EastEnders in popular culture
Since its premiere in 1985, the BBC soap opera "EastEnders" has had a large impact on popular culture. In television. A charity special crossover between the science fiction television series "Doctor Who" and "EastEnders", "Dimensions in Time", was filmed in 1993 for Children in Need and ran in two parts on 26 November and 27 November 1993. It has been proven as non-canon by various references of "Doctor Who" as fiction in "EastEnders", and vice versa. "EastEnders" has participated in numerous other Children in Need and other fundraisers. Characters have also been spoofed in the  successful BBC comedy sketch show, "The Real McCoy" (1991–1995). "EastEnders" and its characters were frequently spoofed in the impressionist sketch show "Big Impression", starring Alistair McGowan and Ronni Ancona. "Big Impression" once screened a one-off special, focusing on "EastEnders", called "Alistair McGowan's BigEnders". The cartoon sketch show "2DTV" has also spoofed "EastEnders" on many occasions. The character of Pauline Fowler was mentioned in the successful BBC drama "This Life" in 1997. In one episode of the show two key characters, Anna and Ferdy, watched an episode of "EastEnders" on television and mocked Pauline's hysterics and her well  documented tendency to wear cardigans. A special episode of "A Question of Sport", "A Question of EastEnders", was screened in 2000 to mark the show's fifteenth anniversary. A sketch in a 1995 episode of "A Bit of Fry & Laurie" is set in the Fowlers' kitchen, with Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton and Clive Mantle parodying the speech and mannerisms of the characters of Pauline Fowler and Pete Beale. The dramatic drums at the end of every episode were parodied by "SMTV Live" in a "Friends" spoof entitled "Chums". The name "EastEnders" is spoofed in a series of pornographic  films called "RearEnders", which also spoof the "EastEnders" logo. In the last episode of "Gimme Gimme Gimme", "Decoy", Linda faked a terminal illness to stop her flatmate, Tom, from moving out. When Tom discovered her lie, Linda defended herself by saying "Well, it worked for Angie Watts!", to which Tom replied "Den and Angie were married!" In this episode, Tom also mentioned throughout the series that he had had a role in "EastEnders", as an extra, buying a cagoule from Bianca Jackson's clothes stall. Linda also has a stuffed toy called Carol Jackson. In the third series of "Bo ' Selecta!", there was a weekly sketch called 'EastEndings', featuring Ali Osman, Alan Jackson, Pete Beale and Nick Cotton and Kat Slater. An episode of "Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps" entitled "War, Hurrgh!" contains references to Peggy and Grant Mitchell, Angie Watts and Pat Butcher. The episode also ended with the same theme music as "EastEnders". Another episode, "Speedycruise!" referred to Pauline and Martin Fowler, and the episode "Finger Sniffing" also refers to Peggy. Also, in the episode "When Janet Met Johnny", Donna sings the line "Don't stay in watching "EastEnders"." Also, in an episode of  Pulling, the character of Donna asks "Who am I going to tell when I have an idea for a new plotline in "EastEnders"?". In November 2005, Catherine Tate appeared in another sketch for Children in Need. The segment was a crossover between "EastEnders" and "The Catherine Tate Show", featuring Barbara Windsor as Peggy Mitchell, Kacey Ainsworth as Little Mo Mitchell and Lacey Turner as Stacey Slater from "EastEnders" and Tate as her well-known character Lauren Cooper from "The Catherine Tate Show". Shaun Williamson frequently plays himself in Ricky Gervais's "Extras", where he is referred to at all times  as "Barry from "EastEnders"". Derek Martin (Charlie Slater) appeared in episode three in the third series of "Little Britain" in 2005. The sketch primarily focused around the character Marjorie Dawes telling her Fat Fighters group not to mention the fact that Martin is in "EastEnders", then mentioning it herself. In the Comic Relief special of "Little Britain", the character Dennis Waterman refers to his "daughter - the one in "EastEnders"". This is a reference to the real actor Dennis Waterman, who is the father of Hannah Waterman, who played Laura Beale in the show. In another ‘'Little Britain'’ scene, there are  several pictures of Matthew Rose on a character's wall. In one episode of children's show "TMi", featuring an interview with Matt Di Angelo (Deano Wicks) and Belinda Owusu (Libby Fox), host Mark Rhodes dressed up as Pauline Fowler, clutching a stuffed toy dog and grimacing at the camera, for a game. In 2006 in the Doctor Who episode The Impossible Planet The Doctor says "That's almost as bad as nothing can possible go wrong, or this is going to be the best Christmas Walford's ever had." In another episode Army of Ghosts Barbara Windsor as Peggy  Mitchell in "EastEnders", where she bars a ghost whom she presumes to be Den Watts from The Queen Victoria. Watts, presumed killed in 1989, returned to the soap in 2003, before being killed a second time in 2005 after being written out of the show. For Red Nose Day 2007, Aardman Animations created a "Creature Comforts" style short featuring the dog Wellard, who appeared in various places including Albert Square and outside a pub called The Dirty Den, asking other dogs for charity donations, attempting to sell his offspring and being put in prison. In the 2007 documentary "F*** Off , I'm Ginger", Charlie Clements discussed his character Bradley Branning's geekiness, and the relation to his ginger hair. Pauline and Sonia Fowler were mentioned in the fourth episode of "Gavin & Stacey". The fifth episode also referred to Shobu Kapoor by her character name, Gita, and mentioned Pat Butcher. It was also mentioned by the character Mick Shipman played by Larry Lamb in the 2008 Christmas special. Coincidentally, Lamb was also appearing in "EastEnders" at the time as Archie Mitchell. In "The Kevin Bishop Show", Kevin Bishop portrays the actor David Mitchell who arrives in Albert Square as the third  Mitchell brother. The sketches include parodies of the characters Peggy Mitchell and Stacey Slater and are filmed in the style of "Peep Show", in which David Mitchell stars. In a 2008 episode of "The Sarah Jane Adventures" entitled "The Mark of the Berserker", Rani physically forces her father to make an over exaggerated impression of the character Bianca yelling "Ricky!". In 2010 in the "Doctor Who" episode "The Beast Below", The Queen Victoria pub can be seen briefly in the background. Later in "Doctor Who Confidential" in the episode "All About the Girl" it was revealed not to be the  real Queen Vic pub but a set cut out. In 2010 in "Miranda" series 2 episode 3 "Let's Do It", Miranda plays the EastEnders Drumbeat over an episode of EastEnders. In 2011 at the start of the National Television Awards a mini episode of "Doctor Who" entitled "Dermot and the Doctor" sees Dot Branning (June Brown) implying The Doctor only has one set of clothes and he regularly visits Bridge Street Laundrette. In 2013 "Mrs. Brown's Boys" Series 3 Episode 5, Kathy answers the door and the "EastEnders" drum beat plays while she realises Mick her ex-boyfriend  has returned. In December 2014, Olly Murs appeared in a special episode made for his ITV TV special "A Night in With Olly Murs". In the episode, Murs stops off at Albert Square and meets Alfie Moon who mistakes him for Bruno Mars. In 2014, Not Going Out, Series 7 Episode - 10 Christmas Special, Jeffery asked why Lee is sitting on his backside watching EastEnders. Later he also tells him that he is going to need another best man for this wedding and the Doof Doof drums plays. In 2015, the American adult animated science fiction sitcom "Rick and Morty  referenced EastEnders" where in the episode "", where-in Rick, Morty, and Summer watch BBC Two where a British narrator states that the next programme to be on was the "Northsiders". A scene from "EastEnders" of characters Mick (Danny Dyer) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) talking could be seen in an episode of the BBC Three series "This Country" in 2018. In music. BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles remixed the Shaggy single "It Wasn't Me", singing about the "Who Shot Phil?" storyline. The theme tune of "EastEnders" has been parodied by MC Devvo, DJ Osymyso and Oxide & Neutrino. "EastEnders  is also mentioned in Sway DaSafo's remix of the Lily Allen song LDN". Ian Hunter's album "Rant" contains a song called "Dead Man Walkin' (EastEnders)". The Philadelphia-based Punk band The Dead Milkmen's 1988 album Beelzebubba contains a song called "Bad Party", with the lyrics, "I'm gonna shoot somebody / If they don't stop talking about "EastEnders"." When "Beelzebubba" was released, "EastEnders" aired on WHYY, the Philadelphia PBS station. British rap group Fierce Girl have a song, called "What Makes a Girl Fierce", with a chorus containing the lyrics, "Kat Slater is our sister." EastEnders  is also mentioned in the song "Sirens" by Dizzee Rascal, "Kill the Director" by The Wombats, "Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way" by The Streets, and Tippa Irie's 'Complain Neighbour' In theatre. "EastEnders" is referred to in John Godber's 1987 play "Teechers". The drama students, Gail, Salty and Hobby, say that they have acted out a part of "EastEnders", quoting "Hello, Arfur... All right, my love". When "Emmerdale" actor Nick Miles (who plays Jimmy King) starred in a play at the Edinburgh Festival called "Meeting Joe Strummer", his character was from Walford. Miles said in an interview  that his character was originally going to be from the village of Emmerdale, but it was changed to Walford for fun. In advertising. During the 1990s, whilst on a hiatus from "EastEnders", Mike Reid starred in an advert for the soft drink Oasis, whose slogan at the time was "Open, pour, be yourself once more". In the advert, Reid, dressed as Frank, drank the beverage and trod in a cow pat, after which he took on a miserable disposition and exclaimed "Pat... Oh Pat, what have you done to me Pat?" in a blatant reference to his "EastEnders" alter ego . In 1997, a BT commercial promoting its Friends and Family service featured ten former "EastEnders" stars. In the commercial, Letitia Dean calls nine former cast members; Susan Tully, Tom Watt, Leslie Grantham, Anna Wing, Oscar James, Linda Davidson, Peter Dean, Michelle Collins (in a scene shot in Paris to reflect the fact an international number could be included in the list - the advert itself was aired shortly after Cindy Beale was seen leaving on the Eurostar) and Bill Treacher (in a scene shot on an allotment to reflect the fact that one mobile number could be included). The BBC threatened  BT with legal action, but the telecoms company released the advert for screening anyway. The BBC withdrew its threat to sue after BT paid it an undisclosed five-figure amount. Leslie Grantham also appeared in an advertisement for Radox Everfresh in the late 1990s. The first line of the commercial was "Not so Dirty Den now, eh?", and the final line was "Life after soap... no problem". Other. In Squidgygate, Princess Diana likens her situation to that of one of the characters, presumably Angie Watts (Anita Dobson). A promotional picture of Pauline Fowler and Joe Macer was used on the  official "Torchwood" website, in a fictional magazine article about aliens. Ben Rawson Jones compares the arguments between Gwen and Rhys in "Torchwood" to "the kitchen sink melodrama usually seen in EastEnders". The Office for National Statistics have attributed the rise in babies called Ruby in 2006 to the character of Ruby Allen. It is also mentioned frequently in the "Shopaholic" book series written by Sophie Kinsella as the favourite TV show of Becky Bloomwood, the main character. The monthly Dot Cotton Club, a gay club night in Cambridge, is named after the character of Dot Branning, who was previously named  Dot Cotton. Dot is probably the most notable smoker on British television as she rarely appears on-screen without a cigarette. The character is so synonymous with smoking that the term "Dot Cotton syndrome" is used within the health industry to: "describe the elderly population who continue to smoke heavily without registering the health problems they are or will soon suffer from, seeing it as their only pleasure left in life". Chris Moyles' "Difficult Second Book" contains a chapter called "There Is No "Carry On" in "EastEnders"", referring to many things that cannot exist in the "EastEnders" fictional world , due to actors appearing in both TV shows, including Spandau Ballet (Martin Kemp), "Carry On" (Barbara Windsor), "Grange Hill" (Todd Carty and Susan Tully), "Hotel Babylon" and "Red Cap" (Tamzin Outhwaite), "Jonny Briggs" and "Star Wars" (Leslie Schofield), "Lovejoy" and "Only Fools and Horses" (John Bardon), "Bergerac", "Inspector Morse" and "Minder" (Perry Fenwick), "The Sweeney" and "Eldorado" (Derek Martin), "Are You Being Served?" and "Dad's Army" (Wendy Richard), "Parklife" and "Quadrophenia" (Phil Daniels) and "A Touch of Frost" (Kyte). The comic book "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" vol 1 #6 included characters named Mitchell and Watts (described as a "dirty  denizen of the East End") in the Artful Dodger's gang in the late 19th century. On April Fools' Day 2019, TheJournal.ie published a report on Prime Minister Theresa May's scheduled appearance on that night's special live episode of "EastEnders", details of which had been leaked by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar overnight. May's purpose was to issue a final plea for unity as Brexit entered a critical stage. The internet publication featured a photograph of May in The Queen Victoria pub, with the caption "Rehearsal shot of hostile locals witnessing May's arrival". It even went so far  as to compose fake documents to back up its claim, including a draft script said to have been provided by the BBC to highlight the ever-changing difficulties of keeping up with political events as they rapidly unfolded: "'This is the 416th draft' the source said. 'And her appearance was only confirmed at the start of March. Brexit won't stop f*****g, c*****g changing every two seconds. It's driving the actors mad.'" A short video clip shows actor Adam Woodyatt (who portrays the character of Ian Beale) being comforted by colleague Steve McFadden (who portrays the character Phil Mitchell ), as Woodyatt bursts into tears due to the protracted rehearsals. The preliminary script – which, TheJournal.ie reminded readers, was "contingent on what the hell happens in Brexit over the course of today" — had Dot Cotton (played by June Brown) gasping as Theresa May enters the pub. May, having begun her speech, is interrupted by Mick Carter (played by Danny Dyer) who knocks over a pint and a chair in his efforts to have the Prime Minister leave the pub. May departs and perches herself despondently on a park bench, whereupon Kat Slater (played by Jessie Wallace) approaches her with "Alright love ? What's getting you down?" May tells Slater she has already blamed everyone – the Irish, the Democratic Unionist Party, the European Union — and is at a loss for who is left for her to find fault with now. Slater advises her to be honest. May finds solace in this, thanks Slater, remarks on the chilliness of the night and Slater hands the Prime Minister her leopard print jacket to put on. May returns to the pub and seemingly converts all the customers bar Dot Cotton, who is promptly ejected onto the street.