it might seem that way, but these stories are developed months, maybe years, ahead, and they don't collaborate with the other soaps to avoid duplication. BTW, I don't watch any of them.
I did read that this storyline had been planned about 18months in advance, before the character of Laurel got pregnant. As both actors have children, they were asked if they were happy to do this story. Don't watch Corrie anyway, but if you watch both, I can imagine it might be a little frustrating.
I think it might be more interesting then the Corrie storyline because they might actually do it properly in Emmerdale & go through the agony of the legal procedures around it.
if you think back to when laurel & mel had just had their babies, a nurse was bringing laurel`s baby over to her & she said something. ashley said no that`s over there(or something similar) & pointed to mel.