‘EastEnders’ is to hold its first Pride parade.
Kate Oates, the BBC’s head of continuing drama, is said to be keen to give a nod to the real-life London-based event – which celebrates LGBTQ achievements and will take place in the first week of July – and sees it as a "natural fit" on the east London-set soap.
A show source said: "It’s going to be a huge event on the square filled with joy.
"Kate thought that with Walford’s London identity it was a natural fit to tie in the two."
However, EastEnders’ Pride parade will also feature "plenty of drama" in true soap style.
The source added to The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre TV column: "But, as with any event on Albert Square, there is certain to be plenty of drama happening alongside the celebration."
A spokesman for Stonewall – the lesbian, gay, bi and trans rights charity – told the publication: "It’s been more than 30 years since ‘EastEnders’ featured the UK’s first on-screen same-sex kiss. So it’s great to hear Walford will be celebrating Pride."
This comes just months after Kate announced plans to introduce more LGBTQ characters to Walford in the coming year, and they will also have a "super-cool precinct" to hang out in.
She said: "I’m really interested in bringing some more LGBTQ characters in. Maybe we’ll have a new precinct for them as well?
"We’re looking at opening a new gay bar on the Square. It will be a super cool precinct where gay and straight characters can all just hang out and loads of stories can cross. It will be something really exciting, really fun and visual.
"It should be something really exciting, really fun, really visual and feel really true to multi-cultural London."
EastEnders to hold first Pride parade
