Polly Becker
Encyclopedia
Polly Becker is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Victoria Gould
from April 1997 to September 1998.
in March 1997 to report the local happenings for the Walford Gazette. She begins a friendship with Tony Hills
and he gets a job at the Gazette as a trainee journalist, shadowing Polly. They investigate George
and Annie Palmer
, suspecting corruption (money laundering) and discover George is in league with Councillor Dixon. Unbeknown to Polly, Annie is also blackmailing the Gazette's owner, Max. 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
. Despite initial hurt, Polly and Tony remain friends. Polly forms a friendship with Ruth Fowler
, but later betrays Ruth's confidence by extracting information from her about her friends, the Kapoors. Polly writes a story that is published in the Gazette, revealing that Sanjay Kapoor
is not the biological father of his wife Gita
'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.
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". 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."
Polly was embroiled in a love triangle storyline with bi-sexual Tony Hills
(Mark Homer
) and gay Simon Raymond
(Andrew Lynford
). Tony cheated 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". 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.
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." 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". 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."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Victoria Gould
Victoria Gould
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....
from April 1997 to September 1998.
Storylines
Polly, a journalist, turns up in Albert SquareAlbert Square
Albert Square is the fictional location of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It is ostensibly located in the equally fictional London borough of Walford in London's East End. The square's design was based on the real life Fassett Square in Hackney, and was given the name Albert Square after the real...
in March 1997 to report the local happenings for the Walford Gazette. She begins a friendship with Tony Hills
Tony Hills
Tony Hills is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mark Homer.-Storylines:Tony arrives in Walford from Norfolk on 7 September 1995 with his sister, Sarah Hills . He is unsympathetic and sells ecstasy with a friend, Dan Zappieri . Eventually, he quits dealing after Dan...
and he gets a job at the Gazette as a trainee journalist, shadowing Polly. They investigate George
George Palmer (EastEnders)
George Palmer is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Paul Moriarty. He appeared between 1996 and 1998, but was one of many characters axed by then Executive Producer Matthew Robinson.-Storylines:...
and Annie Palmer
Annie Palmer
Annie Palmer is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nadia Sawalha. Annie was portrayed as a hard-nosed businesswoman, who wasn't averse to dabbling on the wrong side of the law...
, suspecting corruption (money laundering) and discover George is in league with Councillor Dixon. Unbeknown to Polly, Annie is also blackmailing the Gazette's owner, Max. 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
Simon Raymond
Simon Raymond is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Andrew Lynford. Simon was 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...
. Despite initial hurt, Polly and Tony remain friends. Polly forms a friendship with Ruth Fowler
Ruth Fowler
Ruth Fowler is a fictional character from the popular British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Caroline Paterson from 1994 to 1999. Ruth was Mark Fowler's second wife and she was far more comfortable with his HIV status than many of his other girlfriends. However their marriage eventually...
, but later betrays Ruth's confidence by extracting information from her about her friends, the Kapoors. Polly writes a story that is published in the Gazette, revealing that Sanjay Kapoor
Sanjay Kapoor (EastEnders)
Sanjay Kapoor is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Deepak Verma.Sanjay the market trader had an eye for the ladies and a weakness for gambling...
is not the biological father of his wife Gita
Gita Kapoor
Gita Kapoor is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Shobu Kapoor.Gita had a fierce temper, which was needed to keep her troublesome husband in check. Any success they achieved was down to her...
'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.
Creation and development
Actress Victoria Gould has revealed that she won her role in EastEnders after a producer saw her performing in HamletHamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
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". 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."
Polly was embroiled in a love triangle storyline with bi-sexual Tony Hills
Tony Hills
Tony Hills is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mark Homer.-Storylines:Tony arrives in Walford from Norfolk on 7 September 1995 with his sister, Sarah Hills . He is unsympathetic and sells ecstasy with a friend, Dan Zappieri . Eventually, he quits dealing after Dan...
(Mark Homer
Mark Homer
Mark Homer is a British actor of stage, television and film. He is best known for playing Tony Hills in the popular British soap opera EastEnders from 1995 to 1999. His subsequent work includes guest appearances in Silent Witness and Spine Chillers, both also for the BBC...
) and gay Simon Raymond
Simon Raymond
Simon Raymond is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Andrew Lynford. Simon was 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...
(Andrew Lynford
Andrew Lynford
Andrew Lynford is a British television presenter and actor. He is widely remembered for playing the role of Simon Raymond in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders and presenting Playdays for Children's BBC....
). Tony cheated 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". 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.
Reception
The characterisation of Polly as a "hack" has been described as cliched.Rob Younge of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
used Polly as an example of a negative television portrayal of a journalist, that does not help to diminish "the mythologies that surround journalism." 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". 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."