ITV has been accused of stoking a fake controversy after last night's climax to Coronation Street's controversial assisted suicide storyline saw the terminally ill character Hayley Cropper end her own life – without help from husband Roy. Critics accused the ITV ‘publicity machine’ of using a sensitive and emotive issue to generate higher ratings, with some questioning whether the soap had contributed to the debate at all. Other critics have raised fears the episode could prompt copycat suicides by vulnerable viewers, particularly because it was shown before the 9pm watershed. Scroll down for videos Sparking debate: ITV has been accused of stoking controversy after Coronation Street character Hayley Cropped, pictured right, took her own life without the help of her husband Roy, pictured left
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Terminally ill character Hayley Cropper ended her own life on the soap
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Episode had prompted a renewed debate on assisted suicide before airing
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But critics question whether the show simply stoked fake controversy for publicity as the character's husband Roy did not assist her suicide
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The episode is now being billed as a contribution to the 'right to die' debate
Only @placeholder knew that Hayley was determined to take an overdose that evening, choosing to end her life rather than suffer a drawn-out death from incurable pancreatic cancer.