Emmerdale’s Jurell Carter SLAMS the soap for promoting a Covid jab storyline in controversial rant

Emmerdale’s Jurell Carter has slammed bosses for promoting a coronavirus vaccine storyline.

The actor, who plays Nate Robinson in the ITV show, took to Instagram on Monday to accuse producers of ‘pushing people to take the experimental jab’, despite both the Pfizer and Oxford vaccines being ruled safe by UK regulators.

Vaccinating the population is crucial to ending the coronavirus pandemic as inoculated people will not become ill or die from the virus, reducing pressures on the health service and allowing social distancing restrictions to be lifted. 

The UK hit the landmark of 15 million people vaccinated last Sunday – enough to have covered everyone in the four most vulnerable groups – with ministers praising the ‘amazing’ effort which has taken place over just 10 weeks.

Jurrell’s controversial comments came as the series’ long-standing resident Eric Pollard, portrayed by Chris Chittell, 72, is set to make history by becoming the first character to be vaccinated in a British soap opera. 

Controversial: Emmerdale’s Jurell Carter has slammed bosses for promoting a coronavirus vaccine storyline (pictured in 2019)

The thespian wrote on his social media platform: ‘If you wanna take this EXPERIMENTAL vaccine, go ahead but don’t start pushing people to take it or start promoting it. I’m even seeing others demonising others for not wanting it.

‘Your body, your decision, my body, my decision. The blind leading the blind. And I’m not here for it.’ (sic)

Tens of thousands of people took part in clinical trials, more than a hundred thousand across both injections, without any ill effects. 

It is also hoped that the vaccines will stop inoculated people from transmitting the virus, but this has not been proven yet.   

Claims: The actor, who plays Nate Robinson in the ITV show (pictured R with Jeff Hordley last year), accused producers of 'pushing people to take the experimental jab'

Claims: The actor, who plays Nate Robinson in the ITV show (pictured R with Jeff Hordley last year), accused producers of ‘pushing people to take the experimental jab’ 

'The blind leading the blind... And I'm not here for it': The soap star shared his rant on Instagram on Monday

‘The blind leading the blind… And I’m not here for it’: The soap star shared his rant on Instagram on Monday 

In Emmerdale, Eric is said to tell his family he’s had his first jab in an episode which is scheduled to be screened next month.

The scene will see the Grange owner inform his son David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) he’s had the vaccine in the hopes that can spend time with his grandson Theo – reflecting what many elderly people are going through during lockdown.

It is said Emmerdale scriptwriters have been hard at work as they keep up with the latest real-life developments, with a six week lag before the scenes appear on screen.  

Making history: Emmerdale's Eric Pollard, portrayed by Chris Chittell (pictured last year with Lesley Dunlop)is set to become the first character to be vaccinated in a British soap opera

Making history: Emmerdale’s Eric Pollard, portrayed by Chris Chittell (pictured last year with Lesley Dunlop)is set to become the first character to be vaccinated in a British soap opera 

An insider told The Sun: ‘The moment will resonate with grandparents who’ve been kept away from seeing their grandchildren over several months.’ MailOnline contacted representatives for Emmerdale for further comment. 

‘Encouraging’ early data has shown that coronavirus vaccines are bringing deaths and hospital admissions down – as cases drop below 10,000 for the first time since October and deaths fall by 30% in a week.

The Prime Minister has warned the public to be ‘optimistic but patient’ as he cautioned against cutting any corners when it comes to lifting the lockdown.

The National Health Service is believed to be making ‘meaningful progress’ in its drive to boost rates among BAME people, its chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said today.

Chief Executive of the NHS Sir Simon Steven admitted ‘there’s a concern’ among health chiefs about vaccine hesitancy in black and South Asian communities, but insisted it was making extra efforts to get them immunised.

The health manager pointed the finger at ‘a pandemic of disinformation’ which he said was being fought alongside the actual pandemic. 

A study published by the University Hospitals of Leicester found that vaccine uptake among black staff was only half as high as it was among their white colleagues, and it was significantly lower in South Asian workers, too.

SAGE warned the government at the start of the vaccine drive that it would have to make extra efforts to immunise ethnic minority people because they have historically lower uptake. 

Sir Simon said there is a ‘signal’ that the protection given by the jabs is starting to lead to changes in the patients being admitted to hospitals. 

Milestone: The UK hit the landmark of 15 million people vaccinated on Sunday - enough to have covered everyone in the four most vulnerable groups (Moderna vaccine in Florida pictured)

Milestone: The UK hit the landmark of 15 million people vaccinated on Sunday – enough to have covered everyone in the four most vulnerable groups (Moderna vaccine in Florida pictured) 

The public policy analyst did not outline the data but likely meant that fewer over-70s are getting severely ill with Covid. 

Scientists previously warned that Britons who refuse to take coronavirus vaccines will not enjoy protection even if their neighbours are immunised.

University of East Anglia experts claimed the current crop of Covid jabs will never allow Britain to reach ‘herd immunity’ – when so many people are immune to a virus that it can’t spread and eventually fizzles out.

The research found the efficacy of current vaccines, combined with the emergence of more infectious variants of the virus, meant keeping the R below one without lockdown restrictions could become impossible.

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert who led the study, said people shouldn’t count on getting default protection from their neighbours, as he urged everyone who is eligible for the jabs to take them.