Leanne is heartbroken – as Oliver receives his diagnosis
SHE LASHES OUT AFTER DOCTORS DELIVER OLIVER’S DIAGNOSIS…
The tragic news that Oliver has an incurable form of mitochondrial disease sends his mother Leanne spiralling into denial this week, and lashing out at those closest to her. Distraught by the medical verdict, Leanne refuses to believe what doctors are saying about her little boy and demands a second opinion. While Steve, Nick and the rest of the family try their best to calm her down, Leanne insists that Oliver needs to be seen by another specialist. Her furious reaction leaves her loved ones worried about what she’ll do next, as she refuses to back down.
“This will put a huge strain on the people around Leanne…”
“She deals with the diagnosis in true Battersby form,” sighs Jane Danson, who plays the shattered mum. “We’ll see Leanne pushing people away and acting angrily, and not suffering in silence. This is going to put a huge strain on those around Leanne who don’t necessarily agree with what she’s saying. There’s only so much ‘softly, softly’ you can offer a person before you have to give them the cold, hard facts.” After the doctors explain that they have conclusive evidence that Oliver has mitochondrial disease and it’s incurable – meaning he has a limited lifespan – Oliver’s family return home in pieces. They know what lies ahead is an agonising journey, and that their lives will never be the same again.
Although Nick wants to support his partner, Leanne has already been pushing him away, so things get worse as they try to cope with the new situation. “Leanne has a heart, and tries to be a good person, but, this is a tragic case,” shares Jane. “What she’s going through now is so awful. Leanne fears the one thing she always wanted, her own biological child, could be taken away, so she reacts in her usual hot-headed way.” It’s Nick, Steve and Simon who bear the brunt of Leanne’s fury, yet Jane says her alter ego’s behaviour is just an expression of the pain she’s in. “Everyone becomes an emotional punchbag for Leanne,” she admits. “After the element of denial, there is a little acceptance, and Leanne decides that Oliver needs her and nobody else. She shuts down, leaving her loved ones walking on eggshells around her. Leanne can be quite angry and harsh with people, but at the same time, it’s understandable, because of the sheer hell that she’s going through.” When Leanne’s sister Toyah pays a visit, she is shocked at how distraught her sibling is. As Toyah tries to comfort her, can Leanne finally begin to open up and accept the reality of the terrible situation? This week’s powerful episodes see the drama move onto its next phase, with plenty of challenges for the Battersbymcdonald-tilsley clan. Off screen, the cast and crew are facing their own challenges as new social-distancing rules mean they can’t film with Emmanuel and Jeremiah, the twins who play Oliver. “We’re restricted at the best of times with kids in scenes,” explains Jane. “Often we have to act in front of a piece of gaffer tape, or a doll, to minimise how much time the kids spend on set – so we have worked around it in the past, and we just have to accept the situation and do our best,” she says. “The twins are amazing and rose to the challenge before we shut down. It’s a bit disappointing not to have them around, as the story is about Oliver – however, so far, so good. I hope we can get them back, but safety has to come first.”
Everyone around Leanne becomes her emotional punchbag…”