EastEnders‘ first ever gay bar will come closer to becoming a reality next week when long-standing character Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) purchases a disused bar space.
Newly-released plot details have revealed how Albert Square’s previously announced LGBTQ setting will begin coming into fruition.
In scenes set to be broadcast next week, Kathy is set to surprise the former owner of The Albert bar, Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) with the news that she’s purchased the venue and plans to turn it into a gay bar.
Kathy, who first appeared in EastEnders’ very first episode in 1985, is set to turn to her gay son Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) and Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White), who is a lesbian, for advice in getting the bar up and running.
Ben and Tina are soon shocked to discover that Kathy has no idea what she’s doing, but when Kathy makes Tina an offer she can’t refuse, the pair begin deciding on a name for Walford’s hottest new LGBTQ spot.
The scenes come just weeks after EastEnders bosses revealed that the soap would air its first ever LGBTQ Pride parade this summer to coincide with London Pride.
Executive producer Kate Oates had previously revealed plans to introduce a gay bar last year, saying the new set would bring “something really exciting, really fun, really visual and feel really true to multicultural London”.
EastEnders conitnues tonight (21 May) at 7.30pm on BBC One.