doctors? Do they know for sure yet that Eliza has cerebral palsy? Gaynor It’s a waiting game. It’s one of those things that will keep materialising as Eliza hits different stages in her life.
Iain The medical staff caring for Eliza are necessarily noncommittal – they just can’t say.
Chris It goes step by step – running a natural course like parents would go through it.
Iain You never quite know what the eventual prognosis will be, and I think that’s interesting.
Megan and Jai have a closeness and maturity that feels very real” IAIN
Are Jai and Megan blaming each other for Eliza’s issues?
Chris There’s a bit of a confrontation between them because Megan is pressing the doctor to make the diagnosis, while Jai is very much backing off from that.
Gaynor Jai was very positive from the beginning, while Megan was the one crumbling when Eliza was born and the doctors said that she could potentially have cerebral palsy. Now they’ve flipped roles – but I don’t think they are blaming each other.
Might what they’re going through bring Jai and Megan back together?
Iain Romantically speaking, it’s not on the cards. I feel the characters have put each other through so much that I’m not sure I’d believe it if they got back together. But there’s a maturity and a closeness that feels very real after what they have been through together.
Gaynor, would you like Frank and Megan to get back together instead?
Gaynor Well, Frank steps up to support Megan through everything that’s happening. I think Frank and Megan are great fun together. And Megan came into the show as a con artist, so maybe she and Frank could work together on a scam and bring out the best and worst in one another!
It’s not long since Jai was one of the most ruthless characters in the village. Has this put paid to that?
Iain Chris and Gaynor don’t know this yet, but we’ve just had a story conference, and Eliza’s illness might give Jai the opportunity to be a bit ruthless again. Megan’s no stranger to getting her claws out either, so this might feel like the calm before the storm for them…