EastEnders travelled across the Irish Sea 18 years ago and the BBC soap found itself at the centre of criticism. Many of its viewers that believed Ireland was painted in a negative manner. Three episodes set in Ireland back In 1997, featuring rowdy party-goers and seemingly wild animals roaming the streets sparked a public backlash.
The scenes followed Pauline Fowler, played by Wendy Richard, as she visited her long-lost half-sister, Maggie Flaherty. Many Irish viewers were offended at the way Ireland and its people were portrayed after the show aired scenes depicting cows, sheep and donkeys wandering around a street, a menacing drunk, an unhelpful hotelier and resentful locals. The BBC received "a number of calls" over the episode, according to a spokeswoman for the programme.
Meanwhile, Ireland's national broadcaster RTE received six calls, even though it did not air the programme at the time. Some of the calls were from British people, a spokesperson said. The controversy was discussed on Morning Ireland, where John Boland, the Irish Independent television reviewer, highlighted how the programme's quality dipped when it moved from its London location.
There were also numerous calls to phone-in programmes, including The Pat Kenny Show, with listeners dialling in to voice their objections. The Irish Ambassador to Britain described the show’s portrayal of Ireland as "prejudiced". In response, the BBC issued a statement saying: "We are sorry if we have offended Irish people .