EastEnders star Harriet Thorpe was left rather red-faced after she accidentally swore live on-air.
The actress, who plays Elaine Peacock, on the BBC soap, appeared on Good Morning Britain in 2021. Fronted by Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard, Harriet was there to discuss whether it’s offensive to mimic a foreign accent.
Harriet was also joined by Dr Rob Drummond for the discussion. And the topic was up for debate after an Italian restaurant owner blasted diners online who mocked his accent.
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However, things took an awkward turn when Harriet accidentally swore. And her live gaffe led to Kate having to apologise to viewers.
(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
At the start, Rob claimed that accents can be used to portray someone negatively rather than positively. He said: “I think if you’re using a particular accent in a story or a sitcom, you’ve got to ask yourself, ‘why am I using this particular voice?'”
Dr Drummond went on: “And the chances are because of some kind of lazy stereotype. And all you’re doing by using that is reinforcing this stereotype and these kind of stereotypes, they’re almost always negative and they’re often pretty damaging.
(Image: ITV)
However, Harriet, who has appeared in the likes of Absolutely Fabulous and French & Saunders, disagreed. She claimed that taking on different accents is integral to some comedies.
She said: “No, we shouldn’t be racist, we shouldn’t be homophobic, we shouldn’t be anti-Semitic, we shouldn’t be anti-Muslim and mimic and mock people. Absolutely not.
(Image: ITV)
She continued. “But when you’re expressing something, [for example] in Fawlty Towers he’s taking the p** out of himself as the terrible owner of this horrific hotel.”
Realising the blunder, GMB host was quick to butt in. Issuing an apology to viewers she said: “We should apologise in case somebody didn’t like your way of describing joking in that way.”
(Image: ITV)
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Actress Harriet, whose career spans over three decades, comes from a family of talented writers and performers. Her parents, Edward Thorpe and Gillian Freeman, were both writers, and her sister Matilda is a well-known actress in her own right.
Matilda is perhaps best known for her role as Mandy in the beloved sitcom Desmonds. But her talents don’t stop there – she’s also a renowned drama teacher and runs the company Dr Theatre with her sister Harriet, coaching businesses and professionals in the art of public speaking and performance.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
