| Polly Becker | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EastEnders character | |||||
 | |||||
| Portrayed by | Victoria Gould | ||||
| Duration | 1997–1998 | ||||
| First appearance | Episode 1427 25 March 1997 | ||||
| Last appearance | Episode 1672 22 September 1998 | ||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||
| Introduced by | Jane Harris | ||||
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Polly Becker is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders , played by Victoria Gould from 25 March 1997 until 22 September 1998.
Polly, a journalist, turns up in Albert Square in March 1997 to report the local happenings for the Walford Gazette. She begins a friendship with Tony Hills (Mark Homer) and he gets a job at the Gazette as a trainee journalist, shadowing Polly. They investigate George and Annie Palmer (Paul Moriarty and Nadia Sawalha), suspecting corruption (money laundering) and discover George is in league with Councillor Dixon (John Gillett). Unbeknownst to Polly, Annie is also blackmailing the Gazette's owner, Max Townsend (Alan Hunter). They uncover that the Councillor is cheating on his wife with a young man named Jamie, and this is eventually uncovered to the press, but not by Polly, by the Councillor's scorned wife. Dixon hangs himself shortly after.
Tony and Polly have sex one night in 1997; however, Polly is unaware that Tony is in a homosexual relationship with Simon Raymond (Andrew Lynford). Despite initial hurt, Polly and Tony remain friends. Polly forms a friendship with Ruth Fowler (Caroline Paterson), but later betrays Ruth's confidence by extracting information from her about her friends, the Kapoors. Polly writes a story that is published in a national newspaper, to further her career, revealing that Sanjay Kapoor (Deepak Verma) is not the biological father of his wife Gita (Shobu Kapoor)'s new baby, causing upset. After being confronted by the residents of Albert Square and getting a new job, Polly departs in September 1998, unapologetic.
Actress Victoria Gould has revealed that she won her role in EastEnders after a producer saw her performing in Hamlet and she was asked to audition for the role of Polly. Gould has commented, "I was catapulted into the weird world of soap land and infamy. People really believe that those soaps are real and people actually believed that I was Polly from EastEnders". [1] Journalist Polly has been described by author Kate Lock as a "hard-bitten, cynical, ambitious" and someone who "never allowed sentiment to get in the way of a good story." [2]
Polly is embroiled in a love triangle storyline with bi-sexual Tony Hills (Mark Homer) and gay Simon Raymond (Andrew Lynford). Tony cheats on Simon with Polly Becker and according to the BBC, "the way the show portrayed Tony coming to terms with his bisexuality was widely praised". [3] Gould quit the role in 1998. She was one of many actors to either quit or be axed by executive producer Matthew Robinson that year. [4]
The characterisation of Polly as a "hack" has been described as clichéd. [2] Rob Younge of The Independent used Polly as an example of a negative television portrayal of a journalist, that does not help to diminish "the mythologies that surround journalism." [5] In reference to Polly reporting on the Kapoors scandal in 1998, Ashley Davies of The Independent claimed that anyone who "watched the Polly-the-reporter-goes-bonkers-and-stitches- up-her-mates episode on EastEnders sitting next to a journalist will have experienced similar responses to those poor folk who've seen a war movie with someone who has been in the army. Their viewing would have been punctuated by yells of: 'That would never happen!' and 'Fools. It doesn't work like that!' [...] Journalists are always getting upset at the way they are portrayed in television dramas. The Polly palaver on EastEnders would never have happened in real life because, although hacks occasionally do shaft their friends, Gita and Sanjay's lack of celebrity would render details of their love life irrelevant". [6] Jon Slattery, editor of Press Gazette, the trade magazine for journalists, commented, "On TV you see journalists knifing up their friends and being able to publish anything without fear of libel. And they always make it look like a solo operation, with the reporter running around the country getting great stories. In reality journalists are more likely to be chained to their desks." [6]
Matthew Robinson is a British-Cambodian television and film executive producer, producer, director and writer. After graduating from Cambridge University. he directed many episodes of popular British television dramas and soap operas in the 1970s and 1980s. He became the first producer of the series Byker Grove (1989–1997), and was also made the executive producer of EastEnders (1998–2000).
Irene Raymond is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Roberta Taylor. Introduced in 1997 as the matriarch of the Hills family, Irene remained in the serial until 2000, when the actress opted to leave. Involved in comical and dramatic storylines, Irene is paired romantically with Terry Raymond, and is prominently featured as part of the 1999 Christmas Day episodes, where her extra-marital affair with a toy boy is discovered by Terry. Her departure storyline was filmed on-location in Spain, where she ends her marriage to Terry.
Terry Raymond is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gavin Richards. Terry is initially introduced briefly in 1996 as the drunken father of Tiffany and Simon Raymond. He is reintroduced as a full-time character in 1997 and remains in the serial until 2002, when actor Gavin Richards decided to leave.
Simon Raymond is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Andrew Lynford. Simon is introduced in 1996 as the homosexual brother of Tiffany Mitchell. His relationship with the bisexual character Tony Hills featured a gay kiss that caused controversy in the UK; numerous complaints were made because of its broadcasting. Simon remained in the serial until 1999, at which time it was mutually agreed between Lynford and executive producer Matthew Robinson, that the character had run its course. The character was given a happy ending, reuniting with his former boyfriend Tony to travel Europe.
Annie Palmer is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nadia Sawalha, from 6 May 1997 to 10 June 1999.
Josie McFarlane is a fictional character that appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She was played by Joan Hooley between 25 August 1998 and 1 February 2000. Since leaving the serial, Jamaican-born actress Joan Hooley has publicly accused EastEnders and the BBC of racism and tokenism, for giving her character no significant storylines, and using her as a prop.
Dr. Fred Fonseca is a fictional character from the popular soap opera EastEnders, played by Jimi Mistry from 13 September 1998 to 10 February 2000.
Sanjay Kapoor is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Deepak Verma from 9 February 1993 to 24 September 1998.
Gita Kapoor is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Shobu Kapoor, from 18 February 1993 to 24 September 1998.
Shobu Kapoor is an Indian British actress. She is most notable for playing the role of Gita Kapoor, the long-suffering wife of market trader Sanjay, in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1993 to 1998.
Deepak Verma MBE is a British actor, writer and television/film producer of Indian Punjabi descent and Hindu heritage. His role as market-stall trader Sanjay Kapoor in long-running BBC One soap opera EastEnders brought him to the attention of UK mainstream viewers.
Tony Hills is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mark Homer from 7 September 1995 to 15 April 1999.
Victoria Gould is a British actress, best known for playing the character of journalist Polly Becker on the BBC television soap opera EastEnders from 1997 to 1998.
Frankie Pierre is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She appears between 24 June 1996 and 25 March 1997, played by Syan Blake. Portrayed as a "super-bitch" and home wrecker, Frankie attempts to ruin the established relationships of several characters during her nine months on the soap, purposefully seducing attached men.
Bruno and Luisa di Marco are fictional characters from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played respectively by Leon Lissek from 29 January to 17 December 1998 and Stella Tanner from 29 January to 26 November 1998. They were two of many characters to be axed by the executive producer of EastEnders, Matthew Robinson.
Louise Raymond is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Carol Harrison from May 1998 to April 1999. Louise is the estranged mother of the characters Tiffany and Simon Raymond. She is featured most prominently in a high-profile storyline about adultery, when she has sex with her daughter's husband Grant. The plot is the catalyst for the eventual death of Tiffany, who dies in the aftermath upon discovering the affair. Harrison left the role in 1999; scriptwriters allegedly felt that the character had nowhere left to go following Tiffany's departure.