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{{Short description|2019 EastEnders episode}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[EastEnders]]
| episode = 5949
| director = Laurence Wilson
| writer = Pete Lawson
| story = Nasreen Ahmed
| editor = Lauren Connors
| production =
| airdate = {{Start date|2019|07|05|df=yes}}
| length = 28 minutes
| prev = Episode 5948
| next = Episode 5950
}}
"'''Episode 5949'''" (alternatively titled "'''Walford Pride'''") of the [[Television in the United Kingdom|British television]] [[soap opera]] ''[[EastEnders]]'' was originally broadcast on [[BBC One]] on 5 July 2019. It was written by Pete Lawson, directed by Laurence Wilson, and produced by [[Kate Oates]]. The episode takes place on the day [[Walford]] is holding its first [[pride parade]] and primarily focuses on the show's [[LGBT]] characters, mainly [[Callum Highway]] ([[Tony Clay]]), [[Ben Mitchell (EastEnders)|Ben Mitchell]] ([[Max Bowden]]), and [[Bernadette Taylor]] ([[Clair Norris]]). The episode was announced on 1 May 2019 and was set to air one day before the 2019 [[Pride in London]] festival. Since her time as executive producer, Oates aimed increase and celebrate diversity on the show, with the episode being pitched as part of Oates's goal. The episode received generally positive critical acclaim and was included in the ''EastEnders: Iconic Episodes'' collection in 2021.
==Plot==
<!-- Per [[Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary#Length]], under 400 words. -->
On the day [[Walford]] is holding its first [[LGBT pride]] [[pride parade|parade]], [[Karen Taylor (EastEnders)|Karen Taylor]] ([[Lorraine Stanley]]) scolds [[Tiffany Butcher]] ([[Maisie Smith]]) for breaking her daughter, [[Bernadette Taylor|Bernadette]]'s ([[Clair Norris]]) heart recently, so to cheer Bernadette up, Karen enthusiastically prepares her family to attend the parade to show their support. [[Kathy Beale]] ([[Gillian Taylforth]]) dresses her bar The Prince Albert for the event, but needs extra help [[LGBT marketing|decorating]]. She enlists the help of the [[closeted]] [[Callum Highway]] ([[Tony Clay]]) only for his [[homophobic]] brother [[Stuart Highway (EastEnders)|Stuart]] ([[Ricky Champ]]) to walk in during the shift. Meanwhile, at the [[Slater family (EastEnders)|Slater]] house, [[Kat Slater|Kat Moon]] ([[Jessie Wallace]]) is angry as she believes [[Martin Fowler (EastEnders)|Martin Fowler]] ([[James Bye (actor)|James Bye]]) stole money from her husband, [[Alfie Moon|Alfie]] ([[Shane Richie]]), as most of it is missing. Kat refuses to reveal why she needs the money.
At a restaurant, Stuart asks Callum if there is anything he wants to tell him, revealing that he saw him kissing [[Ben Mitchell (EastEnders)|Ben Mitchell]] ([[Max Bowden]]) the previous night. While Callum insists that Ben is just a friend, he admits that he is having more complicated feelings and that things "just happened" that night, insisting that nothing occurred since or before, enforcing that he loves his [[fiancé]], [[Whitney Dean]] ([[Shona McGarty]]). While Bernadette talks with [[Tina Carter]] ([[Luisa Bradshaw-White]]), Tina says Bernadette should be thankful to have such a supportive family, despite being slightly embarrassed by them. Later, Martin's wife, [[Stacey Slater|Stacey]] ([[Lacey Turner]]) figures out that Kat wants the money to give it to [[Kush Kazemi]] ([[Davood Ghadami]]), so he can take Martin and Stacey to court to gain [[Child custody|custody]] of Kush's son, [[Arthur Fowler (2015 character)|Arthur]] (Hunter Bell), which is why Kat is adamant that Martin took it. Martin swears to Stacey that he did not take the money.
Bernadette stops Karen from kissing a woman before Karen proclaims that she will always be proud of her. Stacey returns home and catches Kat searching through her wardrobe, before admitting that she was the one who took the money. When Stuart catches Ben [[groping]] Callum in The Prince Albert, He [[threat]]ens Ben and tells him to leave Callum alone, only for Ben to [[mockery|mock]] him before Kathy breaks up the situation. Ben tells Stuart to meet him in The Arches that night, and while a [[List of EastEnders characters (2019)#Dee Forestation|drag artist]] (Crystal Rasmussen) performs in Albert Square, Ben proclaims that he refuses to cower to Stuart, only to be brutally [[Violence against LGBT people|hate crimed]] by him.
==Cast and characters==
<!-- AS LISTED IN EPISODE -->
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Max Bowden]] as [[Ben Mitchell (EastEnders)|Ben Mitchell]]
* [[Tony Clay]] as [[Callum Highway]]
* [[Ricky Champ]] as [[Stuart Highway (EastEnders)|Stuart Highway]]
* [[Clair Norris]] as [[Bernadette Taylor]]
* [[Luisa Bradshaw-White]] as [[Tina Carter]]
* [[Lorraine Stanley]] as [[Karen Taylor (EastEnders)|Karen Taylor]]
* [[Roger Griffiths]] as [[Mitch Baker (EastEnders)|Mitch Baker]]
* [[Jessie Wallace]] as [[Kat Slater|Kat Moon]]
* [[Lacey Turner]] as [[Stacey Slater|Stacey Fowler]]
* [[James Bye (actor)|James Bye]] as [[Martin Fowler (EastEnders)|Martin Fowler]]
* [[Laila Morse]] as [[Mo Harris]]
* [[Gillian Wright]] as [[Jean Slater]]
* [[Shona McGarty]] as [[Whitney Dean]]
* [[Maisie Smith]] as [[Tiffany Butcher]]
* [[Gillian Taylforth]] as [[Kathy Beale]]
* [[Clay Milner Russell]] as [[Bobby Beale (EastEnders)|Bobby Beale]]
* [[Jessica Plummer]] as [[Chantelle Atkins]]
* [[Toby-Alexander Smith]] as [[Gray Atkins]]
* [[Zack Morris (actor)|Zack Morris]] as [[Keegan Baker]]
* [[Danny Walters (actor)|Danny Walters]] as [[Keanu Taylor]]
* [[Christopher Timothy]] as [[Ted Murray]]
* [[Rukku Nahar]] as [[Habiba Ahmed]]
* [[Priya Davdra]] as [[Iqra Ahmed]]
* [[Stephen Rahman-Hughes]] as [[Adam Bateman]]
* [[Emma Barton]] as [[Honey Mitchell]]
* [[Tilly Keeper]] as [[Louise Mitchell]]
* [[Jasmine Armfield]] as [[Bex Fowler]]
* Crystal Rasmussen as [[List of EastEnders characters (2019)#Dee Forestation|drag artist]]
* [[Amy Robbins]] as [[List of EastEnders characters (2019)#Caren|Caren]]
{{div col end}}
==Background and production==
[[File:London Pride 2019 50 Years of Pride.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The episode was scheduled to air the day before [[Pride in London#2019|London Pride 2019]] (''pictured'')]]
The episode was announced on 1 May 2019, with the episode being set take place in July and air one day before the [[Pride in London#2019|2019 London Pride event]].<ref name="This">{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/eastenders-lgbtq-pride-parade_uk_5cc9ad35e4b0913d078b5650 |title=EastEnders To Feature Its First Pride Parade Later This Year |first=Rachel |last=McGrath |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=Huffington Post |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017201149/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/eastenders-lgbtq-pride-parade_uk_5cc9ad35e4b0913d078b5650 |archive-date=17 October 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a27329002/eastenders-first-pride-parade-for-this-summer/ |title=EastEnders is planning its first Pride parade for this summer |first=Joe |last=Anderton |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=21 May 2024 |website=Digital Spy |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507232623/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a27329002/eastenders-first-pride-parade-for-this-summer/ |archive-date=7 May 2023 }}</ref> The episode was penned to contribute to executive producer [[Kate Oates]]'s attempts to make the show "more reflective of modern day [[east end of London|east London]]".<ref name="Its" /> Oates aimed to represent "multi-cultural London" by improving and celebrating diversity on the show.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gaytimes.com/culture/eastenders-to-air-first-ever-pride-march-for-lgbtq-special-episode/ |title=EastEnders to air first ever Pride march for LGBTQ special episode |first=Daniel |last=Megarry |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=21 May 2024 |website=Gay Times |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520232221/https://www.gaytimes.com/culture/eastenders-to-air-first-ever-pride-march-for-lgbtq-special-episode/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref> The show aimed for the episode to celebrate gay equality and the episode was teased as "going to be a huge event on the Square filled with joy, but, as with any event on Albert Square, there is certain to be plenty of drama happening alongside the celebration".<ref name="Its">{{cite web|url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/film-tv/eastenders-to-air-its-first-ever-pride-parade-in-special-episode-298800/ |title='EastEnders' 'to air its first ever Pride parade' in special episode |first=Will |last=Stroude |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=21 May 2024 |website=Attitude |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520230736/https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/film-tv/eastenders-to-air-its-first-ever-pride-parade-in-special-episode-298800/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref> Speaking to fans in a [[Twitter]] video, Oates said: "I am really interested in bringing some more LGBTQ characters in, and maybe we will have a new precinct for them as well. We are looking at opening a gay bar on the square which will be a super-cool precinct where gay and straight characters can all just hang out. Loads of stories can cross and should just be something really exciting, really fun, really visual and feel really true to multicultural London".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/eastenders-set-to-celebrate-pride-with-huge-parade-event-in-walford-a4131471.html |title=EastEnders 'set to celebrate Pride with huge parade event in Walford' |first=Natasha |last=Sporn |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=21 May 2024 |website=The Standard |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125225134/https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/eastenders-set-to-celebrate-pride-with-huge-parade-event-in-walford-a4131471.html |archive-date=25 January 2021 }}</ref>
In an interview with ''[[Inside Soap]]'', Tony Clay teased his character's role in the upcoming episode, explaining: "I love the contrast of Callum's story with Pride this week – the celebrations make him think 'Actually this is really beautiful and I'd love to be a part of it'. Pride shows him that being gay isn't something to shy away from. Nobody should ever feel as though they can't live their truth and people should embrace who they truly are".<ref name="Dad">{{cite magazine |last1=White |first1=Kate |date=29 June – 5 July 2019 |editor1-last= |editor1-first= |title=Who wouldn't want Phil Mitchell as a dad-in-law? |magazine=Inside Soap |type=Interview |language=English |issue=26 |page= |pages=40–42 }}</ref> Crystal Rasmussen, who played a drag artist in the episode, said the episode was "a really celebratory moment where everyone is joining in. They had a lot of queer people on set like me and a lot of my friends from the east London night life and it really did feel like a momentary feeling of Pride".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2019/07/06/eastenders-just-celebrated-its-first-ever-pride/ |title=EastEnders just celebrated its first ever Pride |author=PinkNews reporter |date=6 June 2019 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=PinkNews |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520103924/https://www.thepinknews.com/2019/07/06/eastenders-just-celebrated-its-first-ever-pride/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref>
===Re-airings===
During the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], the show was forced to halt production, so began re-airing some of its pre-lockdown episodes, with episode 5949 being included.<ref name="Tonight" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/14/what-happened-pride-eastenders-12983077/ |title=What happened after Pride in EastEnders? |first=Stephen |last=Patterson |date=14 July 2020 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Metro |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520104506/https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/14/what-happened-pride-eastenders-12983077/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref><ref name="Episode">{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/07/eastenders-air-iconic-pride-episode-12952057/ |title=EastEnders to air iconic Pride episode on BBC One |first=Stephen |last=Patterson |date=7 July 2020 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Metro |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520104508/https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/07/eastenders-air-iconic-pride-episode-12952057/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref> In January 2021, the show uploaded some of its most iconic episodes to [[BBC iPlayer]], under the name ''EastEnders: Iconic Episodes''. This episode was included and was the most recent of those selected.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a35181038/eastenders-iconic-episodes-box-set-bbc-iplayer/ |title=EastEnders releases iconic episodes boxset on iPlayer - here's which episodes will be included |first=Amy |last=West |date=11 January 2021 |access-date=27 May 2024 |website=Digital Spy |language=English |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603080412/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a35181038/eastenders-iconic-episodes-box-set-bbc-iplayer/ |archive-date=3 June 2021 }}</ref>
==Reception==
Upon the episode's announcement, the [[charitable organization|charity]] [[Stonewall (charity)|Stonewall]] praised the decision for the show to hold a pride event, with a spokesperson saying: "It's been more than 30 years since EastEnders featured the UK's first on-screen same-sex kiss.{{efn|In 1989, the show aired a same-sex mouth-to-mouth kiss between characters [[Colin Russell (EastEnders)|Colin Russell]] ([[Michael Cashman]]) and [[Guido Smith]] (Nicholas Donovan), the first in British television history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/24/lgbt-representation-tv-major-moments-12894718/ |title=LGBT representation on TV through the ages – from EastEnders' first gay kiss to transgender superheroes |first=Tilly |last=Pearce |date=24 June 2020 |access-date=21 May 2024 |website=Metro |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409224846/https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/24/lgbt-representation-tv-major-moments-12894718/ |archive-date=9 April 2024 }}</ref>}} So it's great to hear Walford will be celebrating Pride".<ref name="This" /> [[BBC Bitesize]] described the episode as "celebratory, diverse and educational", and praised that it "included moments that reminded the audience of the prejudice and discrimination still faced by the LGBTQ community to this day", adding that the episode was "iconic".<ref name="Memorable">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zhybydm |title=Memorable LGBTQ moments in EastEnders history |first= |last= |date= |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=BBC Bitesize |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502082035/https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zhybydm |archive-date=2 May 2021 }}</ref> Ali Griffiths of [[Digital Spy]] called the episode "groundbreaking".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a29366069/eastenders-ballum-is-2019s-most-compelling-lgbtq-storyline/ |title=Why EastEnders' #Ballum is 2019's most compelling LGBTQ+ storyline |first=Ali |last=Griffiths |date=4 October 2019 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Digital Spy |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520105429/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a29366069/eastenders-ballum-is-2019s-most-compelling-lgbtq-storyline/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref> In a tweet, Bowden proclaimed that the reaction to the episode "warmed [his] heart".<ref>{{Cite tweet |last=Bowden |first=Max |author-link=Max Bowden |user=MaxBowden |number=1147815404674396161 |date=7 July 2019 |title=The reaction to Fridays @bbceastenders has warmed my heart massively. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Can’t tell you how much I love everyone there and what a joy it is every day. Happy pride everyone.🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈|language=English |access-date=28 May 2024 |link=no |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240528220419/https://x.com/MaxBowden/status/1147815404674396161 |archive-date=28 May 2024 }}</ref> Rasmussen received praise for their performance of [[Heather Small]]'s "[[Proud (Heather Small song)|Proud]]" in the episode.<ref name="First" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/eastenders-pride-parade-episode-singer/ |title=I Headlined the First 'Eastenders' Pride Parade Episode |first=Tom |last=Rasmussen |date=19 August 2019 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Vice |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222221909/https://www.vice.com/en/article/gyzbwy/eastenders-pride-parade-episode-singer |archive-date=22 February 2024 }}</ref> Angie Quinn of [[MyLondon]] described the episode as "a dedication to Pride", particularly praising Karen's role in the episode as a supportive mother. She added: "The amazing episode also included a performance from a drag queen who brilliantly sang a version of Proud by Heather Small, as Walford's residents came together to celebrate the occasion".<ref name="First">{{cite web|url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/east-london-news/eastenders-celebrates-pride-london-emotional-16549087 |title=EastEnders celebrates Pride in London with emotional episode |first=Angie |last=Quinn |date=8 July 2019 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=MyLondon |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240528221119/https://www.mylondon.news/news/east-london-news/eastenders-celebrates-pride-london-emotional-16549087 |archive-date=28 May 2024 }}</ref> Jess Flaherty of ''[[Liverpool Echo]]'' reported that the re-airing received positive reactions from viewers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/tv/bbc-eastenders-shows-walfords-first-18597980 |title=BBC EastEnders shows Walford's first ever Gay Pride episode |first=Jess |last=Flaherty |date=14 July 2020 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Liverpool Echo |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240528221529/https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/tv/bbc-eastenders-shows-walfords-first-18597980 |archive-date=28 May 2024 }}</ref> Stephen Patterson of ''[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]'' deemed the episode "equally as iconic" as the other episodes included in ''EastEnders: Iconic Episodes'', despite being more recent, and that it "certainly deserve[d] to be seen again".<ref name="Tonight">{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/14/eastenders-airs-iconic-pride-episode-bbc-one-tonight-12982859/ |title=EastEnders airs iconic Pride episode on BBC One tonight |first=Stephen |last=Patterson |date=14 July 2020 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Metro |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520104506/https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/14/eastenders-airs-iconic-pride-episode-bbc-one-tonight-12982859/ |archive-date=20 May 2024}}</ref> Patterson also declared: "The soap's 5,949th episode, Pride is a more recent offering — having originally been broadcast on 5 July 2019 — but it's every bit as memorable and important as the previous instalments broadcast during the Iconic Episodes slot".<ref name="Episode" />
Figures compiled by the [[Broadcasters' Audience Research Board]] (BARB) indicated the episode had been watched by 4.96 million viewers.<ref>{{cite web|title=BARB|url=https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/most-viewed-programmes/|access-date=2024-06-15|archive-date=2021-10-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018150742/https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/most-viewed-programmes/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==References==
;Notes
{{notelist}}
;Citations
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{BBC episode|m0006hmd}}
* {{IMDb episode|5416630}}
{{EastEnders}}
[[Category:EastEnders episodes|5949]]
[[Category:2019 British television episodes]]
[[Category:Television episodes set in the 2010s]]
[[Category:Fiction set in 2019]]
[[Category:British LGBTQ-related television episodes]]
[[Category:Television episodes about anti-LGBTQ sentiment]]
[[Category:2019 LGBTQ-related television episodes]]
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[EastEnders]]
| episode = 5949
| director = Laurence Wilson
| writer = Pete Lawson
| story = Nasreen Ahmed
| editor = Lauren Connors
| production =
| airdate = {{Start date|2019|07|05|df=yes}}
| length = 28 minutes
| prev = Episode 5948
| next = Episode 5950
}}
"'''Episode 5949'''" (alternatively titled "'''Walford Pride'''") of the [[Television in the United Kingdom|British television]] [[soap opera]] ''[[EastEnders]]'' was originally broadcast on [[BBC One]] on 5 July 2019. It was written by Pete Lawson, directed by Laurence Wilson, and produced by [[Kate Oates]]. The episode takes place on the day [[Walford]] is holding its first [[pride parade]] and primarily focuses on the show's [[LGBT]] characters, mainly [[Callum Highway]] ([[Tony Clay]]), [[Ben Mitchell (EastEnders)|Ben Mitchell]] ([[Max Bowden]]), and [[Bernadette Taylor]] ([[Clair Norris]]). The episode was announced on 1 May 2019 and was set to air one day before the 2019 [[Pride in London]] festival. Since her time as executive producer, Oates aimed increase and celebrate diversity on the show, with the episode being pitched as part of Oates's goal. The episode received generally positive critical acclaim and was included in the ''EastEnders: Iconic Episodes'' collection in 2021.
==Plot==
<!-- Per [[Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary#Length]], under 400 words. -->
On the day [[Walford]] is holding its first [[LGBT pride]] [[pride parade|parade]], [[Karen Taylor (EastEnders)|Karen Taylor]] ([[Lorraine Stanley]]) scolds [[Tiffany Butcher]] ([[Maisie Smith]]) for breaking her daughter, [[Bernadette Taylor|Bernadette]]'s ([[Clair Norris]]) heart recently, so to cheer Bernadette up, Karen enthusiastically prepares her family to attend the parade to show their support. [[Kathy Beale]] ([[Gillian Taylforth]]) dresses her bar The Prince Albert for the event, but needs extra help [[LGBT marketing|decorating]]. She enlists the help of the [[closeted]] [[Callum Highway]] ([[Tony Clay]]) only for his [[homophobic]] brother [[Stuart Highway (EastEnders)|Stuart]] ([[Ricky Champ]]) to walk in during the shift. Meanwhile, at the [[Slater family (EastEnders)|Slater]] house, [[Kat Slater|Kat Moon]] ([[Jessie Wallace]]) is angry as she believes [[Martin Fowler (EastEnders)|Martin Fowler]] ([[James Bye (actor)|James Bye]]) stole money from her husband, [[Alfie Moon|Alfie]] ([[Shane Richie]]), as most of it is missing. Kat refuses to reveal why she needs the money.
At a restaurant, Stuart asks Callum if there is anything he wants to tell him, revealing that he saw him kissing [[Ben Mitchell (EastEnders)|Ben Mitchell]] ([[Max Bowden]]) the previous night. While Callum insists that Ben is just a friend, he admits that he is having more complicated feelings and that things "just happened" that night, insisting that nothing occurred since or before, enforcing that he loves his [[fiancé]], [[Whitney Dean]] ([[Shona McGarty]]). While Bernadette talks with [[Tina Carter]] ([[Luisa Bradshaw-White]]), Tina says Bernadette should be thankful to have such a supportive family, despite being slightly embarrassed by them. Later, Martin's wife, [[Stacey Slater|Stacey]] ([[Lacey Turner]]) figures out that Kat wants the money to give it to [[Kush Kazemi]] ([[Davood Ghadami]]), so he can take Martin and Stacey to court to gain [[Child custody|custody]] of Kush's son, [[Arthur Fowler (2015 character)|Arthur]] (Hunter Bell), which is why Kat is adamant that Martin took it. Martin swears to Stacey that he did not take the money.
Bernadette stops Karen from kissing a woman before Karen proclaims that she will always be proud of her. Stacey returns home and catches Kat searching through her wardrobe, before admitting that she was the one who took the money. When Stuart catches Ben [[groping]] Callum in The Prince Albert, He [[threat]]ens Ben and tells him to leave Callum alone, only for Ben to [[mockery|mock]] him before Kathy breaks up the situation. Ben tells Stuart to meet him in The Arches that night, and while a [[List of EastEnders characters (2019)#Dee Forestation|drag artist]] (Crystal Rasmussen) performs in Albert Square, Ben proclaims that he refuses to cower to Stuart, only to be brutally [[Violence against LGBT people|hate crimed]] by him.
==Cast and characters==
<!-- AS LISTED IN EPISODE -->
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Max Bowden]] as [[Ben Mitchell (EastEnders)|Ben Mitchell]]
* [[Tony Clay]] as [[Callum Highway]]
* [[Ricky Champ]] as [[Stuart Highway (EastEnders)|Stuart Highway]]
* [[Clair Norris]] as [[Bernadette Taylor]]
* [[Luisa Bradshaw-White]] as [[Tina Carter]]
* [[Lorraine Stanley]] as [[Karen Taylor (EastEnders)|Karen Taylor]]
* [[Roger Griffiths]] as [[Mitch Baker (EastEnders)|Mitch Baker]]
* [[Jessie Wallace]] as [[Kat Slater|Kat Moon]]
* [[Lacey Turner]] as [[Stacey Slater|Stacey Fowler]]
* [[James Bye (actor)|James Bye]] as [[Martin Fowler (EastEnders)|Martin Fowler]]
* [[Laila Morse]] as [[Mo Harris]]
* [[Gillian Wright]] as [[Jean Slater]]
* [[Shona McGarty]] as [[Whitney Dean]]
* [[Maisie Smith]] as [[Tiffany Butcher]]
* [[Gillian Taylforth]] as [[Kathy Beale]]
* [[Clay Milner Russell]] as [[Bobby Beale (EastEnders)|Bobby Beale]]
* [[Jessica Plummer]] as [[Chantelle Atkins]]
* [[Toby-Alexander Smith]] as [[Gray Atkins]]
* [[Zack Morris (actor)|Zack Morris]] as [[Keegan Baker]]
* [[Danny Walters (actor)|Danny Walters]] as [[Keanu Taylor]]
* [[Christopher Timothy]] as [[Ted Murray]]
* [[Rukku Nahar]] as [[Habiba Ahmed]]
* [[Priya Davdra]] as [[Iqra Ahmed]]
* [[Stephen Rahman-Hughes]] as [[Adam Bateman]]
* [[Emma Barton]] as [[Honey Mitchell]]
* [[Tilly Keeper]] as [[Louise Mitchell]]
* [[Jasmine Armfield]] as [[Bex Fowler]]
* Crystal Rasmussen as [[List of EastEnders characters (2019)#Dee Forestation|drag artist]]
* [[Amy Robbins]] as [[List of EastEnders characters (2019)#Caren|Caren]]
{{div col end}}
==Background and production==
[[File:London Pride 2019 50 Years of Pride.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The episode was scheduled to air the day before [[Pride in London#2019|London Pride 2019]] (''pictured'')]]
The episode was announced on 1 May 2019, with the episode being set take place in July and air one day before the [[Pride in London#2019|2019 London Pride event]].<ref name="This">{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/eastenders-lgbtq-pride-parade_uk_5cc9ad35e4b0913d078b5650 |title=EastEnders To Feature Its First Pride Parade Later This Year |first=Rachel |last=McGrath |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=Huffington Post |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017201149/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/eastenders-lgbtq-pride-parade_uk_5cc9ad35e4b0913d078b5650 |archive-date=17 October 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a27329002/eastenders-first-pride-parade-for-this-summer/ |title=EastEnders is planning its first Pride parade for this summer |first=Joe |last=Anderton |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=21 May 2024 |website=Digital Spy |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507232623/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a27329002/eastenders-first-pride-parade-for-this-summer/ |archive-date=7 May 2023 }}</ref> The episode was penned to contribute to executive producer [[Kate Oates]]'s attempts to make the show "more reflective of modern day [[east end of London|east London]]".<ref name="Its" /> Oates aimed to represent "multi-cultural London" by improving and celebrating diversity on the show.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gaytimes.com/culture/eastenders-to-air-first-ever-pride-march-for-lgbtq-special-episode/ |title=EastEnders to air first ever Pride march for LGBTQ special episode |first=Daniel |last=Megarry |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=21 May 2024 |website=Gay Times |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520232221/https://www.gaytimes.com/culture/eastenders-to-air-first-ever-pride-march-for-lgbtq-special-episode/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref> The show aimed for the episode to celebrate gay equality and the episode was teased as "going to be a huge event on the Square filled with joy, but, as with any event on Albert Square, there is certain to be plenty of drama happening alongside the celebration".<ref name="Its">{{cite web|url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/film-tv/eastenders-to-air-its-first-ever-pride-parade-in-special-episode-298800/ |title='EastEnders' 'to air its first ever Pride parade' in special episode |first=Will |last=Stroude |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=21 May 2024 |website=Attitude |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520230736/https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/film-tv/eastenders-to-air-its-first-ever-pride-parade-in-special-episode-298800/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref> Speaking to fans in a [[Twitter]] video, Oates said: "I am really interested in bringing some more LGBTQ characters in, and maybe we will have a new precinct for them as well. We are looking at opening a gay bar on the square which will be a super-cool precinct where gay and straight characters can all just hang out. Loads of stories can cross and should just be something really exciting, really fun, really visual and feel really true to multicultural London".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/eastenders-set-to-celebrate-pride-with-huge-parade-event-in-walford-a4131471.html |title=EastEnders 'set to celebrate Pride with huge parade event in Walford' |first=Natasha |last=Sporn |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=21 May 2024 |website=The Standard |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125225134/https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/eastenders-set-to-celebrate-pride-with-huge-parade-event-in-walford-a4131471.html |archive-date=25 January 2021 }}</ref>
In an interview with ''[[Inside Soap]]'', Tony Clay teased his character's role in the upcoming episode, explaining: "I love the contrast of Callum's story with Pride this week – the celebrations make him think 'Actually this is really beautiful and I'd love to be a part of it'. Pride shows him that being gay isn't something to shy away from. Nobody should ever feel as though they can't live their truth and people should embrace who they truly are".<ref name="Dad">{{cite magazine |last1=White |first1=Kate |date=29 June – 5 July 2019 |editor1-last= |editor1-first= |title=Who wouldn't want Phil Mitchell as a dad-in-law? |magazine=Inside Soap |type=Interview |language=English |issue=26 |page= |pages=40–42 }}</ref> Crystal Rasmussen, who played a drag artist in the episode, said the episode was "a really celebratory moment where everyone is joining in. They had a lot of queer people on set like me and a lot of my friends from the east London night life and it really did feel like a momentary feeling of Pride".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2019/07/06/eastenders-just-celebrated-its-first-ever-pride/ |title=EastEnders just celebrated its first ever Pride |author=PinkNews reporter |date=6 June 2019 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=PinkNews |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520103924/https://www.thepinknews.com/2019/07/06/eastenders-just-celebrated-its-first-ever-pride/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref>
===Re-airings===
During the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], the show was forced to halt production, so began re-airing some of its pre-lockdown episodes, with episode 5949 being included.<ref name="Tonight" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/14/what-happened-pride-eastenders-12983077/ |title=What happened after Pride in EastEnders? |first=Stephen |last=Patterson |date=14 July 2020 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Metro |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520104506/https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/14/what-happened-pride-eastenders-12983077/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref><ref name="Episode">{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/07/eastenders-air-iconic-pride-episode-12952057/ |title=EastEnders to air iconic Pride episode on BBC One |first=Stephen |last=Patterson |date=7 July 2020 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Metro |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520104508/https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/07/eastenders-air-iconic-pride-episode-12952057/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref> In January 2021, the show uploaded some of its most iconic episodes to [[BBC iPlayer]], under the name ''EastEnders: Iconic Episodes''. This episode was included and was the most recent of those selected.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a35181038/eastenders-iconic-episodes-box-set-bbc-iplayer/ |title=EastEnders releases iconic episodes boxset on iPlayer - here's which episodes will be included |first=Amy |last=West |date=11 January 2021 |access-date=27 May 2024 |website=Digital Spy |language=English |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603080412/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a35181038/eastenders-iconic-episodes-box-set-bbc-iplayer/ |archive-date=3 June 2021 }}</ref>
==Reception==
Upon the episode's announcement, the [[charitable organization|charity]] [[Stonewall (charity)|Stonewall]] praised the decision for the show to hold a pride event, with a spokesperson saying: "It's been more than 30 years since EastEnders featured the UK's first on-screen same-sex kiss.{{efn|In 1989, the show aired a same-sex mouth-to-mouth kiss between characters [[Colin Russell (EastEnders)|Colin Russell]] ([[Michael Cashman]]) and [[Guido Smith]] (Nicholas Donovan), the first in British television history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/24/lgbt-representation-tv-major-moments-12894718/ |title=LGBT representation on TV through the ages – from EastEnders' first gay kiss to transgender superheroes |first=Tilly |last=Pearce |date=24 June 2020 |access-date=21 May 2024 |website=Metro |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409224846/https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/24/lgbt-representation-tv-major-moments-12894718/ |archive-date=9 April 2024 }}</ref>}} So it's great to hear Walford will be celebrating Pride".<ref name="This" /> [[BBC Bitesize]] described the episode as "celebratory, diverse and educational", and praised that it "included moments that reminded the audience of the prejudice and discrimination still faced by the LGBTQ community to this day", adding that the episode was "iconic".<ref name="Memorable">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zhybydm |title=Memorable LGBTQ moments in EastEnders history |first= |last= |date= |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=BBC Bitesize |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502082035/https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zhybydm |archive-date=2 May 2021 }}</ref> Ali Griffiths of [[Digital Spy]] called the episode "groundbreaking".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a29366069/eastenders-ballum-is-2019s-most-compelling-lgbtq-storyline/ |title=Why EastEnders' #Ballum is 2019's most compelling LGBTQ+ storyline |first=Ali |last=Griffiths |date=4 October 2019 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Digital Spy |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520105429/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/eastenders/a29366069/eastenders-ballum-is-2019s-most-compelling-lgbtq-storyline/ |archive-date=20 May 2024 }}</ref> In a tweet, Bowden proclaimed that the reaction to the episode "warmed [his] heart".<ref>{{Cite tweet |last=Bowden |first=Max |author-link=Max Bowden |user=MaxBowden |number=1147815404674396161 |date=7 July 2019 |title=The reaction to Fridays @bbceastenders has warmed my heart massively. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Can’t tell you how much I love everyone there and what a joy it is every day. Happy pride everyone.🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈|language=English |access-date=28 May 2024 |link=no |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240528220419/https://x.com/MaxBowden/status/1147815404674396161 |archive-date=28 May 2024 }}</ref> Rasmussen received praise for their performance of [[Heather Small]]'s "[[Proud (Heather Small song)|Proud]]" in the episode.<ref name="First" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/eastenders-pride-parade-episode-singer/ |title=I Headlined the First 'Eastenders' Pride Parade Episode |first=Tom |last=Rasmussen |date=19 August 2019 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Vice |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222221909/https://www.vice.com/en/article/gyzbwy/eastenders-pride-parade-episode-singer |archive-date=22 February 2024 }}</ref> Angie Quinn of [[MyLondon]] described the episode as "a dedication to Pride", particularly praising Karen's role in the episode as a supportive mother. She added: "The amazing episode also included a performance from a drag queen who brilliantly sang a version of Proud by Heather Small, as Walford's residents came together to celebrate the occasion".<ref name="First">{{cite web|url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/east-london-news/eastenders-celebrates-pride-london-emotional-16549087 |title=EastEnders celebrates Pride in London with emotional episode |first=Angie |last=Quinn |date=8 July 2019 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=MyLondon |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240528221119/https://www.mylondon.news/news/east-london-news/eastenders-celebrates-pride-london-emotional-16549087 |archive-date=28 May 2024 }}</ref> Jess Flaherty of ''[[Liverpool Echo]]'' reported that the re-airing received positive reactions from viewers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/tv/bbc-eastenders-shows-walfords-first-18597980 |title=BBC EastEnders shows Walford's first ever Gay Pride episode |first=Jess |last=Flaherty |date=14 July 2020 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Liverpool Echo |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240528221529/https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/tv/bbc-eastenders-shows-walfords-first-18597980 |archive-date=28 May 2024 }}</ref> Stephen Patterson of ''[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]'' deemed the episode "equally as iconic" as the other episodes included in ''EastEnders: Iconic Episodes'', despite being more recent, and that it "certainly deserve[d] to be seen again".<ref name="Tonight">{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/14/eastenders-airs-iconic-pride-episode-bbc-one-tonight-12982859/ |title=EastEnders airs iconic Pride episode on BBC One tonight |first=Stephen |last=Patterson |date=14 July 2020 |access-date=28 May 2024 |website=Metro |language=English |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520104506/https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/14/eastenders-airs-iconic-pride-episode-bbc-one-tonight-12982859/ |archive-date=20 May 2024}}</ref> Patterson also declared: "The soap's 5,949th episode, Pride is a more recent offering — having originally been broadcast on 5 July 2019 — but it's every bit as memorable and important as the previous instalments broadcast during the Iconic Episodes slot".<ref name="Episode" />
Figures compiled by the [[Broadcasters' Audience Research Board]] (BARB) indicated the episode had been watched by 4.96 million viewers.<ref>{{cite web|title=BARB|url=https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/most-viewed-programmes/|access-date=2024-06-15|archive-date=2021-10-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018150742/https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/most-viewed-programmes/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==References==
;Notes
{{notelist}}
;Citations
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{BBC episode|m0006hmd}}
* {{IMDb episode|5416630}}
{{EastEnders}}
[[Category:EastEnders episodes|5949]]
[[Category:2019 British television episodes]]
[[Category:Television episodes set in the 2010s]]
[[Category:Fiction set in 2019]]
[[Category:British LGBTQ-related television episodes]]
[[Category:Television episodes about anti-LGBTQ sentiment]]
[[Category:2019 LGBTQ-related television episodes]]
