EastEnders bosses have revealed details of a shocking New Year storyline which will see Ronnie Mitchell steal Kat Moon's baby after her own tot dies. In the run-up to New Year's Eve, both Kat and Ronnie give birth, however, tragically only one of the babies survives. Faced with her grief, and in the heat of the moment, Ronnie makes the decision to swap the newborns as the rest of Albert Square's residents go about their New Year celebrations. Bryan Kirkwood, Executive Producer of EastEnders said: "This story is built on the rich history both characters have built up over the years and the story team have worked hard to make this convincing and powerful. "Although EastEnders is a fictional drama we have, of course, taken great care to thoroughly research this storyline, which will reflect a issue close to the hearts of some of our audience. "We're fortunate to have two wonderful actresses, Jesse Wallace and Samantha Womack, who understand he need to portray such an emotive subject sensitively." He added: "Viewers will know that Ronnie has had a difficult past, losing both her daughter and father in the last couple of years. When she loses the one thing she's always wanted, she acts on impulse in a moment of sheer grief and desperation. EastEnders' decision to tackle the issue of cot death has been praised by Joyce Epstein, director of the Foundation of the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID).
