MP demands apology from BBC after seedy portrayal of Milton Keynes in EastEnders

City MP Ben Everitt has demanded an apology from the BBC over the terrible way Milton Keynes was portrayed in EastEnders this week.

Many local people were up in arms after watching Monday’s episode of the soap, which showed pregnant Whitney visiting her step-mum Bianca (Patsy Palmer) in her MK home.

There were scenes of grim, rundown housing, gangs of teenagers and grubby drug addict neighbours.

Earlier today, the Citizen revealed that the film crew did not even come to Milton Keynes, instead shooting the episode somewhere in London.

Ben, clearly an EastEnders viewer, said today: “Like many across Milton Keynes, I was disappointed to see that the BBC soap opera depict our great city as run down, dilapidated and grotty. It is far from that.

“Rumour has it, producers had to travel to North London to find a location to depict their idea of Milton Keynes. If they have to find places in London to depict a fictitious portrayal of 'gritty' MK, then they're having a laugh.”

He added: “Of course, fans of the show will know the character of Bianca well, a fiery red head who as Patsy Palmer herself said, is “not a happily ever after kind of girl.” But to suggest that Milton Keynes is the ideal place for Bianca to be hard on her luck, is totally and utterly wrong.

“If I were Bianca, I too would move out of Albert Square. Since 1985 the 15 residential housed square has seen over 136 deaths. Around 23 murders and manslaughters, 17 deaths in car accidents, 12 suicides and drink or drug overdoses, seven tragic accidents, six by unknown causes and 39 by natural causes.

"Why anyone would continue to live somewhere that tarnished with tragedy, and where better to move for a better life than Milton Keynes?”

Conservative Ben then gave a list of some of the good things MK should be know for.

"Bianca would know this, she's lived here since 2014. Seen our amazing area go from towns to city. With innovative new trials launched here like delivery robots and driverless cars, fast transport links to other major cities, more bridges than Venice, more shoreline (around our lanes) than Jersey, 22 million trees across the city and a new hospital on the way, there is no better place to live, work and grow a family. We're not a City that's sitting around waiting, doing nish, We're out making moves.”

He added: “All jokes aside, it's a gritty show, depicting real, gritty, lives, and while it is fiction it often aims to address powerful topics in almost real-life storylines.

"This version of MK is far from that, and producers owe an apology to the people of MK for this negative portrayal.

"I would be happy to host them if they should take the time to get out of London and come and see the best of MK. They owe it to the people of Milton Keynes to show our city in its true colours.”

The Citizen forwarded Ben’s views to the EastEnders press office. They refused to comment.