EE: Bah humbug

Skylace · Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA

EastEnders stars have threatened not to attend the show's Christmas party this year because bosses have told them that they must pay for their partners to come along.

The cast and crew were sent invites saying that they would have to pay £30 for tickets for their guests to attend the low-key do.

Former stars such as Joel Beckett, who played Jake Moon in the soap, were also told that they would have to buy a ticket if they wanted to attend.

A source said: "It’s mean to charge for our loved ones - completely bah humbug. We don’t go anywhere fancy. It’s usually just warm beer and karaoke."

The annual Christmas celebrations usually attract all of the stars from the show, which won 'Most Popular Serial Drama' at the National TV Awards for the third consecutive year last month. But many of the actors, including Cliff Parisi (Minty Peterson), have complained to the show's executives.

The move comes at the same time as the BBC has been forced to axe 3,000 jobs to save on costs.

A spokesperson for EastEnders said: "We wouldn’t pay for partners out of licence fee-payers cash."

faceless · admin Joined: 25 Apr 2006

You don't hear of normal works Christmas parties paying for guests - why do they think they're special?

pirtybirdy · 'Native New Yorker' Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Location: FL USA

I'm thinking the Eastender's cast are cheapskates making a complaint about 30 pounds. I know many years ago, my company used to allow us to bring spouses, but since has changed it to employee only. Many companies have that policy now. Since the public is paying for it, it makes sense.

eefanincan · Admin Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Location: Canada

My husbands Christmas party for work is the ONLY I've ever been to where you can bring a guest for free. Everywhere I've ever worked has required a staff member to pay for their spouse/guest. In fact, most of the time staff also has to pay to attend but at a reduced cost. Consequentally I don't go to many parties. If they were decent parties, it might be one thing to pay, but usually you just end up chasing a bit of turkey around a plate, listening to some morons make speaches about how "great you all are" and pretending to like the music the DJ is playing. Laughing

And this might make me sound like a total bitch, but, I don't really want to socialize with a lot of the people I work with. I have to work with them, not necessarily spend my free time with them. I can get along with almost anyone, but I don't want to pay to spend time with them.