Episode 5949

"Episode 5949" (alternatively titled "Walford Pride") of the British television soap opera EastEnders was originally broadcast on BBC One on 5 July 2019.

The episode takes place on the day Walford is holding its first pride parade and primarily focuses on the show's LGBT characters, mainly Callum Highway (Tony Clay), Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden), and Bernadette Taylor (Clair Norris).

On the day Walford is holding its first LGBT pride parade, Karen Taylor (Lorraine Stanley) scolds Tiffany Butcher (Maisie Smith) for breaking her daughter, Bernadette's (Clair Norris) heart recently, so to cheer Bernadette up, Karen enthusiastically prepares her family to attend the parade to show their support.

She enlists the help of the closeted Callum Highway (Tony Clay) only for his homophobic brother Stuart (Ricky Champ) to walk in during the shift.

Meanwhile, at the Slater house, Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) is angry as she believes Martin Fowler (James Bye) stole money from her husband, Alfie (Shane Richie), as most of it is missing.

At a restaurant, Stuart asks Callum if there is anything he wants to tell him, revealing that he saw him kissing Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) the previous night.

[1][2] The episode was penned to contribute to executive producer Kate Oates's attempts to make the show "more reflective of modern day east London".

[11] Upon the episode's announcement, the charity Stonewall praised the decision for the show to hold a pride event, with a spokesperson saying: "It's been more than 30 years since EastEnders featured the UK's first on-screen same-sex kiss.

She added: "The amazing episode also included a performance from a drag queen who brilliantly sang a version of Proud by Heather Small, as Walford's residents came together to celebrate the occasion".