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Alan Sugar ‘s Scouse snub
City scriptwriter in war of words over Responder role
By HARLEY MULLEN Twitter users outraged over ‘The Apprentice’ star’s comments on new BBC drama
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Lord Sugar has been hit with a social media backlash after a tweet about new BBC drama The Responder.
The gripping crime drama, created by Liverpool script writer and former police officer Tony Schumacher, stars Martin Freeman as police response officer PC Chris Carson.
As he responds to 999 calls, main character Chris encounters the dangers of Liverpool in the dark whilst also fighting a losing battle against the demons in his own head.
Lord Sugar, who regularly uses twitter to share his opinions, seemed not to be fan of the show. He asked:
“Why did the BBC make Martin Freeman speak with a Liverpool accent in The Responder.
“Hard to follow what he and the other cast are saying. No disrespect to the people of Liverpool they are nice and down to earth people. My wife gave up watching she said she could not understand a word.”
But Tony hit back by saying he had Martin Freeman in his mind for the role from the offset.
He retorted to Lord Sugar: “I’m going to work my arse off to go on #TheApprentice and every time he says something to me, I’m going to look around all confused.”
Freeman, who is said to have spent over a year trying to perfect his northern accent, illustrates the character being pushed to his limits whilst also maintaining he wants to be a ‘good bobby’.
Hi performance throughout the series was carried out with outstanding precision and raw emotion. @MavenCasting on twitter said: “#TheResponder Just hand this man the BAFTA, a career defining performance…”
The five-part show and its script have been described award worthy by fans.
Viewers of the limited series jumped to the defence of the show. Former Hollyoaks actor Matt Littler responded: “It’s…it’s set in Liverpool. That’s… I’m not sure how to answer.”
Actor Dan Ryan said tweeted: “Alan just turn it off. It’s not for you. Stick to Eastenders and Towie and miss out on all the fantastic telly because the UK ends at Watford.”
Others suggested Lord Sugar use subtitles to understand the show. Understandably many creatives were upset by the comments of Lord Sugar which opened a discussion about the representation of other accents in TV and Radio.
Ellie Phillips, presenter and showbiz journalist told MerseyNewsLive:” I’m a TV and radio presenter whose Liverpool born and bred, and I would never try and soften my accent. I love it!
She added: “I’m incredibly proud of my accent because it’s rightly associated with humour, friendliness, and a relentless pursuit of justice.”
Phillips continued: “I try to think of my accent as one of my unique selling points and something that makes me stand out from the London crowd in a positive way. How many other national scouse presenters can you name?” The show, filmed in Liverpool, has not yet been confirmed for a second season, but both Freeman and Schumacher seem optimistic about the idea.
