Praise for Channel 5 Washington TV show The Estate: Life Up North as Councillor says it avoids the 'thick Northerner' approach of previous series

The Estate: Life Up North is a docusoap that delves into the lives of six families and business people in the New Town:

The first episode went out on Channel 5 at 11.05pm and the series will run weekly until Tuesday, November 17.

Washington West ward member Coun Bernard Scaplehorn was among those tuning in: “I thought it was excellent,” he said.

"I thought it was very good and it was very nice in the way it covered us – I think it gives a good impression of the town.”

And he compared the series favourably to past depictions of life in the region: “Usually when the North East is portrayed on the telly, it’s ‘thick Northern idiots’ and kids hanging around on street corners,” he said.

"There was one in Hartlepool that made the town out to be horrible, but I think this one gave quite a good impression of Washington.

"There were some nice people on there."

And Coun Staplehorn admits to a particular soft spot for one of the participants: “Becky – the lady who was looking after her mother and wanting to take her driving test – is one of my volunteers.

"I run a small group of volunteers helping to keep Washington tidy and Becky is one of the people who does that for me.

"I know she has had her issues, and the way it was covered was quite sensitive, really.”

"Absolutely, I’ll be tuning in again next week.”

A Message from the Editor

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest on SAFC and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.