'EastEnders': Former Boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins Calls Out Lack Of Diversity At British Soap Awards

Former ‘EastEnders’ boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins has called for greater representation of minorities at the British Soap Awards.

Dominic - who helmed some of the biggest ‘EastEnders’ storylines of the past three years, before stepping down from his executive producer role earlier this year - called out the awards show, after all of this year’s winners were white.

Taking to Twitter after the ceremony aired on Sunday night, he wrote: “Massive congratulations to all this year's winners - but next year… DIVERSITY PLEASE.”

This year’s Soap Awards saw several victories for ‘EastEnders’, with Lacey Turner scooping Best Actress and Best Female Dramatic Performance for her portrayal of Stacey Branning, while her character’s psychosis story arc was also awarded Best Storyline.

However, it was ‘Emmerdale’ who were the big winners of the night, taking home the coveted Best British Soap prize.

‘EastEnders’ actor Richard Blackwood, who joined the soap during the 25th anniversary celebrations, lauded the soap for its diversity last year, specifically singling out Dominic Treadwell-Collins for his emphasis on diversity.

Richard claimed: “Our executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said that he wanted me to be a strong black lead on 'EastEnders'.

“I have a lot of respect for 'EastEnders' for doing what they’ve done on a mainstream show on BBC1. And the feedback I get from within the urban community – regardless of their race – is that it’s about time.”

During a panel discussion for HuffPost UK’s ‘LOUD&PROUD’ project last month, Dominic also highlighted how important he found diversity to be in the world of soap, explaining: “When I took over Eastenders, I said, ‘Right I want a girl in a hijab who ends up having a stillborn baby’ and we did that story, no one mentioned the fact she was wearing a hijab, it was a mother with a baby, and that was important.

“Danny Dyer, who the audience saw as this big gruff man, his son came out to him within a month of Danny being on screen, and he put his arm around his son and said, ‘I love you, you’re my boy, I don’t care.’

“And that was as much for little boys watching at home but also for men like Danny Dyer, who hold Danny Dyer up on a pedestal, thinking, ‘If he can do it, so can I.'”

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